Autism, also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a condition that affects the development of a person in terms of their interactions with people around them. An early-stage diagnosis of this disease is essential as it will allow you to start working toward the child’s developmental trajectory without much delay.
If you are looking for more guidance on finding the top symptoms of autism, this article is for you. I understand this because parents have to focus on the development areas of their newborns, owning to the reason, three main signs of autism can help you to identify them early on.
1. They Face Difficulty with Social Interactions
One of the most significant and visible symptoms of autism is the difficulty kids face during social interaction. Children with autism face problems engaging in basic social behaviors like eye contact, forming relationships, or understanding social situations. There are several ways in which they face issues:
- They Prefer Limited Eye Contact: Children facing the problems of autism do not prefer to make direct eye contact with others, which usually makes them appear disinterested in socializing, in their surroundings.
- They Face Difficulty in Forming Friendships: Another problem that children with Autism face is the problem of involving in group activities. They prefer solitary activities any day above group play which indicates they do not wish to play with others. This is among the core symptoms of autism as they are unable to form friendships.
- They Face Struggles with Nonverbal Communication: Since they have a different tone of voice, and body language and trouble interpreting through facial expressions, autistic children are unable to respond appropriately within different social situations.
2. They Have Restricted Interests & Repetitive Behaviors
Another key symptom of autism is their restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. Signs of autism in children can be spotted in their rigid and repetitive actions. They often become extremely focused on specific activities. Certain examples of such behaviors are:
- They Follow Very Strict Routines: Autism children may have structured routines and can get highly upset with any disruptions, making it challenging for parents to handle them, especially in case of unexpected changes in day-to-day life.
- They Have Repetitive Movements Like Stimming: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder engage in repetitive physical movements like spinning objects, hand-flapping, or rocking. Such type of behavior is known as “stimming,” which can lead to emotional distress. However, stimming serves as a method for the child to cope with sensory overload.
- They Have an Intense Focus on Certain Interests & Activities: Children with autism could be very knowledgeable about certain topics, like outer space, trains, or dinosaurs, and may want to speak about them excessively. Their deep knowledge often dominates their other activities, including their conversations. This makes it difficult to engage in other social interactions. Restricted interests and different patterns around them are classic symptoms of autism.
3. They Face Delayed Communication Development
The third highly essential symptom of autism is the challenges these children face in communication, both verbal as well as nonverbal. Development of language development in autistic children is often delayed in comparison to other children and some children might not develop speaking skills at all.
- They Use Echolalia: Some autistic children use echolalia, meaning they repeat words that they know or might have heard despite not knowing what they mean or even fit in. This mostly means repeating words said by people around them or stating lines from books or TV shows. For more information on Echolalias, check out this book.
- They Have Delayed Speech Development: In the case of some autistic children, speaking might not begin even when their peers have already started much before. However, some might face a stop in verbal progress as soon as they reach certain developmental milestones. Huge delay in language development in these children is among the concerning symptoms of autism for parents.
- They Face Nonverbal Communication Challenges: In autism, even when a child is nonverbal, they might have to face issues in using basic gestures like nodding or pointing making communication extremely difficult. Such struggles make expressions harder for the child as they cannot express what they want leading to more and more frustration for both the child and their parents.
Other Symptoms of Autism are
The above-listed three key symptoms of autism focus on social interactions, restricted interests, repetitive behaviors, and struggles towards communication, there are many more signs of autism that parents must know:
- Problems with Sleeping: Sleep disorders, and related issues like difficulty staying asleep, falling asleep, or waking up early, are some of the most common signs of autism in children.
- Hypoactivity or Hyperactivity: Some children facing the problem of autism could have boundless energy, while others could be just laid back.
- Sensory Sensitivities: Some autistic children might have heightened sensitivities to sensory stimuli. They could be extensively sensitive to smells, sounds, lights, or textures. For example, heightened noises could be overwhelming or they might not like some fabrics.
What Should Parents Do if They Notice Symptoms?
If parents spot any of the above-listed symptoms of autism in their children, they must talk to a pediatrician instantly. Most pediatricians would perform minor screening while others would directly recommend a specialist. Early detection can save you a lot of trouble. Many early intervention programs, like occupational therapy, behavioral therapy, and speech therapy show a significant impact on the development of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Keep in mind autism is a spectrum disorder, which means every child displays a different set of challenges and abilities. Some children need more support, while others may handle things independently with only basic involvement. Finding out about all of the symptoms of autism at their early stages can support you in meeting your child’s unique requirements.
Support for Parents
Handling children going through autism is a highly challenging task for the parents. However, various resources are available these days where parents can use the support of educational materials, other parent groups, and counseling services to understand everything around their child’s development and what necessary actions are required. In addition, many organizations offer information on the recently discovered strategies and therapies to support autistic children.
Parents must connect with other families within the autism community to learn and share personal experiences and locate more practical advice and emotional comfort simultaneously.
Knowing about all the symptoms of autism is highly important for parents so they can make sure to be ready to provide all the support their child needs. Once you know all these signs and symptoms, you can find an early diagnosis and necessary action plans then and there. Early identification and required support can make a huge difference in the lives of children with autism.