Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is considered a developmental disability affecting millions of children and adults in the United States. By now, you’re likely aware that autism exists – but you may not understand the signs and symptoms of ASD or how they manifest.
In this guide, we’ll detail the most common symptoms of ASD and explain how to recognize and address those symptoms.
Treatment and Intervention
When you recognize the signs and symptoms of ASD in your child, it’s important to provide treatment and intervention. There is no cure for autism, but there are a number of different behavioral, cognitive, and social strategies that can help you manage and mitigate the symptoms, allowing your child to learn, grow, and thrive in society.
One of the most common behavioral strategies is Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, which focuses on encouraging desirable behaviors and discouraging undesirable behaviors. In this treatment path, a trained professional works with your child to recognize problematic behaviors, understand their root causes, and ultimately guide your child toward better behavioral patterns.
Speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, supportive education, social skill exercises, medications, and alternative treatments may also help.
The Signs and Symptoms of Autism
Autism Spectrum Disorder is so named because it has a diverse “spectrum” of possible symptoms. For some people, these signs and symptoms are so mild they’re barely noticeable; for others, they’re so severe they can make living a normal life nearly impossible.
Also, symptoms manifest differently in different individuals; not all people with autism will exhibit all symptoms, and it’s possible to have ASD with only a few signs and symptoms present.
That said, some of the most common signs and symptoms include:
- Emotional irregularities. Your child may show some emotional irregularities. They may not give facial expressions that indicate emotions like happiness, sadness, or anger, and they may not readily make eye contact with other people. They may also demonstrate strange emotions in response to stimuli or suffer from irrational mood swings.
- Slow cognitive or emotional development. Many children with ASD have slow cognitive or emotional development. They may not hit developmental milestones as consistently as their neurotypical counterparts, and in some cases, may not hit these milestones at all.
- Delayed movement skills. Children with ASD also frequently suffer from delayed movement skills. They may struggle with coordination and motor skills, in particular.
- Delayed language skills. You may also notice your child exhibiting signs of delayed language acquisition. They may have trouble understanding you or forming words themselves.
- Aberrant eating or sleeping habits. If you notice aberrant eating or sleeping habits, this could also be a sign of ASD, though in isolation, it’s likely that there’s something else going on.
- High anxiety or stress. Children with ASD typically show signs of high anxiety or stress, including in situations that don’t warrant these emotions.
- Disproportionately high or low fear. ASD may make children show disproportionately high or low fear; they may be terrified of something innocuous, yet perfectly tolerant of something that should make them afraid.
- Repetitive and obsessive behaviors. One of the more obvious signs of ASD is a recurring sequence of repetitive or obsessive behavior. Your child may adhere to a strict routine, and throw a tantrum if that routine is compromised, or they may be very fixated on specific behavioral patterns, like arranging their toys in a specific order.
- Hyperfocus on objects or activities. ASD sometimes causes children to hyperfocus on objects or activities, to the point where they can’t focus on anything else.
- Unusual reactions to sensory experiences. These children may also have unusual reactions to sensory experiences, such as sights or sounds that are excessively stimulating.
For adults, the signs of ASD can be subtler. As an adult with autism, you may notice:
- Social anxiety. You feel worried or anxious before socially engaging with other people.
- Fixation on routines. You thrive on routines, and when your routines are disrupted, it has the potential to ruin your day.
- Difficulty understanding others. You have significant difficulty understanding other people’s thoughts and feelings, even if they express them to you directly.
- Difficulty understanding social norms. Certain social norms or social “rules” don’t make any sense to you, and you may be reluctant to follow them.
- Obsessive interests. You may have interests with a passion that borders on obsessive, and you may spend a disproportionate amount of your time on specific activities.
- Fixation on planning. You may also be obsessive about planning for the future and making arrangements for yourself and the people around you.
ASD also often presents differently in women than it does in men.
- Social camouflaging. Women with ASD may practice social camouflaging, attempting to mimic the speech patterns and behaviors of neurotypical people.
- Hiding feelings. They also have a tendency to hide their thoughts and feelings, again in an attempt to fit in.
- Fewer repetitive behaviors. Repetitive, hyperfocused behaviors are a typical sign of ASD in men, but this sign is much less common in women.
What Should You Do?
If you have a child you suspect has ASD, or if you suspect you might have ASD, the best course of action is to talk to a trained professional to pursue a diagnosis and treatment.
In the meantime, educate yourself about the basics of ASD and consider starting new routines and behavioral approaches to address problematic behaviors.
