The following three sections list questions that you can use as a checklist to see if your

child may have PDD-NOS.

Social Interaction
 Does your child turn away or look away in order to avoid eye contact?
 Does your child seem to prefer solitary play rather than social play, and seem
uninterested in making friends?
 Does your child rarely smile or point to objects in order to draw your attention to them?
 Does your child only seem to interact with you in order to receive something, but not in
order to communicate? Does your child seem to treat you as a robot rather than a
person during these interactions?
 Does your child seem to lack proper facial expressions?
 Does your child seem unnerved by physical contact, and yet unable to respect personal
boundaries?
 Does your child have strange body posture, especially when communicating with others?

Communication
 Does your child repeat words or phrases over and over again (Echolalia)?
 Does your child have difficulty using personal pronouns correctly, saying the word "you"
instead of "I"? Does your child talk about him or herself in the third person?
 Does your child seem unable to respond properly to conversations? Does he or she have
a hard time recognizing when someone wants to start a conversation?
 Does your child rarely use gestures in order to get a point across?
 Does your child avoid pretend play, or seem to not understand what it entails?
 Does your child take statements literally, including those that obviously contain a
sarcastic or joking tone?
 Does your child often make up words in order to communicate?

Behavior and Interests

 Does your child play with toys in an unusual way? For example, lining up the toys in a
particular order over and over again?
 Does your child perseverate (stim)? This might include flapping hands in front of his or
her face, saying the same words over and over again, spinning around in circles, or
flicking fingers obsessively.
 Does your child eat only foods with a specific texture, or substances that are inedible?
 Is your child extremely upset by schedule changes?
 Does your child seem to be unable to feel pain?
 Does your child tantrum for no apparent reason?

References
https://www.nationalautismresources.com/pdd-nos-checklist.html
https://www.psychiatry.emory.edu/PROGRAMS/autism/pdd.html#t
https://www.autism-pdd.net/checklist.html
https://www.nationalautismresources.com/autismsymptoms.html
PDD-NOS Checklist
The acronym PDD stands for Pervasive Developmental Disorder. The acronym NOS stands
for "Not Otherwise Specified".

Below is a checklist of symptoms a child with PDD-NOS might display. Keep in mind a person
is diagnosed with PDD-NOS if they have some behaviors seen in autism but don't meet the
full criteria for having an Autistic Disorder.

Checklist for Repetitive Behaviors and Unusual Interests

 lines up toys
 plays with toys in same manner every time
 is very organized
 is rigid about routines or object placements
 upset by changes
 eat few foods or only certain textures
 eats inedible things (pica)
 smells food
 insensitive to pain
 unaware of danger (e.g., hot things)
 tantrums for no apparent reason
 has obsessive interests
 hand flapping/finger flicking/toe walking
 self-stimulation
 likes spinning objects
 likes to spin him/herself
 likes parts of objects (e.g., wheels)
 does not use toys appropriately (lines up cars by color rather that zooming them)
 special areas of talent or expertise
 perseveration
 walks over things (e.g., toys) unaware

Social Signs & Symptoms Checklist for Communication & Language Symptoms
 repeats words/phrases of others (Echolalia)
 uses own language (jargoning)
 reverses pronouns I/me/my and you/your
 refers to self by name
 does not respond to conversational initiation
 gives unrelated answers to questions
 makes comments unrelated to conversation topic
 does not point
 does not respond to pointing
  uses few or no gestures
 talks in monotone or robot-like
 does not respond to own name
 no pretend play; doesn’t understand pretend play
 does not understand jokes, sarcasm, idioms, teasing, or similes

Checklist for Social Symptoms

 avoiding eye-contact (actively or passively)
 looking away
 turning away
 not interested in having friends
 not interested in the activities of others
 not sharing/showing objects or interests with parents
 prefers to play alone
 lives in a world of their own
 does not imitate actions or language
 doesn't smile (or only at familiar people)
 seems unaware of others
 uses people as a tool (e.g., puts mother’s hand on jar rather than asking or looking at
person for request)
 only interacts to achieve a desired goal
 flat or inappropriate affect or facial expressions
 odd posture (e.g., looks sideways at person)
 does not understand personal space boundaries
 avoids or resists physical contact
 not comforted by others during distress

https://www.nationalautismresources.com/pdd-nos-checklist/