He plays with the same toy for hours on end, never varying what he does, and anyone's attempts to redirect him upsets him greatly. He never plays symbolically, such as with toy soldiers or cars. In such a scenario, the child could be autistic.
Early intervention can make a world of difference.
This disorder tends to rob parents of the normal joy of parenting and is very stressful because the kids can't communicate. The earlier the children are diagnosed the better. Mundy said that if children are diagnosed from age 18 to 36 months or earlier, there is much that can be done to help them adjust. The kids benefit greatly from a very structured schedule 20 to 40 hours a week. Mundy said that if kids are helped at an early age they have a better chance of communicating more effectively with parents and peers and at managing their anger and stressful situations better.