Well, it's odd behavior and reactions to things, like loud noises and being touched. Most all are highly intelligent! I had a severely autistic boy in my class one year that couldn't sit still at all, he always had head and arm movements, but he was on track with everything said in class and could answer any discussion completely and accurately all the time. He was really disturbed by the fire alarm and we had to notify his parents when we had a fire drill.
There are five major types of autism which include Asperger's syndrome, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, Kanner's syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave. Although autism can be diagnosed at any age, it is described as a “developmental disorder” because symptoms generally appear in the first 2 years of life.
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), a guide created by the American Psychiatric Association that health care providers use to diagnose mental disorders, people with ASD often have:
Difficulty with communication and interaction with other people
Restricted interests and repetitive behaviors
Symptoms that affect their ability to function in school, work, and other areas of life
Autism is known as a “spectrum” disorder because there is wide variation in the type and severity of symptoms people experience.
Social communication / interaction behaviors may include:
Making little or inconsistent eye contact
Appearing not to look at or listen to people who are talking
Infrequently sharing interest, emotion, or enjoyment of objects or activities (including infrequent pointing at or showing things to others)
Not responding or being slow to respond to one’s name or to other verbal bids for attention
Having difficulties with the back and forth of conversation
Often talking at length about a favorite subject without noticing that others are not interested or without giving others a chance to respond
Displaying facial expressions, movements, and gestures that do not match what is being said
Having an unusual tone of voice that may sound sing-song or flat and robot-like
Having trouble understanding another person’s point of view or being unable to predict or understand other people’s actions
Difficulties adjusting behaviors to social situations
Difficulties sharing in imaginative play or in making friends
Restrictive / repetitive behaviors may include:
Repeating certain behaviors or having unusual behaviors, such as repeating words or phrases (a behavior called echolalia)
Having a lasting intense interest in specific topics, such as numbers, details, or facts
Showing overly focused interests, such as with moving objects or parts of objects
Becoming upset by slight changes in a routine and having difficulty with transitions
Being more sensitive or less sensitive than other people to sensory input, such as light, sound, clothing, or temperature
People with ASD may also experience sleep problems and irritability.
People on the autism spectrum also may have many strengths, including:
Being able to learn things in detail and remember information for long periods of time
Being strong visual and auditory learners
Excelling in math, science, music, or art
Responses
Love All Life; Thank You For Posting! :)