Make use of finger and hand puppets, cuddly toys and figures associated with their special interests. Some autistic children may take more notice of these than they do of a human being e.g. Teddy says “Jump” or “It's Dinosaur's turn now”.
It is common for some children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to have very limited play skills. This can mean that a child plays with only a few toys, plays in a repetitive way or doesn't play with toys the way most kids do.
Early signs of autism can be detected in babies by playing peek-a-boo, research has shown. If their brains respond less than they should to the stimulating game they are more likely to be diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as toddlers.
Understanding the Response to Affection
For instance, some children with ASD may appear disinterested when engaged in play or in response to affection from loved ones while others may have an overly affectionate child with autism. Individuals with autism can also have an aversion to touch.
Many children with autism, even those with high-functioning autism, have difficulty learning to engage in everyday human interaction. They may avoid interactions or eye contact or even resist parental attention, hugs, or cuddling.
Red should never be used in the home as children with ASD perceive the color as florescent. Yellows likewise are very stimulating and are best to avoid. Greens, blues, pinks, soft oranges and neutrals can be very comforting. Keeping the colors muted, these tones can quiet the mind and create calm.
Young children may express more voiced than unvoiced laughter, as they haven't yet learned to purposely laugh. The test group of autistic children laughed just about as often as the non-autistic kids, but the autistic children's laughter was 98 percent voiced, while non-autistic children produced both types.
They usually prefer to play alone and have challenges working together with others. Various types of therapy are available to help kids with autism and their families to play together and build relationships.
Autistic infants as young as 6 months display subtle signs of the condition, according to a new study1. They are less attentive to people's faces during certain social-interaction tasks.
Early signs of autism in young children up to 36 months may include: Limited speech. Difficulties in being able to follow simple verbal instructions. Showing little interest in imaginative play, such as pretend games.
Sometimes, autistic children may even not like to be held, hugged, or touched by anyone and may be fussy or reactive when forced to do so.
Norton Children's Autism Center
Excessive screen time can impact a child's speech, physical and emotional development. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends no screen time for children younger than 18 to 24 months, and no more than one hour of screen time for children between ages 2 and 5 years.
Softer tones of greens and blues banish the feeling of chaos and often soothe people who have various sensory conditions, including autism. Introducing greens and blues and reducing over-stimulation can help autistic users in a sensory room truly digest and process the environment.
About 70% of autistic people have an intellectual disability, which means they have an IQ lower than 70. The remaining 30% have intelligence that ranges from average to gifted.
Most prefer bland foods, although there are notable exceptions: One child reportedly likes raw lemons; another consumes ground pepper by the spoonful. Nearly half of the children are sensitive to certain textures.
Children with autism prefer their mothers to strangers and attempt to remain close to them as much as other children. However they do not engage in attention sharing behaviors such as pointing or showing objects. They also do not seem to recognize the meaning of facial expressions and emotions.
Children with autism seek sensory input in a myriad of ways. Some enjoy the physical touch of loved ones through hugs, tickles, cuddles, and kisses. While on the other hand, others find more enjoyment in the sensory input from the physical environment in which we live.
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have been found to demonstrate lower levels of social smiling than typically developing children and children with other developmental disorders (Dawson, Hill, Spencer, Galbert, & Watson, 1990; Kasari, Sigman, Mundy, & Yirmiya, 1990; Wetherby, Prizant, & Hutchinson, 1998).
About stimming and autism
Stimming might include: hand and finger mannerisms – for example, finger-flicking and hand-flapping. unusual body movements – for example, rocking back and forth while sitting or standing. posturing – for example, holding hands or fingers out at an angle or arching the back while sitting.