Medically Reviewed By Sonam Kothari, Written By Tejasvi Parekh
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, characterised by the differences found in the development of the brain.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health (DSM-5 TR) defines ASD as persistent deficits in social communication and restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour. Research evidence states that 1 out of 100 children have autism.
Research evidence suggests that the disorder exists on the spectrum, consisting of a diverse range of conditions. Mild autism is the term used as an unofficial alternative for Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1.
It is also known as High-Functioning Autism because, unlike people on the severe end of the spectrum, children with mild autism can perform chores on their own, have an average level of intelligence and can live a fulfilling life if provided with the right interventions.
Autistic people regardless of the severity of their disturbance, are given the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The classification of the severity of the symptoms is indicated by levels.
Each level indicates the amount of support an autistic person would need. Mild Autism falls under level 1 and is the one which requires the least amount of support.
Autism spectrum disorder is characterised by difficulties in social communication, patterns of repetitive behaviour, difficulty in adapting to change as well as hypersensitivity to sensory experiences as well as lower IQ levels.
Concerning this, mild autistic children do have a higher IQ level and fair good in academics. However, they do display challenges in social relationships as well as sensory issues.
The early version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health (DSM-IV TR), included Asperger's Syndrome which was viewed as a form of mild autism.
Today, Asperger's Syndrome no longer remains a diagnosis in the DSM-5 TR, as clinicians and researchers believe that the symptoms of autism and Asperger's syndrome became difficult to distinguish for psychologists and which diagnosis would be provided started to depend on who was performing the assessment.
Due to the severity of their symptoms, most of the mildly autistic children do not get diagnosed until they are adults. However, certain traits distinguish these autistic children from others.
The term “Being on the Spectrum” is usually used to refer to mildly autistic people. Every child on the spectrum might show different traits and behaviours.
The types and amount of care and support needed for mildly autistic children will differ from person to person. A generalised list of support needed included:
It becomes important for caregivers and parents to pay close attention to their child’s behaviour as well as have useful knowledge about the traits experienced and exhibited by such children. This makes it easier for an early intervention to be provided and for the diagnosis to remain unnoticed.
Signs and symptoms of high-functioning autism can become difficult to notice and hence can lead to delayed diagnosis.
If any difference in behaviour and delay in development is noticed, it is believed to be due to differences in personality and temperament.
The neurodivergent traits in children with mild autism are not pronounced and are often very easy to overlook. This is because these children exhibit many neurotypical traits and the neurodivergent traits are so slight, that they are mistaken merely as personality differences.
Sometimes parents and caregivers do notice “atypical” behavioural patterns, however, these behavioural patterns do not warrant an immediate diagnosis.
Symptoms of mild autism that are found in children have been discussed below. These traits and symptoms vary from person to person. Some of them might be more noticeable than others.
While taking note of these traits, the context in which these traits appear is also very important. The environment in which the children are as well as the people they are with can have an impact on the way the traits manifest.
For example, a child might show varying behaviours at school compared to at home. Similarly, the child might behave differently in front of their teachers and peers as compared to their parents, caregivers and other family members.
This highlights the need to observe the child's behaviour in different settings and take note of the variability to gain a deeper understanding of the child's unique needs.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the symptoms of mild autism in children include the following —
Eye Contact: Children with mild autism usually avoid eye contact especially while communicating. This makes it difficult to engage them in conversations.
Echolalia: The children display meaningless repetition of words.
Fixation: The children become attached to some form of a fixed routine. They become fixated on their interests, ideas or concepts. They might have a fixed and specific way of doing things and carrying out a task. This brings out a feeling of security amongst them and any change in routine is difficult to adapt to and leads to discomfort.
Social Interaction: Some mildly autistic children prefer isolation over social interaction. Engaging in social situations is usually very upsetting for them, as they might be unable to comprehend societal rules and also take into account the perspective of others.
Seem Distant: It might seem like they are occupied in their world. They don't participate in conversations and also ignore when their name is being called out.
Difficulty to Understand Others' Perspective: The child might not be able to understand the emotions and feelings of others. It's difficult for them to take into the perspective of others in the same situation.
Developing and Maintaining Relationships: It's difficult for children with mild autism to make friends, share their interests with others, and engage in imaginative play with others.
Repetitive Behaviours: Children with mild autism might exhibit repetitive patterns of behaviour. They might be interested in only engaging in one activity again and again. They might line up or arrange their toys in a particular order and show visible distress when that arrangement is disrupted.
Sensory Processing: Children with mild autism might exhibit difficulty in processing sensory stimuli. They might remain indifferent to certain stimuli such as sound or touch, or they might become hypersensitive. In other words, some children can be hyporeactive — not noticing sensations and being indifferent to them, while some can be hyperreactive — unable to stand certain noises, getting visibly startled, unable to bear the feel of texture on the skin and giving others such strong reactions to sensory experiences.
They might also avoid physical touch like hugging their peers or family members or cuddling as a form of affection. They might not understand the term “talking about your feelings.”
While the symptoms of mild autism might be difficult to notice in children, they become more obvious as the child gets older.
According to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), the common symptoms of mild autism in adults are —
Since mildly autistic people might be able to mask more effortlessly than others, it leads to difficulties in diagnosis. Masking does have negative consequences and is considered draining, not only physically but also mentally.
Autistic people are often made to believe that to fit in, they need to suppress their neurodivergent traits and present neurotypical patterns of behaviour.
Therefore, masking, that is, suppressing their pattern of thoughts and behaviour, can be considered a social survival strategy.
Masking includes behaviours like —
Seeking timely assistance through various evidence-based psychological intervention programmes can help improve social communication.
It’s crucial that after an individual is diagnosed with autism, they, as well as, their caregivers/loved ones, get the appropriate help, care, and support that will cater for their unique needs as they grow and change.
The extent to which an autistic child can live independently, be in a successful relationship, complete their education, obtain a job, etc. depends on various factors.
The severity of the symptoms and the level of diagnosis play a key role along with factors like early interventions provided, the type of education received, as well as the type of support the person with autism received from the community.
Since children with mild autism show the least level of disturbance in their behaviour and social communication, they can strive to achieve their goals and live a self-fulfilling normal or near-normal life.
