Before a diagnosis of autism, parents may notice that their child appears disinterested in other children, avoids eye contact or seldom smiles. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting behavior and social and communication skills. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, autism affects one in 110 children in America, while boys are four to five times more likely to be diagnosed.
Social Difficulties
Limited social interaction is one sign of autism. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke describes impaired social interaction as the hallmark characteristic of autism. An autistic individual may be disinterested in what others are saying or doing. He may be withdrawn and prefer to be alone. While interacting with others, he may not show typical social emotions including enthusiasm and curiosity. Nancy Wiseman, co-author of “Could It Be Autism?: A Parent's Guide to the First Signs and Next Steps”, explains that a socially disconnected child also misses out on the development of complex, symbolic thinking and reasoning skills.
Communication Difficulties
A person with autism may exhibit signs of difficulty communicating. He may use odd, unusual speech patterns, repeat words or phrases, or seem to provide out-of-context answers to questions. Speech may sound stilted or disjointed. In a conversation, there may be no give and take; rather the autistic individual focuses intently on talking about their topic of interest, with no pausing for feedback or interaction. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke suggests that children not responding to their name, not pointing by age one or not speaking words by 16 months may be signs of autism.
Developmental Difficulties
A baby with autism may develop similarly to other children regarding rolling over, sitting up and walking. However, certain language, learning and social skills relating to development may be compromised. A regularly developing nine-month-old infant will smile when his parents smile and will reach for a toy that his parents hand to him. An autistic child might not do either.
Behavioral Difficulties
Autism signs may include repetitive behaviors such as spinning in circles, rocking back and forth, hand flapping and finger twirling. A child with autism may continually play with the same toy or play with only one aspect of a toy, for example, spinning the wheels on a car but never pushing it across the floor. A kid with autism may fixedly adhere to schedules or routines and be unable to adjust to change. This adherence to routines may cause emotional outbursts or tantrums. Some autistic children react in unusual ways to certain sounds, textures or other sensory input.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Autism Spectrum Disorders
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Autism Fact Sheet
- "Could It Be Autism? A Parent's Guide to the First Signs and Next Steps"; Nancy Wiseman and Kim Painter Koffsky; 2007
