1. Look at the Company Your Teenager Keeps
Teenagers with autism often have no interest in interacting with peers. Instead, they prefer to spend time alone, absorbed in their favorite activities. They will resist being made to participate in group projects in school and will either avoid contributing to the project or become combative at being made to interact with others. Other teenagers may avoid your child because of his standoffish, loner ways, but your child will probably seem to not care. In some high-functioning autistic teenagers, the desire to engage with peers in a social setting is there, but the skills to do so are not. These teenagers may choose to spend their social time with adults, who are more patient and understanding toward their behavior.
2. Watch for Unusual Focus on One or Two Hobbies
Autistic teenagers often exhibit a high degree of interest in just or two hobbies, often to the point of obsession. Hobbies typically include activities that involve patterns or categories, such as jigsaw puzzles or collecting stamps. It is not unusual for the teenager to want to participate in these activities at all times, to the exclusion of all else, and he may become quite agitated if asked to do something else. Further, the autistic teenager will usually have a high degree of knowledge about this hobby, though he may not do well in non-related academic areas.
3. Look for a Reliance on Routine
Both high- and low-functioning autistic teens have an intense attachment to routine. Having a reliable, non-changing routine is comforting to autistic individuals. They will usually become agitated if that routine is violated at home or in an academic setting. The autistic teen will want to eat, study, watch television, engage in hobbies and go to bed at exactly the same time every day without exception.
