Autism is a developmental difference. It is also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD. People with Autism may behave, communicate, interact, and learn in ways that are different from other people. There is often nothing about how someone with Autism looks that sets them apart from anyone else. The abilities of people with Autism can vary significantly, and the different variations of abilities are referred to as the spectrum.
People with Autism often have difficulty with social communication and interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests. People with Autism may also have different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention. These characteristics can make life very challenging. Some children and adults with ASD are fully able to perform all activities of daily living and may have gifted learning and cognitive abilities while others require substantial support to perform basic activities. We support the spectrum of possibilities!
SOME FIRST SIGNS OF AUTISM
Social communication and interaction skills can be challenging for people with ASD.
Examples of social communication and social interaction characteristics related to ASD can include
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Avoids or does not keep eye contact
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Does not respond to name by 9 months of age
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Does not show facial expressions like happy, sad, angry, and surprised by 9 months of age
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Does not play simple interactive games like pat-a-cake by 12 months of age
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Uses few or no gestures by 12 months of age (for example, does not wave goodbye)
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Does not share interests with others by 15 months of age (for example, shows you an object that they like)
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Does not point to show you something interesting by 18 months of age
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Does not notice when others are hurt or upset by 24 months of age
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Does not notice other children and join them in play by 36 months of age
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Does not pretend to be something else, like a teacher or superhero, during play by 48 months of age
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Does not sing, dance, or act for you by 60 months of age
People with ASD have behaviors or interests that can seem unusual.
These behaviors or interests set ASD apart from conditions defined by problems with social communication and interaction only.
Examples of restricted or repetitive behaviors and interests related to ASD can include
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Lines up toys or other objects and gets upset when order is changed
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Repeats words or phrases over and over (called echolalia)
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Plays with toys the same way every time
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Is focused on parts of objects (for example, wheels)
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Gets upset by minor changes
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Has obsessive interests
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Must follow certain routines
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Flaps hands, rocks body, or spins self in circles
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Has unusual reactions to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/autism-spectrum-disorder
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