Medically Reviewed By Sonam Kothari, Written By Tejasvi Parekh
The developmental condition known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is caused by abnormalities in the brain. People with ASD often struggle with social communication and interaction, and they may display restricted or repetitive behaviors and interests.
They may also have unusual ways of moving, learning, or focusing their attention. Although some of these traits are also present in people without autism, people with ASD may find these traits particularly bothersome in their daily lives.
Autism symptoms are frequently seen in youngsters as young as 18 months old. These early warning signs could be repetitive behaviors like hand flapping or intense attention on specific hobbies or objects, as well as social interaction issues like restricted eye contact or not responding to their name.
It is essential to identify these symptoms early on in order to facilitate prompt actions that can significantly enhance a child's growth and well-being.
An increasing proportion of individuals have received an autism diagnosis in recent years. Increased awareness and more frequent screening during doctor visits are the main causes of this rise in adult diagnoses.
Many adults who have battled throughout their lives with social communication, sensory sensitivity, or repetitive behaviors are now learning that these issues are linked to autism.
While each person with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is affected differently, there are certain common features that parents and carers should be aware of. Although autism can only be diagnosed by a medical professional, knowing these characteristics might help you decide when to get further testing.
The social use of language in communication is something that many people on the autistic spectrum have difficulty with. These challenges frequently show themselves in early life. Delays in speech development or difficulties with nonverbal communication, including interpreting tone or gestures, are possible warning signs. Seeking an evaluation from a trained professional is crucial if your child exhibits any of these symptoms.
The ability to make or avoid eye contact is a frequent quality shared by individuals with autism, particularly in nonverbal communication. Moreover, body language, gestures, and facial expressions may be difficult for autistic children and adults to understand or use. Misunderstandings in ordinary circumstances may arise from these nonverbal communication difficulties, which can complicate social interactions.
People with autism may find it difficult to control or modify the tone of their voice. This may lead to speech that is monotonous or that is either excessively loud or too quiet. This trait may influence how other people interpret their communication, which may result in miscommunication or make it more difficult for them to appropriately communicate their feelings.
Different behavioral features that can be important indications of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be displayed by individuals with the illness. It is crucial to identify these behaviors early on in order to provide the right kind of help.
Repetitive actions like rocking back and forth, spinning in circles, or flailing their hands and arms are common among people with autism. Some people may play with objects in strange ways, such as spinning coins or plates or continuously flicking light switches, or they may flick their fingers in front of their eyes. For those with autism, these repetitive behaviors might be reassuring or provide them with a sense of control.
Autism spectrum disorders frequently exhibit ritualistic behaviors. People may insist on consuming the same meals at each meal or repeatedly viewing the same films.
This devotion to regularity can be so intense that even small adjustments to plans can result in a great deal of anxiety. Autism is characterized by rigidity in habits and intolerance to change, which makes adjusting to new situations or interruptions very difficult.
Some people on the autism spectrum may bite their hands, thrash their heads against walls or the floor, or rub or scrape their skin excessively. These are examples of self-harming behaviors. They may engage in these behaviors as a coping mechanism for intense feelings or sensory overload.
A multifaceted strategy, encompassing medical, sensory, nutritional, and behavioral methods, is frequently necessary to address self-injury. It's critical to get advice from a medical professional as soon as possible if your child exhibits self-harming behaviors in order to investigate treatment alternatives and guarantee their safety and well-being.
There are often serious difficulties with both receptive and expressive language in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Expressive language is the capacity to convey ideas and wants to others, whereas receptive language is the capacity to comprehend and absorb language, such as adhering to instructions. ASD sufferers might have a wide range of problems; some are nonverbal and others are verbal.
There are various ways in which language problems might appear in nonverbal individuals with ASD. About 20–30% of people with autism often have a delay in speaking or no spoken language at all.
These people might have to rely on alternative augmentative communication (AAC) techniques if they don't have a reliable means of communication. They can communicate with others and express their needs through these, which can include voice output devices, picture exchange systems, and sign language.
Those who are verbal and have ASD may also face particular difficulties. One prevalent trait is echolalia, which is the repeated use of words or conversation, frequently from films or television shows, either right away or after a pause.
This self-stimulation, self-management, or conversation starter can all benefit from this repetition. They might also initiate or maintain conversations using repetitive or stereotyped verbal patterns.
Idiosyncratic speech refers to the use of words in odd or unsuitable ways by some verbally gifted people. Their grammatical structure can come across as unduly formal, with sophisticated language and monologues on interesting subjects, or juvenile, with telegraphic speech and incorrect tense or pronoun usage.
They may also speak with odd pitch, intonation, rhythm, or stress. Their speech could, for example, be hypernasal, monotonous, or have an odd pitch pattern, like concluding a declarative sentence with a rising tone that sounds like a question.
Receptive language may be challenging for vocal and nonverbal autistic people. They frequently grow their vocabulary slowly, and they could have trouble understanding abstract ideas or following instructions. It can be particularly difficult to interpret social language, such as jokes and sarcasm, which can cause misunderstandings in social situations.
For people with ASD, these speech and language deficits can have a substantial influence on social engagement and communication. These issues can be addressed with early intervention and specialized support, which offer techniques and resources to improve communication and quality of life.
A group of sophisticated cognitive abilities known as executive functioning—attention, working memory, planning, reasoning, sequencing, and flexible thinking—are essential for handling day-to-day tasks.
These abilities are critical for learning, academic success, social relationships, self-control, and day-to-day functioning. Impaired executive functioning can pose serious problems for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in a number of spheres of life.
ASD sufferers may have difficulty with a variety of executive functioning skills. For instance, individuals could struggle to figure out how to tie their shoes, prepare for a vacation, put on clothes, or finish a homework assignment. Even routine daily duties can become burdensome and perplexing if they are not arranged logically.
Thinking that is rigid and unbending is a prevalent trait of autism. Because of this, it may be difficult for people with ASD to solve problems or come up with several solutions.
Because of their lack of cognitive flexibility, when faced with a challenge, they may become set on a single method, even if it's not working. Their inability to adjust to changes in routine or unforeseen circumstances may also be impacted by this rigidity, which can cause irritation and worry.
Autism spectrum disorders can also show up at more fundamental levels, like the inability to focus attention on a single task for an extended amount of time.
Focussing on tasks can be difficult for people with ASD, particularly if they are not interested in the activity. Furthermore, individuals may find it difficult to focus on two tasks at once, which may hinder their capacity to multitask or handle several jobs at once.
The distinctive learning traits that people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently display can have a big influence on their schooling. Teachers, parents, and other carers can better support students with ASD by knowing these common qualities, even if every individual with the disorder is unique.
Information given graphically is often processed more efficiently by those with ASD. Pictures, diagrams, and behavior modeling are examples of visual aids that can be very helpful.
Concrete examples and practical exercises can aid in improving the understandability of abstract ideas. For example, presenting visual step-by-step guidance can greatly improve understanding and recall compared to just discussing a task.
For many people with ASD, unstructured time or extended waiting periods can be a source of confusion and worry. Checklists and schedules can reduce stress by offering consistency and organization. To keep students occupied during these times, teachers can think about keeping a box of "wait time" activities handy, such as books, sensory materials, or basic toys.
For people with ASD, organizing resources and activities can be very difficult. They might require specific instructions on how to utilize an agenda, arrange their school supplies neatly, gather resources for homework, and so forth. Gaining these organizing abilities can be essential to their success in the classroom and beyond.
People with ASD frequently perform differently in different academic skill areas. While some people may be strong in one area while lacking in another, others may do well in every topic. A student may, for instance, excel in word recognition but suffer with reading comprehension, or they may be skilled at mathematical computations but struggle with applied problem-solving. There are situations when people with ASD could struggle in every academic subject.
In conclusion, developing a helpful and productive learning environment in the classroom requires an awareness of the common learning traits of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Educators, parents, and carers can adapt tactics to meet the special needs of kids with ASD by acknowledging their unique strengths and problems.
Tailored techniques can greatly improve learning results, whether they are used to address issues with organization and generalization, give structure, or make use of visual aids. In the end, people with ASD can succeed academically, acquire vital life skills, and realize their full potential with the correct help.
