Expert: Dr. Sharon A. Mitchell - 7/4/2010

Question
My five year old son has a problem with giving too much affection and he is obsessed with the color red. Anything that is red he comments on immediately. He also lines small objects in a row instead of stacking them, even when asked to do so. He is also very curious as to how everything runs. Like at the amusement park he asks tons of questions on how the rides operate instead of just having fun on them.  Is he showing signs of early autism and what should I do?

Answer
It sounds like your son is a bright and curious child. Without meeting him it's very hard to give an opinion but I do see why you have some concerns.

Is he in kindergarten yet or has he spent much time around others his age? Why I ask if that with bright little ones who may be on the autism spectrum it is sometimes difficult to notice their differences until they rub shoulders daily with their peers. Kids who have Asperger's Syndrome may be highly verbal and find academics easy but have trouble in the social realm and have special interests more than would others their age.

Autism and Asperger's fall under the umbrella term of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD). Here is a quick, free, online checklist you can do to see if your son developmentally has shown some of the signs of having an autism spectrum disorder: http://www.childbrain.com/pddassess.html

At this next link you'll find the diagnostic criteria used in diagnosing autism and Asperger's: http://cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/hcp-dsm.html

I know it's not always easy to think back to how your child functioned a couple years ago but at this link you'll see a list of milestones most children achieve at certain ages: http://www.firstsigns.org/healthydev/milestones.htm  The same website has an excellent video glossary that shows clips of kids at various ages who are typically developing and those with an autism spectrum disorder. Accessing the video library requires that you sign up, but it's free and carries no obligation: http://www.firstsigns.org/asd_video_glossary/asdvg_about.htm

Here is another site that shows pictures of kids with autistic behaviours: http://autism.lovetoknow.com/Slideshow:Autism_Behavior_Checklist~5

If after you look at these sites you still have concerns, talk to your physician. Show him the results of any checklists you have done, and write out your observations as to why you feel your child may not be developing typically. A diagnostician will rely heavily on what you say. There is no one definitive test for autism; diagnosing is done more on observations and data gathering.

The television network NBC has a show called Parenthood. Portrayed on the show is an adolescent boy, Max, who has Asperger's. NBC allows you to watch episodes for free on this website: http://www.nbc.com/parenthood/

I know this is a scary step. You already have concerns. Investigating this will either do two things - put your mind at rest that all is well, or confirm your suspicious that something is different. If it's the latter, then you are doing all you can to help your boy. Being aware of his pattern of strengths and weaknesses puts you in a far better position to be his champion. You'll also be helping the school system to help your son.

Sharon A. Mitchell, B.A., B.Ed., M.A., PhD candidate