Symptoms of autism include:
- Abnormal tone, rate, pitch and rhythm of speech
- Avoidance of eye-to-eye contact
- Dislike being cuddled or held:
- May react violently to this form of interaction
- Hyperactivity
- Inability to engage in role playing
- Inability to start a conversation
- Inability to understand speech or gestures
- Inappropriate response to sounds
- Indifference to the feelings of others
- Obsession with one topic or idea
- Prefer to play alone
- Repeats phrases over and over
- Screaming suddenly
- Staring
- Repetitive rocking
- Difficulty learning any kind of physical task
- Walking on tiptoe for long periods of time
- Withdrawal from people, including parents
