Developmental delay

Symptoms of developmental delays vary depending on the type. Symptoms may include:

• Delays in rolling over, sitting up, crawling and walking.

• Trouble with fine motor skills.

• Problems understanding what others say.

• Trouble with problem-solving.

• Issues with social skills.

• Problems talking or talking late.

• Difficulty remembering things.

• Inability to connect actions with consequences.

Autism spectrum disorder

Some children show signs of autism spectrum disorder in early infancy, such as reduced eye contact, lack of response to their name or indifference to caregivers. Other children may develop normally for the first few months or years of life, but then suddenly become withdrawn or aggressive or lose language skills they've already acquired. Signs usually are seen by age 2 years. Each child with autism spectrum disorder is likely to have a unique pattern of behavior and level of severity — from low functioning to high functioning. Some children with autism spectrum disorder have difficulty learning, and some have signs of lower than normal intelligence, Other children with the disorder have normal to high intelligence— they learn quickly, yet have trouble communicating and applying what they know in everyday life and adjusting to social situations.

Because of the unique mixture of symptoms in each child, severity can sometimes be difficult to determine. It's generally based on the level of impairments and how they impact the ability to function.

Below are some common signs shown by people who have autism spectrum disorder.

Social communication and interaction

A child or adult with autism spectrum disorder may have problems with social interaction and communication skills, including any of these signs:

• Fails to respond to his or her name or appears not to hear you at times.

• Resists cuddling and holding, and seems to prefer playing alone, retreating into his or her own world.

• Has poor eye contact

• Doesn't point at or bring objects to share interest

• Inappropriately approaches a social interaction by being passive, aggressive or disruptive

• Has difficulty recognizing nonverbal cues, such as interpreting other people's facial expressions, body postures or tone of voice

Patterns of behavior

A child or adult with autism spectrum disorder may have limited, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities, including any of these signs:

• Performs repetitive movements, such as rocking, spinning or hand flapping

• Performs activities that could cause self-harm, such as biting or head-banging

• Develops specific routines or rituals and becomes disturbed at the slightest change

• Has problems with coordination or has odd movement patterns, such as clumsiness or walking on toes, and has odd, stiff or exaggerated body language

• Is fascinated by details of an object, such as the spinning wheels of a toy car, but doesn't understand the overall purpose or function of the object

• Is unusually sensitive to light, sound or touch, yet may be indifferent to pain or temperature

• Doesn't engage in imitative or make believe play

• Fixates on an object or activity with abnormal intensity or focus

• Has specific food preferences, such as eating only a few foods, or refusing foods with a certain texture

As they mature, some children with autism spectrum disorder become more engaged with others and show fewer disturbances in behavior. Some, usually those with the least severe problems, eventually may lead normal or near-normal lives. Others, however, continue to have difficulty with language or social skills, and the teen years can bring worse behavioral and emotional problems.

ADHD

The primary features of ADHD include inattention and hyperactive-impulsive behavior. ADHD symptoms start before age 12, and in some children, they're noticeable as early as 3 years of age. ADHD symptoms can be mild, moderate or severe, and they may continue into adulthood.

ADHD occurs more often in males than in females, and behaviors can be different in boys and girls. For example, boys may be more hyperactive and girls may tend to be quietly inattentive.

There are three subtypes of ADHD:

• Predominantly inattentive: The majority of symptoms fall under inattention.

• Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive: The majority of symptoms are hyperactive and impulsive.

• Combined: This is a mix of inattentive symptoms and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms.

Inattention

A child who shows a pattern of inattention may often:

• Fail to pay close attention to details or make careless mistakes in schoolwork

• Have trouble staying focused in tasks or play

• Appear not to listen, even when spoken to directy

• Have difficulty following through on instructions and fail to finish schoolwork or chores

• Have trouble organizing tasks and activities

• Avoid or dislike tasks that require focused mental effort, such as homework

• Lose items needed for tasks or activites, for example, toys, school assignments, pencils

• Be easily distracted

• Forget to do some daly activities such as forgetting to do chores

Hyperactivity and impulsivity

A child who shows a pattern of hyperactive and impulsive symptoms may often:

• Fidget with or tap his or her hands or feet, or squirm in the seat

• Have difficulty staying seated in the classroom orin other situations

• Be on the go, in constant motion

• Run around or climb in situations when its not appropriate

• Have trouble playing or doing an activity quietly

• Talk too much

• Blurt out answers, interrupting the questioner

• Have difficulty waiting for his or her turn

• Interrupt orintrude on others' conversations, games or activities