Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC)

Medical calculator

Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC)

Screening checklist for autism-related behaviors in children.

Answer according to the child’s recent behavior. The calculator returns subscale scores, the total score, and screening interpretation.

Checklist items

Child sex

Child age group

Respondent

Likes prolonged spinning of self

Learns a simple task and then quickly forgets it

Often shows no demand for contact with the environment or interaction with others

Often cannot follow simple instructions such as sit down or come here

Does not play with toys appropriately, for example endlessly spinning, throwing, or rubbing them

Poor visual discrimination, such as difficulty distinguishing size, color, position, or features of objects

No social smile and does not nod, greet, or smile to others

Reverses or confuses pronouns such as you and I

Holds the same object for a long time

Seems not to listen when spoken to, leading others to suspect hearing problems

Speech has abnormal intonation and poor rhythm

Rocks the body for a long time

Tries to reach for objects beyond physical reach, showing poor judgment of distance

Shows a strong reaction to changes in the environment or daily routine

Does not respond when called by name while with other people

Often dashes forward, spins, walks on tiptoe, or makes finger flicking or pinching movements

Shows no response to other people's facial expressions

Rarely uses words such as yes or I in speech

Has a special ability in one area that seems inconsistent with low intelligence

Cannot follow simple instructions containing prepositions, such as put the ball on or in the box

Sometimes does not startle to very loud sounds, making others think the child may be deaf

Frequently flaps hands

Has major tantrums or frequent minor temper outbursts

Actively avoids eye contact with others

Rejects being touched or hugged by others

Sometimes does not react to painful stimuli such as falls, cuts, or injections

Body is very stiff and difficult to hold

Feels limp when held, even without molding the body to the person holding them

Uses posture or gestures to express wants rather than language

Often walks on tiptoe

Hurts others by biting, bumping, kicking, or similar behaviors

Constantly repeats short phrases

Does not imitate other children during play

Often does not blink when bright light shines directly into the eyes

Self-injures by head banging, biting the hand, or similar behavior

Cannot wait for desired objects and wants them immediately

Cannot point to the names of more than five objects

Cannot develop friendships with other children

Often covers the ears when there are many sounds

Often spins or bumps objects repeatedly

Has difficulty with toilet training and bowel or bladder control

Can make no more than five requests in a day

Is often startled or very anxious

Squints, closes the eyes, or frowns in normal light

Cannot dress without frequent help

Repeats sounds or words over and over

Stares fixedly at people as if looking through them

Repeats other people's questions or answers

Often does not notice the surroundings and may ignore danger

Is especially fascinated with repetitive objects, games, or activities such as pacing, running back and forth, jumping, clapping, or tapping endlessly

Likes to smell, touch, or taste surrounding objects

Often shows no visual response to strangers

Becomes preoccupied with complex ritualistic behaviors, such as following fixed routes or arranging objects in a specific way before eating or sleeping

Frequently destroys things such as furniture or household items

Developmental delay was noticed before 2 years of age

Uses at least 15 but no more than 30 short phrases in daily communication; fewer than 15 also counts as yes

Stares fixedly at one place for a long time

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Important Notice

This resource is intended for educational purposes only and is intended for US healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals should use independent medical judgment. All decisions regarding patient care must be handled by a healthcare professional and be made based on the unique needs of each patient.