Signs Of Autism In A 3-Year-Old: Things You Should Know In 2024

Looking for signs of autism in a 3-year-old may seem too early. After all, a child is still developing at that age. However, research suggests that symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorders may appear as early as 12 months old^[1]. Additionally, the earlier problems can be identified, the sooner a child can be helped. 

Most healthcare professionals won’t diagnose a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder until the child is at least 3 years old, however. Even at that young age, the challenges and disabilities that autistic children face can affect the rest of their lives. Helping them face and manage those challenges can also have a real impact on how they continue to develop.

Knowing some of the early signs of autistic children in 3-year-olds is an important thing for parents and childcare professionals to understand. With that understanding, it’s possible to get the child the extra assistance they need to ensure optimal development.

Signs Of Autism In 3-Year-Olds

Any child might display some of these behaviors, depending on the situation. For instance, three-year-olds are often shy around new people. They may spin around or find other physical ways of burning off energy. They also may lack the vocabulary to articulately express their own wants and needs.

However, there are ways to differentiate between typical three-year-old behavior and autistic symptoms.  You’re looking for those symptoms to persist over a longer period of time. You’re also looking for behaviors that appear frequently, not just occasionally. If a child’s behavior regularly interferes with his/her daily functioning, it can be a symptom of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Daily functioning includes the ability to participate in school or any other extracurricular programs the child is involved in without an excessive struggle. It is also often a marker of ASD if a child does not have the capacity to engage in activities of daily living such as eating, sleeping, and getting dressed. It’s the combination of the symptoms on the list^[3] and these other factors that point to a possible autism diagnosis.

It’s also possible that some autistic children may regress. That means that they developed some social and language skills, but as they grow older they lose those life skills or are less proficient in them.

Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder generally fall into two categories: challenges in communication skills and repetitive behaviors. These are, to some extent, what defines Autism Spectrum Disorder. As a result, it can be helpful to understand both those two issues in more depth.

Difficulties In Communication And Social Interaction

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder often find social interactions difficult to follow and understand. They experience challenges on both sides of communication, expressing themselves and understanding others.

First, they will experience difficulties in expressing their own ideas and emotions. It means they may speak slowly or even struggle to produce words. 

Children with signs of autism may have difficulties monitoring their own emotional and physical states, as well. Things like the level of hunger and body temperature may cause them distress without them understanding why.

Autism Spectrum Disorder also involves challenges in understanding others. They will usually have a hard time with jokes, even the sort of humor that usually sets 3-year-old giggling. Children that are young may generally have a hard time with sarcasm and abstractions, but children with signs of autism may have an even harder time. As a result, they may not engage in pretend play. 

They may also just show a general disinterest in other people, preferring to spend time on their own. Autistic children may become intensely focused on a particular toy or game, or develop an extreme interest in one or two specific topics.

Repetitive Behaviors and Restricted Interests

The other aspect of Autism Spectrum Disorder is a tendency toward repetitive behaviors. We don’t fully understand Autism Spectrum Disorder or the brain chemistry behind it^[4]. However, it seems likely that familiar and repetitive movements are soothing in circumstances when children with autism symptoms become distressed.

There are also some indications that repetitive behavior is the result of certain parts of the brain being overactive. In particular, the system that gives us a positive boost when we do something ‘good’ may kick into overtime when an autistic child is pursuing their interests. The focus on a few topics or objects, to the point of entirely excluding other pursuits, is referred to as restricted interests. 

People with signs of autism often also perform repetitive behaviors. That actually covers a wide range of things. It can be the more obvious meaning, in which they make a gesture repeatedly. For example, it’s very common for autistic children to flap their hands or spin circles. Repeating words is also common.

The tendency towards repetition may also include broader behaviors. They may need to follow the same routine for dinner every day or become upset. Other routines may be important for their mental health. If these routines are disturbed, the child may become very distressed.

New surroundings, new people, or other changes may also cause distress.

Signs Of Autism Spectrum Disorders In Older Children

The child’s behaviors that are developed as children will often define how we behave for the rest of our lives. For that reason, older children or adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder will show many of the indicators^[3] that we’ve already discussed. However, additional signs of autism in older children may include:

• Further focus on restricted interests
• More organized than is typical for children
• Anger and frustration with their disability
• Self-harm
• Aggression
• Inappropriate or disproportionate emotional reactions
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Short attention span

As they grow older, the symptoms may grow worse, particularly if left untreated. Difficulties with social interaction will become more pronounced. Repetitive motions will continue, even when you might expect older kids to settle down or develop other interests.

They may be very organized in a way children usually aren’t. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder that display restricted interests may become very knowledgeable about the one or two topics they have focused on.

Other symptoms may also become apparent. Some will fit in the categories we’ve already discussed. Any child may have a hard time with sarcasm, but even older children with Autism Spectrum Disorder will continue to find it hard to understand. 

Other early signs of autism won’t fit as neatly into the two categories we’ve discussed. Anger, frustration, and anxiety are all common. Depression is also likely, as children begin to experience more and greater challenges as they get older. The frustration they experience can also result in aggression or even self-harm.

Autism Spectrum Disorder may not have a cure, but very effective treatments of different kinds have been developed. We mentioned that the behaviors we develop as children will tend to stay with us as we age. That is just as true of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. That can also be a good thing, however. When young children receive the right therapy at a young age, they can learn to cope in healthy ways and still live full lives.

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