Autism takes on many different faces and forms. No two children will have exactly the same symptoms. Each person with autism experiences it differently. One individual with autism may display severe symptoms, such as being non-verbal and having extreme behavioral issues; and another individual with autism shows just some mild communication and social interaction issues. This is why autism is known as a spectrum, because it affects each individual in a different way.
Some of the basic symptoms parents may notice are as follows:
Social Interaction
• May not want to join or play with other children
• May prefer to play alone
• May not understand sharing and how to share with others
• May appear disinterested in other people, children or situations
• May prefer to play with younger children rather than those in their age group
• May appear to be disinterested in pretend play activities
• May lack eye contact and look away when being spoken to
• Finds social situations difficult due to communication difficulties
• Is unlikely to bring a toy or object to show to others
• Does not understand social cues; is unlikely to understand if someone is joking
• Does not understand social rules in social situations
• May have difficulty in processing emotions, thoughts, or actions of oneself and others.
Communication
• Delayed in speech and language
• May have difficulties in processing verbal communication
• May find it hard to communicate their needs
• May have difficulties understanding others
• May show lack of understanding of non-verbal communication (e.g. not being able to grasp and respond to facial expressions and body language)
• May use a person's hand or have a meltdown to communicate their needs
• May use an unusual pitch or sound
• May repeat words or phrases that they have heard someone else use or from a movie or TV (known as echolalia)
• May use language in an unusual way (e.g. being overly formal)
• Difficulty following instructions and can take instructions very literally.
Repetitive patterns of behavior
• May have strong preference for routine and order
• Does not like when routines or schedule is changed and may get upset with changes
• May find it difficult in transitioning between activities or classes because of preference to routine.
• May have difficulty in starting or stopping an activity
• May be fixated on one object, activity, or interest
• Behavior (good or bad) may be used as a way to communicate
• May appear clumsy or have difficulty in motor skills
• Makes unusual movements or sounds (stimming) (e.g. flapping hands or arms)
• May have difficulties with problem solving and organization due to functioning and processing problems.
Sensory
It is quite common for people with autism to have one or more sensory sensitivities.
They may be hyper- or hyposensitive to certain stimuli. They may be affected by a whistle or a loud car but not bothered at all by loud music; or they may find all loud sounds unpleasant but seek out interesting smells or tight bear hugs.
Sight
People with autism may have difficulty following objects, or have a strong dislike to bright lights.
Hearing
They may have difficulties in concentrating when there is noise around them. Loud noises can be painful to the child or person with autism.
Smell
Some smells may make them feel sick (e.g. strong foods or perfumes). They may also sniff certain objects or people (e.g. a child may sniff his mother or sniff the food before he eats it).
Taste
May be a very picky eater and may be sensitive to different textures of food.
Touch
May be sensitive to clothing, especially clothing tags. Some textures of clothing may feel scratchy and uncomfortable. Some children with autism like deep pressure, such as tight hugs or a weighted blanket, while others don't like to be touched at all.
Balance (vestibular)
May have great difficulty with balance and have poor coordination. Some enjoy spinning in circles while others find this makes them feel sick.
Body awareness (proprioception)
May appear clumsy and is always bumping into other people and objects due to an inability to understand their place in relation to what is around them.
Interoception
Interoception is regarded as the eighth sense. It is how a person recognizes and responds to their internal signs or warnings (e.g. being thirsty, hungry, experiencing pain, sickness, or needing to go to the bathroom). People who experience difficulty with interoception will be unable to determine whether that feeling in their stomach is caused by sickness, hunger, or needing to use the bathroom.
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