If no underlying cause is found, the child may be diagnosed as having autism or pervasive developmental disorder. Children with autistic behavior need careful medical and psychological or developmental evaluation. Vision and hearing should be checked. A neurological examination may be ordered. Information provided by parents is very important, and parents need to be included in all aspects of the child's evaluation.
Autistic children have great difficulty understanding the world, and adapting to change.
They are not able to process and integrate sensory information normally. They may ignore or be too sensitive to certain sounds. They may pull away from being touched or even looked at. They may not understand what their own body tells them. Shadows may seem alive, and words may have no meaning.