Autistic Regression - Losing Skills
The short answer
Approximately 25 to 30% of children later diagnosed with autism experience a regression, losing previously acquired skills between 15 and 24 months. This most commonly affects language and social skills. Any loss of skills at any age requires prompt medical evaluation. While regression can occur in autism, it can also indicate other medical conditions that need to be ruled out.
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By Age
What to expect by age
Regression before 15 months is less common but can occur. Skills that may be lost include babbling, eye contact, social smiling, and gestures. Any skill loss at this age should be reported to your pediatrician immediately.
This is the most common window for autistic regression. A child who was saying words may stop talking. A child who was socially engaged may become withdrawn. These changes often happen gradually but can seem sudden.
Regression after 24 months is less typical for autism and other causes should be investigated thoroughly. Medical evaluation should include neurological assessment and EEG to rule out conditions like Landau-Kleffner syndrome.
Following evaluation and diagnosis, intensive early intervention should begin promptly. Research shows that children who regress can make significant gains with appropriate therapy, especially when started early.
With consistent therapy, many children who experienced regression regain skills and continue to develop. The trajectory varies widely, and some children make remarkable progress.
What Should You Do?
When to take action
- Your child temporarily uses fewer words during illness or major life changes but bounces back
- Your child seems to forget a word for a few days but then uses it again
- Your child's skills fluctuate slightly but overall trajectory is upward
- Your child has lost multiple words they were using consistently
- Your child has become less socially engaged or stopped responding to their name
- Your child has lost motor skills, play skills, or self-help skills
- Your child has lost words AND social engagement simultaneously
- Any sudden or significant loss of previously acquired skills at any age requires immediate evaluation
Sources
Related Resources
Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, reach out to your pediatrician.
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Related Behavior Concerns
My Baby Is Losing Words or Skills
If your child was consistently using words and has truly stopped, this is something to act on promptly. Regression - the genuine loss of skills a child previously had - is different from a normal plateau or a toddler being too busy to talk, and it always warrants a conversation with your pediatrician sooner rather than later.
Child Losing Speech or Language Regression
Losing words or language skills that your child previously had - known as language regression - is always worth taking seriously. While some temporary "quiet periods" can occur when a toddler is focused on a new skill like walking, true loss of words (especially multiple words over weeks) should be evaluated promptly. About 25-30% of children later diagnosed with autism experience some form of language regression.
Autism Signs Appearing After 18 Months
While some children show signs of autism from early infancy, others develop typically until 12 to 24 months before differences emerge. This can involve regression (losing skills) or plateau (skills stop progressing while peers advance). Late-appearing signs are valid and important to recognize. If you notice changes in your child's development after 18 months, request evaluation.
Aggressive Play vs Normal Play
Rough-and-tumble play — wrestling, chasing, play-fighting, and superhero battles — is a normal and important part of child development, particularly for toddlers and preschoolers. It helps children develop physical coordination, social skills, self-regulation, and an understanding of boundaries. The key distinction between normal rough play and concerning aggression is whether both children are having fun, there is turn-taking in roles, and no one is intentionally trying to hurt the other.
My Toddler Is Aggressive Toward Pets
Toddlers being rough with pets is extremely common and almost never reflects true aggression or cruelty. Young children lack the motor control to be consistently gentle and do not yet understand that animals feel pain the way they do. With patient, consistent teaching about gentle touch and close supervision, most toddlers learn to interact safely with pets by age 3-4.
My Baby Doesn't Seem Attached to Anyone
By 7-9 months, most babies show clear preferences for their primary caregivers and some wariness of unfamiliar people. If your baby seems equally comfortable with everyone and shows no distress when separated from caregivers, it may simply reflect an easy-going temperament. However, if combined with other social differences, it can occasionally warrant further discussion with your pediatrician.