Signs and Symptoms of ASD
As a parent myself, I get a little worried when my child displays behaviours, eg throwing a tantrum, that seems more intense than expected and my mind would start coming up with all the possible reasons, causes, diagnosis.
I decided that it would helpful to have a post on signs and symptoms of the different conditions out there. This post is about the signs and symptoms of ASD
People with ASD usually have difficulty with social communication and interaction, restricted (sometimes inappropriate) interests and repetitive behaviours. The list below will give us some examples of common types of behaviours in people with ASD. Please note that not all people with ASD will have all the behaviours
Social communication/ interaction behaviours may include:
Making little or inconsistent eye contact
Not responding or being slow to respond to one’s name or to other verbal bids for attention
Appearing not to look at or listen to people who are talking
Having difficulties with the back and forth of conversation
Infrequently sharing interest, emotion or enjoyment of objects or activities (which also include infrequently pointing at or showing things to others)
Often talking at length about a favourite subject without noticing that others are not interested or without giving others a change to respond
Having an unusual tone of voice that may sound sing-song or flat and robot-like
Having trouble understanding another person’s perspective
Unable to predict or understand other people’s actions
Displaying facial expressions, movements and gestures that do not match what is being said
Having difficulties adducting behaviours to social situations
Having difficulties sharing in making friends or imaginative play
Restrictive/ repetitive behaviours may include:
Repeating certain behaviours or having unusual behaviours, such as hand flapping, repeating words or phrases (echolalia)
Having an intense and lasting interest in specific topics such as numbers, facts or details or facts
Has overly focused interests, such as with moving objects or parts of objects
Becoming upset by slight changes in a routine and having difficulty with transitions
Being more or less sensitive compared to other people to sensory input such as light, sound, clothing or temperature
People with ASD may also experience sleep problems, unusual eating habits and irritability.
You can find more information on ASD here