Early Signs of Autism: 10 Subtle Behaviors Every Parent Can Check at Home (18-30 Months) (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798180039477)

Early Signs of Autism: 10 Subtle Behaviors Every Parent Can Check at Home (18-30 Months)

You know your child better than anyone. You notice when something feels slightly different - a missed glance, a gesture that never comes, a pattern that doesn't quite fit. This book is designed to help you sharpen that instinct and turn it into something concrete, calm, and genuinely useful.

Early Signs of Autism is a practical home observation guide for parents and caregivers of toddlers between 18 and 30 months - one of the most critical windows in early childhood development. This is not a diagnostic tool. It is a step-by-step guide that helps you observe clearly, record honestly, and walk into your child's next pediatric visit with specific, actionable information instead of a vague feeling that something seems off.

The five core areas covered in this book:

1. Shared Attention and Eye Contact - How to observe purposeful glances, back-and-forth looks, and whether your toddler follows a point to an object across the room
2. Gestures and First Words - What pointing, waving, showing, and early word combinations reveal about social communication at this age
3. Play Types - How to distinguish exploratory play from pretend play, spot early make-believe, and recognize when repetitive patterns deserve a closer look
4. Imitation and Social Reciprocity - Simple copy-me checks, turn-taking games, and what consistent low imitation may signal alongside other differences
5. Repetitive Behaviors and Sensory Responses - Everyday sound, texture, and movement checks, and when strong avoidance or seeking is worth raising with your pediatrician

Inside every chapter you will find:

• Short at-home checks that fit into snack time, bath time, and play - no special setup required
• Simple, factual ways to record what you observe, including how to capture useful one-minute video clips
• Clear scripts for talking with your pediatrician and asking for the right next steps
• A complete Quick Reference Guide for use before appointments or during everyday moments

Noticing is not labeling. Watching carefully and asking one question early is the most powerful thing you can do.

The tone throughout is calm, direct, and pressure-free. No alarm. No conclusions before you have enough information. Just a clear, practical way to pay attention - and to give your child the earliest possible access to support if support turns out to be what they need.