Guide
Speech delay or autism?
This is one of the most searched questions by Malaysian parents. The honest answer is that a website cannot tell you, but it can tell you what each one looks like.
A speech delay affects words
The child wants to connect with you and struggles to say it.
Autism affects how a child connects
Eye contact, shared attention, play and routine are involved, not only speech.
Both can be present
They are not alternatives. A child can have one, the other, or both.
Who diagnoses
A developmental paediatrician or a clinical psychologist makes an autism diagnosis. A speech therapist assesses speech and language.
This page gives general information only. It is not a diagnosis. For your own child, see a registered speech-language therapist or a doctor.