Just a few links while I concentrate on the other post coming up

The main one for this blog, but the following are quite cool, also!
In Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder, Life Is Not Black And White

..."People with this syndrome have debilitating sensory as well as cognitive problems. "They have tactile defensiveness," Contractor explained. "They don't look in people's eyes, they won't hug their parents, and they are hypersensitive to touch and sound."...

New Clue Why Autistic People Don't Want Hugs

Additional comments andremarks in related article:
Insight Into Causes Of Autism: Brain Study

A bit more fuel to this fire.  Personal experience and conversations lead me to believe that a parent might consider this, but formal benchmarks usually seem best evaluated around 18 months.
Autism's Earliest Symptoms Not Evident In Children Under 6 Months