People often ask, “Do babies with autism smile?” It’s a common question since many people have a limited understanding of autism spectrum disorder.
My son, Joey, laughs a lot. He’s a happy boy and has been since he was very young. While he has never had any trouble smiling, that belief is common because some autistic babies may appear not to smile. Smiling is one of many developmental milestones, but the behavior may look different in children on the autism spectrum.
Do autistic babies smile?
In the simplest terms, yes, babies with autism can and do smile. However, their development of smiling behaviors may differ from that of typically developing infants.
Some of these differences may include:
- smiling less frequently,
- fewer social smiles,
- smiling at unexpected or unrelated moments,
- delayed smiles,
- and smiles that are shorter and less intense than their peers.
Smiling behaviors are an important part of social interactions, and delays may be an early indicator of autism spectrum disorder. However, it’s far from definitive proof.
So, if your child’s smiling appears to be delayed, it’s important to pay attention to other behavioral or communication developments.
Smiling as an important developmental milestone
There are many important developmental milestones as your baby grows, and smiling behaviors are a major one. Babies typically start social smiling between six and 12 weeks. Any smiles before that timeframe are known as reflexive smiling.
Around this time, children will start recognizing smiles, faces, and voices and respond with a smile of their own. Smiling is a crucial step in a baby’s social and emotional development.
Every baby develops at their own pace, so it’s important not to overreact if the child seems to be delayed in smiling. There are many potential reasons for smiling delays.
Premature babies will often hit developmental milestones at a slower rate than full-term babies. However, as mentioned, delays could be an early sign of autism spectrum disorder.
Common differences in smiling in autistic children
Babies with autism may demonstrate differences in smiling behaviors from those of typically developing babies. These differences can include:
- smiling delays
- smiling less frequently
- lack of smiling during social interactions
- struggling with social communication skills
Delayed onset of smiling
Typically developing infants may start social smiling around two to three months, but babies with autism may take longer to do so. It’s one of many atypical smiling patterns associated with an autism diagnosis.
Reduced smiling frequency
Babies with autism may also smile less frequently than typically developing babies. On top of smiling less often, babies with autism may also smile for a shorter period, and the smiles may be less intense or noticeable.
Lack of social engagement
When babies with autism start smiling, the action may not be directed towards anyone and may not be a form of social communication. They may smile more at objects or during moments of personal joy rather than responding to social cues.
Understanding early social and communication differences
Parents who notice a delay in smiling behaviors will need to observe other social interactions and communication skills. This may help determine if they should seek an autism diagnosis for their child.
Other signs of autism that may follow delayed smiling include:
- difficulty with eye contact,
- limited responses to facial expressions,
- delays in using sounds or gestures to communicate.
These social and communication differences may present during feeding, cuddling, or play time. While my son didn’t struggle with smiling behaviors, he was late to make sounds beyond laughing or crying when trying to communicate.
He didn’t coo as much as his brother or cousins. He also showed less interest in playing with others or engaging in activities that required back-and-forth interaction.
Missing these developmental milestones served as a wake-up call for us to consider a possible autism diagnosis.
Encouraging emotional expression in babies
While babies with autism may struggle to express themselves emotionally, parents need to encourage their emotional expression growth.
Parents can use their own facial expressions to help promote smiling behaviors in their autistic child’s development.
They can use social stories and visual aids to help provide support and guidance for emotional expression. Role-playing can also be used to promote bonding and interaction.
It’s important to remember that every individual expresses emotions differently, and that will be true for babies with autism.
Emotional expression may look different than a parent is accustomed to. However, they can still nurture this expression to help their child’s development with emotional regulation and displays.
When to seek professional guidance and who to ask
If parents notice significant delays in their child’s development, it may be time to seek professional guidance. Babies with autism may struggle with social smiling, making eye contact when smiling, or imitating facial expressions.
It may be a good idea to reach out to your child’s pediatrician with concerns about their development. The doctor can provide a comprehensive evaluation and recommend what to do next.
Healthcare professionals can recommend a specialist to diagnose autism spectrum disorder and help enroll you and your child in early intervention programs.
An early diagnosis and an introduction into early intervention services can help with the following:
- language development
- communication skills
- social interactions
- social and emotional development
- social skills
Depending on what other symptoms your child exhibits, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy may also be needed.
Why early intervention matters
If a child has an early diagnosis of autism, early intervention programs can be crucial in maximizing the child’s potential for development.
Early intervention programs have been shown to help children with:
- developmental delays
- improving outcomes
- catch up and prevention
- supportive environments for families
- enhanced social and emotional development
- improved communication skills
- long-term success
It’s important to note that early intervention recommendations do not mean something is wrong with your child. These programs are designed to give babies with autism every opportunity to thrive and recognize that support may be necessary to reach that level.
Supporting babies with autism
If you suspect your child may have autism, there are things you can do to help provide a supportive environment for them to learn and grow.
Providing sensory-friendly environments and routines can help build connections between parents and children that help them feel safe and supported.
For my son, we have a set time (on most days) to provide him with breakfast, dinner, a shower, and a bedtime snack.
He also knows that he will get a car ride when he wakes up on Saturday mornings, barring some unforeseen circumstances.
Building a supportive environment that adheres to their sensory needs and helps them understand routine can foster emotional safety that translates into confidence.
My older son, Jeremy, is also on the autism spectrum but requires less support than his brother. We have set up certain times and places where he can make sure he’s not overwhelmed. This has allowed him to thrive in his preferred activities of chess and music.
Smiling is just one piece of the puzzle
If your child is delayed regarding smiling behaviors, remember to trust your parental instincts. Only you can really know if it’s just a slightly missed milestone or an issue of major concern.
Reach out to pediatricians and child psychologists if you have questions or concerns about developmental delays for your child.
Remember, early intervention programs can make a difference when it comes to helping your children thrive. Accepting they need help doesn’t mean something is wrong with them; it just means they need assistance to reach their best self, and that’s okay.
It’s a proactive step that can make a major difference for your child moving forward. You are your child’s best advocate, and your instincts will tell you when to ask questions, even on an issue as seemingly simple as smiling.
FAQs
Q: When do babies with autism start smiling?
A: Babies with autism can and do smile, but they may see delays in what’s known as social smiling. Neurotypical children tend to start smiling around two to three months old. However, babies with autism may begin smiling later than that. Remember, a smiling delay may be a symptom of autism but isn’t definitive proof of the disorder.
Q: Does an autistic kid smile?
A: All children can smile. However, autistic children may not immediately smile back at you or a simple gesture as frequently as neurotypical children. Each child is different, so there’s no set time in which a child on the spectrum will begin smiling or if they will even have a delay.
Q: What is the biggest indicator of autism?
A: The biggest indicators of autism spectrum disorder include communication challenges, struggles with social interactions, repetitive behaviors, and limited interests.
Q: What are autistic hand gestures in babies?
A: Some hand gestures associated with babies with autism include hand flapping, finger clicking, and uncommon hand postures. Babies with autism may also demonstrate a lack of typical hand gestures like waving or pointing.
References
Al-Beltagi M. Pre-autism: What a paediatrician should know about early diagnosis of autism. World J Clin Pediatr. 2023 Dec 9;12(5):273-294. doi: 10.5409/wjcp.v12.i5.273. PMID: 38178935; PMCID: PMC10762597
Alvari, G., Furlanello, C., & Venuti, P. (2021). Is Smiling the Key? Machine Learning Analytics Detect Subtle Patterns in Micro-Expressions of Infants with ASD. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10(8), 1776 https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10081776
Posar, A., & Visconti, P. (2022). Early motor signs in autism spectrum disorder. Children, 9(2), 294. https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/2/294
Sacrey, LA.R., Zwaigenbaum, L., Bryson, S. et al. Screening for Behavioral Signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder in 9-Month-Old Infant Siblings. J Autism Dev Disord 51, 839–848 (2021) https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04371-0
Salgado-Cacho, J. M., Moreno-Jiménez, M. d. P., & de Diego-Otero, Y. (2021). Detection of Early Warning Signs in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review. Children, 8(2), 164. https://doi.org/10.3390/children8020164
Yurkovic‐Harding, J., & Bradshaw, J. (2025). The Dynamics of Looking and Smiling Differ for Young Infants at Elevated Likelihood for ASD. Infancy, 30(1), e12646. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/infa.12646
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