Risk Alert Emotional Tone / Affection
Video Summary
Dr. Deborah Fein compares the emotional tone of typically developing children with those of children showing early signs of autism. The emotional tone of many children on the autism spectrum can be characterized by a flat affect or lacking facial expressions and the absence of apparent enjoyment in one's surroundings and activities.
"Babies...one to two years...should be happy. They should be brimming with life...Children who are heading toward being on the autism spectrum often look flat. Their facial expression is flat. They don’t look particularly happy. They don’t look particularly engaged with their environment."
— Deborah Fein PhD