What is autism?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. Scientists do not know yet exactly what causes these differences for most people with ASD. However, some people with ASD have a known difference, such as a genetic condition. There are multiple causes of ASD, although most are not yet known.

There is often nothing about how people with ASD look that sets them apart from other people, but they may communicate, interact, behave, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. The learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to severely challenged. Some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others need less.

A diagnosis of ASD now includes several conditions that used to be diagnosed separately: autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), and Asperger syndrome. These conditions are now all called autism spectrum disorder.

ASD begins before the age of 3 and last throughout a person’s life, although symptoms may improve over time. Some children with ASD show hints of future problems within the first few months of life. In others, symptoms may not show up until 24 months or later. Some children with an ASD seem to develop normally until around 18 to 24 months of age and then they stop gaining new skills, or they lose the skills they once had. Studies have shown that one third to half of parents of children with an ASD noticed a problem before their child’s first birthday, and nearly 80%–90% saw problems by 24 months of age.

It is important to note that some people without ASD might also have some of these symptoms. But for people with ASD, the impairments make life very challenging.

A person with ASD might:

• Not respond to their name by 12 months of age
• Not point at objects to show interest (point at an airplane flying over) by 14 months
• Not play “pretend” games (pretend to “feed” a doll) by 18 months
• Avoid eye contact and want to be alone
• Have trouble understanding other people’s feelings or talking about their own feelings
• Have delayed speech and language skills
• Repeat words or phrases over and over (echolalia)
• Give unrelated answers to questions
• Get upset by minor changes
• Have obsessive interests
• Flap their hands, rock their body, or spin in circles
• Have unusual reactions to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel

Social issues are one of the most common symptoms in all of the types of ASD. People with an ASD do not have just social “difficulties” like shyness. The social issues they have cause serious problems in everyday life.

Examples of social issues related to ASD:

• Does not respond to name by 12 months of age
• Avoids eye-contact
• Prefers to play alone
• Does not share interests with others
• Only interacts to achieve a desired goal
• Has flat or inappropriate facial expressions
• Does not understand personal space boundaries
• Avoids or resists physical contact
• Is not comforted by others during distress
• Has trouble understanding other people’s feelings or talking about own feelings

Each person with ASD has different communication skills. Some people can speak well. Others can’t speak at all or only very little. About 40% of children with an ASD do not talk at all. About 25%–30% of children with ASD have some words at 12 to 18 months of age and then lose them.1 Others might speak, but not until later in childhood.

Examples of communication issues related to ASD:

• Delayed speech and language skills
• Repeats words or phrases over and over (echolalia)
• Reverses pronouns (e.g., says “you” instead of “I”)
• Gives unrelated answers to questions
• Does not point or respond to pointing
• Uses few or no gestures (e.g., does not wave goodbye)
• Talks in a flat, robot-like, or sing-song voice
• Does not pretend in play (e.g., does not pretend to “feed” a doll)
• Does not understand jokes, sarcasm, or teasing

Many people with ASD have unusual interest or behaviors.

Examples of unusual interests and behaviors related to ASD:

• Lines up toys or other objects
• Plays with toys the same way every time
• Likes parts of objects (e.g., wheels)
• Is very organized
• Gets upset by minor changes
• Has obsessive interests
• Has to follow certain routines
• Flaps hands, rocks body, or spins self in circles

Some people with ASD have other symptoms. These might include:

• Hyperactivity (very active)
• Impulsivity (acting without thinking)
• Short attention span
• Aggression
• Causing self injury
• Temper tantrums
• Unusual eating and sleeping habits
• Unusual mood or emotional reactions
• Lack of fear or more fear than expected
• Unusual reactions to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel

References: Taken from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/signs.html  Check out their site for more details.