This is bang in the middle of toddler tantrum time where children are trying to find out who they are and how to get what they want. Also at this age they vary in how sociable they are. Many children are still very egocentric, they mostly seek attention for themselves from their parents, stay near their parents and are only just starting to learn to play with other small children. It is getting a little late for him to yet to talk, but again some perfectly normal children don't talk properly until after 3. His mother should think carefully about whether he does understand his parents.
Many children understand well long before they can talk.
Children love routine Little ones love routine and it's not unusual for them to be fussy about having things a certain way, or even in a certain order. Autism does remain a possibility Having said this, you are right in thinking that some of the things you have described can, in a more extreme form, be a sign of autism or a similar problem - it is now thought that the problem covers a whole spectrum of developmental disorders ranging from severe autism to milder conditions such as Asperger's syndrome. Hyperactivity Sometimes parents just have a strong instinct that something is not quite right with their child and this feeling should never be ignored. Visit our extensive Ask the Doctor library of all previously asked questions and answers covering a wide range of topics. Full A to Z listing Category listing Keyword Search using the box on the right .