You’ve noticed something that doesn’t quite fit and you’re looking for a concrete checklist to compare against. This autism checklist for Indian parents covers every age from 6 months to school age — with specific red flags, a Hindi reference section, and clear guidance on when to act.
Autism checklist India — key red flags by age: No social smile (6 months); no babbling (9 months); no pointing, waving, or name response (12 months); no words (16 months); no 2-word phrases (24 months); skill regression at any age. For children aged 16–30 months, the free M-CHAT at mchatscreen.com is the best validated screening tool. Any significant concern warrants immediate professional evaluation.
1. How to Use This Autism Checklist
- Observe typical behaviour — not best performance. How does your child usually behave at home?
- Look for patterns — occasional differences are normal. Consistent, significant differences across multiple areas are concerning.
- Don’t self-diagnose — use this checklist to decide whether to seek professional assessment.
- Act on any concern — there is no downside to seeking evaluation. There is a significant downside to delaying it.
2. Age-Wise Autism Checklist — 6 Months to 3 Years
- Does not smile back when you smile at them
- Limited eye contact with familiar people
- No babbling
- Does not respond to familiar voices
- Any absence by 9 months → mention at next paediatric visit
- Does not respond consistently to their own name (hearing is normal)
- Does not point to show you interesting things
- Does not wave or gesture back-and-forth
- No single meaningful words
- Two or more of these by 12 months → seek paediatrician referral urgently
- Fewer than 5–10 meaningful words
- Does not share interest — doesn’t point to say “look at that!”
- Limited imitation of actions
- Does not look at your face to check your reaction
- Any of these by 18 months → seek developmental paediatrician referral immediately
- Fewer than 50 words
- No 2-word phrases (“mama paani,” “ball go,” “more biscuit”)
- Limited or absent pretend play
- Repetitive play — always uses toys in the same specific way
- Strong distress when routines are changed
- Significant concerns in any area by 24 months → urgent assessment this week
- Loss of words they previously used
- Loss of social engagement previously present
- Any developmental skill regression — same-day or next-day appointment required
3. Autism Checklist in Hindi
देर से बोलना (Speech delay) — 18 महीने में कोई शब्द नहीं; 24 महीने में दो शब्दों का वाक्य नहीं
आँखें न मिलाना (Poor eye contact) — लोगों की आँखों में नहीं देखता, खासकर बातचीत के दौरान
नाम पर कोई प्रतिक्रिया नहीं (No name response) — नाम लेने पर नहीं मुड़ता, सुनने में कोई समस्या नहीं
उँगली से इशारा न करना (No pointing) — दिलचस्प चीज़ें दिखाने के लिए उँगली नहीं उठाता
एक ही काम बार-बार करना (Repetitive behaviours) — एक ही खिलौना एक ही तरह से, वस्तुएं लाइन में लगाना
दिनचर्या में बदलाव से परेशान होना (Routine insistence) — छोटे बदलाव पर बहुत तेज़ प्रतिक्रिया
बोलना बंद हो जाना (Regression) — यह तुरंत डॉक्टर के पास जाने का संकेत है
4. Autism Checklist for Older Children — 3 to 8 Years
| Area | Signs in 3–8 Year Olds |
|---|---|
| Communication | Very literal; doesn’t understand jokes or sarcasm; unusual speech rhythm; extensive vocabulary but struggles with back-and-forth conversation |
| Social | Struggles with friendships; doesn’t understand unwritten social rules; difficulty with group play; prefers adults or younger children |
| Play | Very focused on specific topics to the exclusion of others; may be very knowledgeable about one subject |
| Behaviour | Strong preference for sameness; distress with change; sensory sensitivities to clothing fabrics, food textures, sounds |
5. The 3-Domain Autism Checklist
The DSM-5 autism diagnostic criteria covers two domains:
- Domain A — Social Communication and Interaction: Difficulty with back-and-forth conversation; limited eye contact; doesn’t share enjoyment; difficulty adjusting behaviour to social context; reduced interest in relationships.
- Domain B — Restricted and Repetitive Behaviours: Repetitive movements or speech; insistence on sameness; highly restricted, intense interests; hyper- or hyposensitivity to sensory input.
For diagnosis, a child must show significant differences in Domain A and at least two features from Domain B, present from early development and causing significant impact on daily functioning.
6. ISAA — India’s Official Autism Assessment Scale
The Indian Scale for Assessment of Autism (ISAA) is the official autism assessment tool used by specialists in India. Developed by NIMHANS and the National Trust, specifically validated for the Indian population.
- Age range: 2–9 years
- Items: 40 items across social relationship, emotional responsiveness, speech and language, behaviour patterns, sensory aspects, and cognitive component
- Administered by: Trained psychologists or paediatricians — not a parent self-report tool
- Used for: Formal autism diagnosis in India and for the RPWD disability certificate
M-CHAT is a screening checklist for parents of toddlers. ISAA is a full clinical assessment tool. Both are important — they serve different stages of the pathway.
7. After the Checklist — What to Do
- Take the M-CHAT online (for children 16–30 months) at mchatscreen.com
- Document your observations with video clips, notes, and dates
- See your paediatrician this week — bring your documentation
- Request a referral to a developmental paediatrician or child psychiatrist
- Start speech therapy now if there is any speech delay — communication support doesn’t need a diagnosis to begin
- Contact: Action for Autism India (011-45565700), NIMHANS (080-46110007), or your nearest National Trust centre
Autism Checklist India — Complete Reference
Autism checklist India: Age-wise red flags from 6 months to school age; M-CHAT free at mchatscreen.com for 16-30 months. Autism checklist in Hindi: देर से बोलना, आँखें न मिलाना, नाम पर प्रतिक्रिया नहीं, उँगली से इशारा न करना, एक ही काम बार-बार करना, बोलना बंद हो जाना। ISAA India: Indian Scale for Assessment of Autism — 40 items, 2–9 years, used by specialists for formal diagnosis and RPWD certificate. M-CHAT India: Free 20-question screening for 16–30 months at mchatscreen.com — not a diagnosis, a screening tool. Autism red flags India: No name response, no pointing, no words at 18 months, no 2-word phrases at 24 months, skill regression at any age. How to screen for autism India: M-CHAT for toddlers, paediatrician referral, developmental specialist assessment using ISAA.
Map Your Child’s Sensory and Communication Profile
Our free tool builds a personalised profile of your child’s current strengths and support needs — useful whether you’re awaiting assessment or already have a diagnosis.
Free Sensory Profile & Support Tool for Parents →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the autism checklist used in India?
Is there an autism checklist in Hindi?
What are the most important checklist items for a 2-year-old?
How is M-CHAT different from ISAA?
Sources: DSM-5, M-CHAT-R/F, ISAA (NIMHANS/National Trust India), AAP, Indian Academy of Pediatrics.