Autism Symptoms

Eye contact and non verbal communication

Early Childhood: Children with autism often avoid eye contact and may not use typical facial expressions or gestures.

School-Aged Children: These difficulties persist, affecting their ability to interact with peers and understand social cues.

Teenagers: Challenges with eye contact and nonverbal communication can impact social relationships and peer interactions.

Adults: Avoiding eye contact and nonverbal communication difficulties can affect personal and professional relationships.

Communication challenges

Early Childhood: Young children with autism may speak in a monotone or have difficulty modulating their volume, speaking either too loudly or too quietly.

School-Aged Children: These voice tone challenges can continue, impacting their ability to communicate effectively with teachers and peers.

Teenagers: Teens may struggle with voice modulation in social settings, leading to misunderstandings or difficulties in expressing emotions appropriately.

Adults: Voice tone issues can affect professional and personal relationships, making it hard to convey emotions or intent clearly.

The need for predictability

Early Childhood: Young children with autism often engage in repetitive actions, such as rocking, spinning, or flapping their hands. They might also play with toys in unusual ways, like continuously spinning coins or flipping light switches.

School-Aged Children: These repetitive behaviours persist and can include organizing objects in specific ways or repeating certain actions during playtime.

Teenagers: Teens may continue these behaviours, which can sometimes be more noticeable in social or academic settings, potentially impacting peer relationships.

Adults: Repetitive behaviours can remain part of daily life, such as organising items in specific ways or engaging in habitual movements, which can affect routine activities and interactions.

Rigidity and structure

Early Childhood: Young children with autism may insist on eating the same foods at every meal or repeatedly watch the same videos. They can become very upset if their routines are disrupted.

School-Aged Children: These ritualistic behaviours persist, with strict adherence to specific routines or rituals and any changes can cause significant distress.

Teenagers: Teens may have rigid routines and specific rituals around daily activities, such as eating or hobbies and can experience heightened anxiety if these routines are altered.

Adults: Adults with autism often maintain these ritualistic behaviours, requiring consistency in their daily routines and can become very upset or anxious if changes occur

Self injury and risk

Early Childhood: Young children with autism might harm themselves by banging their head, biting their hands or scratching their skin.

School-Aged Children: These behaviours can continue, with children potentially engaging in self-injury during times of stress or frustration.

Teenagers: Teens may exhibit self-injurious behaviours more intensely, often as a response to overwhelming emotions or sensory overload.

Adults: Self-injury can persist into adulthood, with individuals harming themselves as a coping mechanism. There are treatments available, so it is important to consult a doctor if these behaviours are observed.

Putting on a good social front

Autistic camouflaging involves three key features:

Compensating: Mimicking others' phrases and mannerisms and using pre-prepared conversational scripts.

Masking: Suppressing autistic traits, like stimming and using a critical inner voice to avoid socially risky behaviours. Coaching oneself on body language to fit social norms.

Assimilation: Engaging in uncomfortable social behaviours, often feeling like acting, and finding excuses to avoid socialising. These strategies help autistic individuals blend into social environments while managing discomfort.

Putting on a good social front

While some believe autistic individuals lack empathy and sympathy, research shows this varies. Autistic people may struggle with cognitive empathy (recognising emotions) but can have strong affective empathy (feeling emotions).

Difficulties often stem from challenges in labelling emotions and interpreting social cues. Despite these challenges, autistic individuals can feel love and sympathy, sometimes personifying emotions in objects to process their own feelings.

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Many autistic individuals develop a deep, focused expertise in areas that fascinate them, often referred to as "special interests." These areas of interest can vary widely and encompass an incredible diversity of topics. 

Having a deep, focused expertise in specific areas can be a significant advantage in life for several reasons:

1. Career Opportunities: Special interests often align with niche fields or industries where deep knowledge is highly valued. This can lead to unique career paths or opportunities for becoming a recognised expert in the field.

2. Problem-Solving Skills: Developing expertise requires persistence and attention to detail. These traits can translate into strong analytical and problem-solving skills, which are beneficial in both personal and professional settings.

3. Personal Fulfilment: Engaging deeply in a topic that brings joy or satisfaction can enhance personal well-being and a sense of purpose. It can also foster creativity and innovation within that area of interest.

4. Community and Connection: Special interests can provide a way to connect with others who share similar passions, building meaningful relationships and a sense of belonging.

5. Lifelong Learning: The passion for continually learning about a special interest can foster a love of learning more broadly, encouraging curiosity and growth across various aspects of life.