1. Covers a Spectrum
Autism spectrum disorders vary from mild to severe. Some adults with autism are functioning members of society, with a house, a job, and everything that goes with it. Other autistic adults may require assistance from the government and other sources to get by day to day. Adult autism varies from person to person, and autism changes over time. This means that a person's autism and its severity are capable of changing over time.
2. Not Always Easy to Spot
Autism is difficult to spot. While the majority of people can pick out a severely autistic person--think the film Rain Man, with Dustin Hoffman--milder cases are more subtle. Many adults with autism went through years of therapy to deal with their issues, and they learned coping mechanisms. The less you're able to tell if an adult has autism or not, the better the past therapy worked. People with autism and related disorders have no physical characteristics, and there is no blood test to identify them. A doctor who specializes in developmental problems diagnoses it or a psychologist based on behaviors they exhibit at a young age.
3. It Starts Before Age Three
One of autism's diagnostic criteria is the appearance of symptoms prior to 3 years of age. These symptoms include social problems, peer relationship problems, and repetitive behaviors called self-stimulatory--stims. While a few types of autism such as Asperger's Syndrome show up later, it is always a childhood-onset disease. Adults can't wake up one day and be autistic. It's something they have endured most of their life.
4. Common Characteristics Abound
It's impossible to perfectly describe or categorize every autistic person. However, several common characteristics affect autistic individuals. Social impairment, ranging from awkwardness to complete introversion, is extremely common. Difficulty in reading nonverbal cues such as body language and facial expressions are also symptoms of autism.
5. Don't Judge
It is very difficult to live with autism, regardless of what level the person functions at. Autistic people know they are socially inept, and are aware when people make comments about them. ASD adults are notorious for reading social cues wrong, and many times they come off as being rude or mean. Keep their difficulties in mind before assuming they intentionally meant harm. It is often likely that they just didn't understand the situation and how to react appropriately.
