AUTISM CHECKLIST GUIDE
This guide is intended to be used with the Autism Checklist to help identify the types of
behaviors that are associated with the diagnostic criteria from the DSM-IV-TR. Use this only as
a guideline.
(1) QUALITATIVE IMPAIRMENT IN SOCIAL INTERACTION, AS MANIFESTED BY AT
LEAST TWO OF THE FOLLOWING:
(a) Marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye
gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction.
Does the child look at you when you are talking to him/her?
Does the child make unusual facial expressions (i.e. blank stare, sameness in expression)?
Do facial expressions seem inappropriate in the given situation (i.e. does not smile when smiled at, lack of
expression in an exciting situation)?
Does the child communicate by other methods, such as making sounds, pointing, or gesturing?
Does the child understand the expressions on other people’s faces (i.e. react appropriately when another
person’s facial expression is happy, disappointed, or mad)?
Is the child’s body posture appropriate for the activity (i.e. facing their peer for game of patty-cake, not
laying across the board game while playing with other children)?
(b) Failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level.
Does the child prefer to play alone or with other children?
Does the child ever join in play with other children, or does he/she play alongside or watch?
Does the child join in cooperative play, such as tag, table games, hide-and-seek?
What types of games or activities does the child enjoy?
Does the child want friends, but not know how to make or keep them?
Does the child understand the “rules” of friendship?
Does the child understand nonverbal cues (i.e. the underlying meaning when someone turns their back,
looks at watch, rolls their eyes, etc.)?
(c) A lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interest, or achievement with other people (e.g., by
a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people).
Does the child bring an object of interest to share with you?
When you point to something, does the child look in the direction you point?
Does the child point to objects of interest in the distance (i.e. an airplane)?
Does the child talk about topics of interest to others?
Does the child point out objects of interest to others?
Does the child show pride in their accomplishments?
(d) A lack of social or emotional reciprocity.
Does the child enjoy being cuddled or kissed by caregiver?
Does the child pull away from affection?
Does the child exhibit a give and take in conversation or play activities (i.e. taking turns, listening to
others)?
Does the child show empathy towards others (i.e. comfort someone crying, share excitement with peer)?
Autism Checklist Guide 2-06/Megan
(2) QUALITATIVE IMPAIRMENTS IN COMMUNICATION AS MANIFESTED BY AT LEAST
ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
(a) Delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt to
compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gesture or mimic).
Does the child speak in words, phrases, or sentences?
Does the child use gesture or mimic to communicate needs or wants (point to or demonstrate their want)?
Does the child repeat words or phrases spoken by others (echolalia)?
(b) In individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a
conversation with others.
Does the child respond when you try to speak to him/her?
Does the child respond when a question is asked?
Does the child face the person talking to him/her?
Does the child attempt to converse with others?
Is the child able to start a conversation appropriately?
Does the child converse on the topic at-hand or does it veer to his/her own interests?
(c) Stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language
Does the child repeat words and phrases over and over?
Does the child use words and phrases that don’t make sense in the context?
Does the child repeat words or phrases from television, movies, or songs as a means of communication?
Does the child speak in an ‘odd’ language that only he/she understands?
(d) Lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental
level.
Does the child imitate what you do, or what peers do, when playing?
Does the child engage in make-believe play (i.e. does the child pretend to be a policeman, pretend to comb
their hair, or pretend to drink a cup of milk)?
Does the child play with toys as if they were real (i.e. moving cars or trains round a track, putting the doll
to bed)?
Does the child engage in imaginative play with other children (i.e. playing teacher and student, having a tea
party)?
Does the child take an active part in this type of play or are they always passive and watching others?
Does the child seem to understand another person’s perspective or point of view?
(3) RESTRICTED REPERTOIRE AND STEREOTYPED PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR,
INTEREST, AND ACTIVITIES, AS MANIFESTED BY AT LEAST ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
(a) Encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is
abnormal either in intensity or focus.
Does the child seem overly interested in objects that spin or that are shiny?
Does the child use toys in unusual ways, such as spinning them or lining them up over and over?
Does the child have a certain toy or object that he/she insists on carrying around?
Does the child appear obsessed with a specific object or toy (i.e. trains, washing machines)?
Does the child appear obsessed with a specific topic or subject of intense interest (i.e. Yu-gi-oh cards,
World War II)?
Does the child spend most of their time with or thinking about their object or subject of interest?
Is it difficult to distract the child from or change their object or subject of interest?
Autism Checklist Guide 2-06/Megan
(b) Apparently inflexible adherence to specific nonfunctional routines or rituals.
Does the child become upset of the schedule is change or the routine is disrupted (i.e. parent took a
different route home, unexpected fire drills, a school convocation)?
Does the child perform certain tasks over and over and in the same way every time?
Does the child exhibit any rituals (i.e. circle around the chair before sitting, count steps before walking up)?
Does the child become upset if changes are made in the household (i.e. the furniture is moved)?
Does the child insist on certain routines (i.e. wearing certain types of clothing, family members sitting in
same seat at dinner, taking the same route home)?
Does the child have difficulty transitioning between tasks? For example, does he/she become upset if
interrupted before completing a task?
(c) Stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping, or twisting, or complex
whole-body movements).
Does the child move his body in unusual or repetitive ways?
Does the child spin himself/herself for long periods of time?
Does the child rock back and forth for long periods of time?
Does the child move his/her hands or fingers in unusual ways (flicking fingers in front of face, flapping,
rub head in same spot)?
How does the child behave when excited?
Does he/she demonstrate unusual body movements when excited?
(d) Persistent preoccupation with parts of objects.
Does the child play with toys or objects differently than the intended use (i.e. spinning the wheels of a toy
car without playing with the car)?
Is the child overly interested in looking at small details or parts of objects (i.e. the doll’s eyes, spinning the
wheels of a toy car, watching the ceiling fan)?
Does the child choose objects to play with not intended for that use (i.e. Tupperware to open and close it)?
Autism Checklist Guide 2-06/Megan