Signs of autism can vary for each child or adult. A phrase often used is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This is because autism has a large array of symptoms. These symptoms and their severity vary greatly between individuals. Behaviors observed in each of the areas listed below are necessary to receive a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. They may have one or several behaviors in each category:
Social Impairment
- Doesn't like to cuddle or be touched. They may stiffen, scream or be like a rag doll when held.
- Does not imitate. A common example is that the child never learns to wave "bye-bye".
- Without interacting, uses adults to get what they need. Called autistic leading, the child takes an adult's hand and moves it onto or towards the object they want.
- No age appropriate peer relationships
- Does not share interests. May be as simple as not pointing a bird to you as it flies by.
- Prefers to be alone.
- Little or no eye contact.
Lack of verbal and non-verbal communication
- No speech development.
- Gives no non-verbal cues such as pointing or gesturing.
- Echolalia. (Repeating words/phrases that mean nothing to them or to the current activity).
- Speaks on narrow subjects/lacks conversation skills.
- Difficulty speaking about abstract concepts.
Poor imaginative thought or play
- Inappropriate attachment to objects.
- Obsessive odd play with toys and objects. Lines up everything they play with or spins round objects for extended periods of time.
- Dislikes change in their routine or environment.
- Picky eater.
There are several other behaviors that do not fit into the above diagnostic categories. Additionally, these behaviors are sometimes seen in individuals with ASD:
- Odd voice characteristics such as a monotone, high pitch, or voice with no inflection.
- Low muscle tone.
- Doesn't reach developmental milestones.
- Uneven Fine/gross motor skills.
- Covers ears, reacts strongly to certain sounds.
- Appears deaf.
- Doesn't seem to understand simple requests.
- Removes clothes.
- No reaction to pain or over reacts to pain.
- Temper tantrums for no apparent reason.
- Hits or bites themselves.
- Hyper or non-responsive in noisy and/or bright environments.
Behaviors are a person's response to how they are processing their surroundings. Behaviors do not occur without a reason. They occur in reaction to how they are processing their environment. Autism Spectrum Disorder is exactly that, a spectrum disorder and the symptoms are defined by each individual's behaviors. You can have two children with the same diagnosis but have any combination of symptoms. They may act completely different and with varying capabilities. The common thread is that the symptoms hinder the individual's neuro-typical development.
