Age in Months

Normal Development

Development in Autism

2

Turns head & eyes to locate sound; Social smile

6

Reaches in anticipation of being picked up; Repeats actions when imitated by adult

Less active & demanding than non-handicapped infant; A minority are extremely irritable; Poor eye contact; No anticipatory social responses

8

Differentiates parents from strangers; 'Give & Take' object exchange games with adults; Peek-a-boo & similar games with a script; Shows objects to adults; Waves bye-bye; Cries & or crawls after mother when she leaves the room

Difficult to soothe when upset; About 1-3 are extremely withdrawn & may actively reject interaction; About 1/3 accept attention but initiate little interaction

12

Child initiates games with increasing frequency; Agent as well as respondent role in turn-taking; Increased visual contacting of adults during play with toys

Sociability often decreases as child begins to walk, crawl; No separation distress

18

Peer play emerging; showing, offering, taking toys; Solitary or parallel play still more typical

24

Peer play episodes are brief; Peer play more likely to revolve around gross motor activity (i.e. chasing games) than sharing of toys

Usually differentiates parents from others; but little affection expressed; May give hug, kiss as automatic gesture when asked; Indifferent to adults otehr than parents; May develop intense fears; Prefers to be alone

36

Learning turn-taking & sharing with peers; Episodes of sustained cooperative interaction with peers; Alteractions between peers are frequent; Enjoys helping parents with household chores; Enjoys showing off to make others laugh; Wants to please parents

Failure to accept other children; Excessive irritability; Failure to understand meaning of punishment

48

Negotiates roles with peers in socio-dramatic play; Has preferred playmates; Peers verbally    ( and sometimes physically) exclude unwelcome children from play

Unable to understand rules in peer play

60

More peer than adult oriented; Intensely interested in forming friendships; Quarreling, name calling with peers common; Able to change role from leader to follower in peer play

More adult than peer oriented; Frequently becomes more sociable, but interactions remain odd, one-sided

Age in Months

Normal Development

Development in Autism

6

Undifferentiated actions on one object at a time

8

Actions differentiated in terms of characteristics of objects; Use of two objects in combination (not socially appropriate use)

Repetitive motor movements may dominate waking activity

12

Socially appropriate actions on objects (functional use of objects); Two or more objects related appropriately

18

Frequent symbolic acts (pretends to drink, talk on the toy telephone, etc.)

24

Applies pretend play routines to dolls, stuffed animals, adults (i.e. 'feeds' doll) frequently; Pretend actions not limited to own routine (i.e. pretends to iron); Sequence of pretend actions develop (feeds doll, rocks & puts it to bed); Pretend play triggered by available objects

Little curiosity/exploration of environment; Unusual use of toys-spins, flips, lines up objects

36

Symbolic play pre-planned-announces intention & searches for needed objects; Substitutes one object for another (i.e. block for car); Objects treated as agents capable of independent activity (i.e. doll is made to pick up own cup)

Mouthing objects often persists; No symbolic play; Continuation of repetitive motor movements-rocking, spinning, toe walking, etc.; Visual fascination with objects-stares at light, etc.; Many show relative strength in visual/motor manipulations, such as puzzles

48

Sociodramatic play-pretend play with two or more children; Use of pantomime to represent needed object (i.e. pretends to pour from absent teapot); Real life and fantasy themes can sustain role for extended period

Functional use of objects; Few acts directed to dolls or others; most involve child as agent; Symbolic play, if present, limited to simple, repetitive schemes; As more sophisticated play skills develop, still spends large amounts of time in less sophisticated activity; Many do not combine toys in play

60

Language is important in establishing theme, negotiating roles and playing out drama

Unable to pantomime; No sociodramtic play