Early Signs And Symptoms Of Autism

Examples of Social Issues related to ASD:

• Poor or fleeting eye contact

• Delayed or lack of response to name

• Isolated play (the child prefers to be aloof)

• Inability to interpret gestures or non-verbal cues

• Difficulty in expressing feelings

• Lack of social awareness (difficulty in understanding personal space and boundaries)

• Sensory issues (avoids touch or seeks more physical touch for example hugging, kissing, etc.)

Examples of Communication Difficulties are:

• Delayed development of speech and language skills

• Repetition of words, dialogues, and sentences (echolalia)

• Irrelevant speech i.e. giving unrelated answers to questions.

• Lack of interest in pretend play (does not pretend to feed a doll)

• Difficulty in interpreting or understanding jokes, riddles or questions

Individuals with autism often have unusual interests and behaviors like:

• Unusual and inappropriate play with toys

• Obsessed with objects like bottle caps, papers, wires, buttons, key rings, water pipes, straws, plastic, etc

• Lining up objects or toys

• Inability to adjust to or adapt to minor changes in the routine or environment

• Repetitive behaviors like hand flapping, spinning objects.

• Smelling or mouthing objects

• Strong avoidance of certain food items, tastes, textures of clothing, etc.

• Unusual fears or dislikes, e.g. cutting nails, flowers, etc.

• Self-stimulatory behaviors like rocking, tapping hands/feet

Some physical features of Autism are:

• Abnormal muscle tone (muscles may be too tight or too loose)

• Bony prominences may visible e.g. winging of the Scapula (prominent shoulder blades due to weak muscles)

• Flat Feet

• Poor or lack of hand-eye coordination

• Limb apraxia (difficulty in performing planned movements of the arms or legs)

• Balance issues while sitting, standing or walking

• Abnormal posture or lordotic back (excessive inward curvature of the spine or back bone)

• Clumsiness

• Unusual sweating

• Abnormal reactions to sensory stimuli

• Hyperactivity.

• Impulsive and uncontrolled behavior e.g. acting without thinking

• Poor attention span (gets distracted very easily)

• Self - injurious behavior like head banging, biting oneself, etc.

• Aggressive behavior towards others like biting, scratching, hair pulling, throwing objects, etc.

• Temper tantrums or erratic mood or inappropriate emotional reactions

• Lack of fear (cannot sense danger)

• Fear of irrelevant objects or situations e.g. fear of pressure cooker or a black plastic bag.

• Hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity to touch, sound, taste, smell, look or feel.

• Disrupted or disturbed sleep patterns.

• Odd eating or food habits e.g. may not eat food items which are white in color, etc.