Is It Autism? Know the Signs, Symptoms, and Next Steps

April is World Autism Month, a time to build awareness of the signs, traits, and realities of autism. Diagnoses of autism in the US have risen significantly in the past decade, from 1 in 125 children in 2010 to 1 in 54 in 2020, due to improved screening and increased understanding.?

The more we learn about autism, the more we learn that it describes a very broad spectrum of traits. The age of diagnosis and intensity of symptoms varies widely. And, despite the rise in autism diagnoses, many people with milder forms go undiagnosed into adulthood. However, increased awareness of what autism can look like can lead to earlier diagnoses and support during critical stages of early childhood development. Keep reading to learn about common challenges and strengths associated with autism, and next steps if you think your child may be affected.?

Symptoms:

There are two core symptoms of autism. The first is?social communication challenges. This can look like:

• Being nonverbal
• Developing social anxiety
• Difficulty making and keeping friends
• Difficulty maintaining conversation conventions, like taking turns or establishing eye contact
• Trouble interpreting nonverbal conversational cues
• Difficulty understanding people’s feelings
• Delayed language development
• Persistent preference for solitude

The second trait associated with autism is?restricted, repetitive behaviors, patterns, and interests. This can look like:

• A preference for sameness and difficulty with changes in routine or transitions?
• Highly restricted and intense interests
• Repeating sounds or phrases?
• Repetitive movements?
• Extremely high or low sensitivity to sensory stimuli, like light, noise, smell, touch, movement, or taste

Strengths:

Autism also comes with many?unique strengths. These can include:

• Visual thinking
• Unique humor
• Unwavering honesty
• Passion for fairness and justice
• Strong focus
• Good memory
• A Lot of knowledge about special interests
• Detail-oriented
• Desire to Connect

Related Conditions:

People with autism regularly experience other medical conditions as well. These can include:

• ADHD
• Chronic sleep problems
• Anxiety or mood disorders
• Chronic gastrointestinal disorders
• Epilepsy
• Schizophrenia
• Intellectual disabilities

Next Steps:

If your child is under the age of 5, it is important to monitor their development, to ensure that they are meeting typical developmental milestones for playing, learning, speaking, etc.?Here?is a list of milestones for each page, provided by the CDC. There is also an app available to help you track them. If you notice that your child is not meeting their milestones, it is a good idea to reach out to your doctor. When you take your child to the doctor for well-child visits, the doctor or nurse will also check for developmental milestones.?

At any age, if your child shows one or more of the characteristics above, it is a good idea to talk to a doctor about your concerns. The doctor will complete a screener that will help them decide if your child should undergo a formal evaluation for autism. (They should also complete the screener automatically at your child’s 18 and 24-month checkups). If the screener indicates that your child is at a higher risk of autism, the doctor will refer you to qualified specialists who can complete the evaluations.?

It is worth mentioning again that many adults with milder cases of autism go undiagnosed into adulthood. Autism can also be associated with or misdiagnosed as ADHD, mood disorders, OCD, or another related condition. A diagnosis of autism can open up the door to services, supports, and self-understanding. If you think you might show some signs of autism, talk to your doctor about getting screened. In the meantime, check out these resources about what autism can look like in adults:

How ASD might show up in Adults

General Information about Asperger/Autism Spectrum Diagnosis in Adults

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