Autism is a neurological disorder that typically becomes apparent before a child reaches the age of three. In a person with autism, the brain’s normal development is compromised in the areas of social interaction, communication, and cognitive development. The individual with autism typically has difficulty with communication, social interactions, and the ability to learn.
As a developmental disability, autism is characterized by repetitive behaviors and deficits in social and language skills. Autism is described as a spectrum disorder, which means that its symptoms vary from individual to individual both in terms of severity and variety of behavioral traits. Some of the behaviors displayed in people with autism are:
Delay or lack or loss of speech
Lack of eye contact
Lack of response to other people
Treating others as if they were inanimate objects
Repetitive behaviors such as spinning, flapping hands
Balancing in precarious places
Eating, sleeping, and toileting difficulties
Extreme dislike of certain noises or textures
Extremely passive or extremely active behaviors
Dislike of being touched
Over sensitivity or under sensitivity to pain or sound
Failure to demonstrate typical signs of affection
No fear of danger
Restrictive range of interests
Extreme dislike of certain foods
Aggressive behavior
Lack of interest in toys
Desire to keep objects in rigid patterns
Desire to follow certain patterns of behavior
Self injurious behavior
Areas of advanced skill (in art, music, arithmetic, calendar, or memory)
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What is Autism?