Symptoms of Autism
Main Symptoms of Autism
Communication Challenges
Repetitive Behaviors
Symptoms of autism typically begin in early childhood - but can often go unrecognized. The symptoms are persistent and interfere with their daily living. Many people with Autism also have sensory issues and are associated with certain physical and mental health conditions.
Note that: Autism is diagnosed using a checklist of criteria. Their diagnoses also includes their level of severity. That is why autism is a spectrum disorder. The severity scale is used to reflect how much support they will need for daily life functions, i.e. going to the bathroom, eating, getting dressed, etc.
What are Communication Challenges?
Both adults and children with autism have difficulty with verbal and non-verbal communication. That means they may have trouble understanding or approptiately using verbal and non-verbal communication, such as:
- Eye Contact
- Facial Expressions
- Gestures
- Speaking/Tone - where some people with autism are nonverbal
- Gestures
Additionally, there are social challenges they can face:
- Being overwhelmed in social situations
- Determining personal space
- Expressing emotion
- Understanding and recognizing their own emotion and others
What are Repetitive Behaviours?
Again, autism is a spectrum disorder. So, repetitive and restricted behaviours that cause restrictions also range from person to person. For example, some may experience:
- Extreme/Narrow interests regarding certain topics
- Need for a consistent schedule/ resistance to change
- Repetitive Body Movements
- Repetitive Motions with Objects
- Ritualistic Behaviors
Visualized Statistics to Keep in Mind
