What Is The Meaning Of Autistic

Restrictive / Repetitive Behaviors May Include:

• Repeating certain behaviors or having unusual behaviors, such as repeating words or phrases
• 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

Repetitive And Restrictive Behaviour

What Are Some Of The Symptoms Of Asd

There is no single symptom that would lead to a diagnosis of autism. But someone who shows a number of the following characteristics and behaviours would likely be diagnosed with an ASD:

• Shows no interest in other people
• May be interested in people, but does not know how to talk, interact with or relate to them
• Has difficulty initiating and maintaining a conversation.
• Is slow developing speech and language skills, which may begin to develop and then be lost, or may never develop fully.
• Has difficulty interpreting non-verbal communication such as social distance cues, or the use of gestures and facial cues, like smiles, that most of us take for granted.
• Repeats ritualistic actions such as spinning, rocking, staring, finger flapping, and hitting oneself.
• Has restricted interests and seemingly odd habits, like focusing obsessively on only one thing, idea or activity.

As well, people with ASD may have secondary problems such as:

• Neurological disorders including epilepsy.
• Fine and gross motor deficits.
• Anxiety and depression.

Children with ASD develop motor, language, cognitive and social skills at different rates from other children their age. For instance, they may be very good at solving math problems but have great difficulty making friends or talking.

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Restricted And Repetitive Behaviors

ASD includes a wide variety of characteristics. Some of these include behavioral characteristics which widely range from slow development of social and learning skills to difficulties creating connections with other people. They may develop these difficulties of creating connections due to anxiety or depression, which autistic people are more likely to experience, and as a result isolate themselves.

Other behavioral characteristics include abnormal responses to sensations including sights, sounds, touch, taste and smell, and problems keeping a consistent speech rhythm. The latter problem influences an individual’s social skills, leading to potential problems in how they are understood by communication partners. Behavioral characteristics displayed by autistic people typically influence development, language, and social competence. Behavioral characteristics of autistic people can be observed as perceptual disturbances, disturbances of development rate, relating, speech and language, and motility.

The second core symptom of autism spectrum is a pattern of restricted and repetitive behaviors, activities, and interests. In order to be diagnosed with ASD under DSM-5 or DSM-5-TR, a person must have at least two of the following behaviors:

Autistic individuals can display many forms of repetitive or restricted behavior, which the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised categorizes as follows.

Self-injury

Cultural And Linguistic Considerations

Awareness of individual and cultural differences is essential for accurate diagnosis. For example, direct eye contact with an authority figure may be considered disrespectful in some cultures, and silence may be valued as a sign of respect. In a U.S. school system, these behaviors could easily be misinterpreted as socially inappropriate.

The core characteristics of ASD may be viewed through a cultural lens leading to under-, over-, or misdiagnosis . Signs and symptoms that are clearly red flags in the U.S. health care or educational system may not be viewed in the same way by someone from a culture that does not formally define the disorder.

Cultural and linguistic variables may contribute to the disparity in the diagnosis of ASD among some racial/ethnic groups . For example, Begeer et al. found that Dutch pediatricians might be inclined to attribute social and communication problems of non-European minority groups to their ethnic origin, while attributing these same characteristics to autistic disorders in children from majority groups.

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Diagnosis In Young Children

Diagnosis in young children is often a two-stage process.

Stage 1: General Developmental Screening During Well-Child Checkups

Every child should receive well-child check-ups with a pediatrician or an early childhood health care provider. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children receive screening for developmental delays at their 9-, 18-, and 24- or 30-month well-child visits, with specific autism screenings at their 18- and 24-month well-child visits. A child may receive additional screening if they are at high risk for ASD or developmental problems. Children at high risk include those who have a family member with ASD, show some behaviors that are typical of ASD, have older parents, have certain genetic conditions, or who had a very low birth weight.

Considering caregivers experiences and concerns is an important part of the screening process for young children. The health care provider may ask questions about the childs behaviors and evaluate those answers in combination with information from ASD screening tools and clinical observations of the child. Read more about screening instruments on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

If a child shows developmental differences in behavior or functioning during this screening process, the health care provider may refer the child for additional evaluation.

Stage 2: Additional Diagnostic Evaluation

The diagnostic evaluation is likely to include:

Signs Of Autism In Children

The signs of autism can change as children grow babies and toddlers show different signs of autism than children aged 4 and older.

Babies and toddlers

Signs of autism in babies and toddlers can include a number of things that affect different parts of their life and behaviour.

Autistic babies and toddlers might:

• start talking later than most children
• seem less aware of others around them for example, they might not respond to their name being called
• make repetitive movements when excited or upset – for example flapping their hands, rocking back and forth, or making the same noise repeatedly

Autistic babies and toddlers might not:

• smile back when you smile at them
• point to show when they want something
• point to show you something they find interesting

Autistic babies and toddlers might:

• spend a long time setting up toys in a certain way, and set them up the same way every time
• enjoy lining toys up in order, or watching parts of them move

Autistic babies and toddlers might not:

• seem interested in playing with other children their age
• seem to use their toys to make up stories or pretend they might also start pretend play at a later age than most children

Autistic babies and toddlers might:

• react strongly to sounds, smells, touch, tastes, or things they can see for example, if they like the way a stuffed toy feels, they want to spend a lot of time stroking the toy
• become upset if given something to eat or drink thats new to them
• eat a limited range of foods

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Early Signs And Symptoms

Diagnostic features of ASD are present in very young children. Most families and caregivers report observing symptoms within the first 2 years of life and typically express concern by the time the child reaches 18 months of age.

Studies of children with ASD found the following:

• Parents of children with ASD reported first noticing abnormalities in their childrens developmentparticularly in language development and social relatednessat about 14 months of age on average .
• Infants at risk forand later diagnosed withASD showed a decline in eye fixation within the first 26 months of age. This pattern was not observed in typically developing infants .
• Children with autism used fewer joint attention gestures and behaviors as infants and toddlers than did age-matched peers who were typically developing .
• Children with autism showed subtle differences in sensorymotor and social behavior at 9 to 12 months of age when compared with typically developing peers .
• Children with autism showed lower rates of canonical babbling and fewer speech-like vocalizations across the 6- to 24-month age range than did typically developing peers .
• Infants at risk forand later diagnosed withASD used significantly more distress vocalizations than did children who were typically developing and children who were developmentally delayed this may reflect the difficulties that children with ASD have with emotional regulation .

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
• Not responding or being slow to respond to ones 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 persons point of view or being unable to predict or understand other peoples actions
• Difficulties adjusting behaviors to social situations
• Difficulties sharing in imaginative play or in making friends

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Examples Of Autistic In A Sentence

autistic BostonGlobe.comautistic Washington Postautistic New York Timesautistic Fortuneautistic Forbesautisticalautistic New York Timesautistic Washington Postautistics SmithsonianautisticsSmithsonian

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word ‘autistic.’ Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

How Is Autism Treated

Thereâs no cure for autism. But early treatment can make a big difference in development for a child with autism. If you think your child shows symptoms of ASD, tell your doctor as soon as possible.

What works for one person might not work for another. Your doctor should tailor treatment for you or your child. The two main types of treatments are:

• Behavioral and communication therapy to help with structure and organization. Applied behavior analysis is one of these treatments it promotes positive behavior and discourages negative behavior. Occupational therapy can help with life skills like dressing, eating, and relating to people. Sensory integration therapy might help someone who has problems with being touched or with sights or sounds. Speech therapy improves communication skills.
• Medications to help with symptoms of ASD, like attention problems, hyperactivity, or anxiety.

Complementary treatments may help boost learning and communication skills in some people with autism. Complementary therapies include music, art, or animal therapy, like horseback riding and even swimming with dolphins.

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Autism In Pop Culture

Movies and books featuring characters with autism have helped bring autism spectrum disorder into the public consciousness. Some have ignited controversy others have increased the publics general understanding of autism. A few have done both. At ARI, we hope that people will rely on evidence-based research to understand autism spectrum disorder better.

Learn more about autism spectrum disorder by watching one of our expert-led webinars. They help you learn about ASD from clinicians, researchers, and therapists who research autism and support individuals with ASD.

How Are Asd Levels Determined

While its difficult to determine a persons ASD level, trained psychologists have some tools that can help them accomplish this, such as the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition . This assessment is typically paired with a thorough developmental history.

ASD can be diagnosed as early as 18 months . However, many children, and even some , may not be diagnosed until much later.

Being diagnosed at a later age can make treatment more difficult. If you or your childs pediatrician think they may be autistic, consider making an appointment with an ASD specialist. Learn more about testing for ASD.

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How Autism Is Diagnosed

There is no known biological marker for autism. That means that no blood or genetic test can diagnose the disorder. Instead, clinicians rely on observation, medical histories, and questionnaires to determine whether an individual has autism.

Physicians and specialists may use one or several of the following screening tools:

• Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised , a 20-question test designed for toddlers between 16 and 30 months old.
• The Ages and Stages Questionnaire , a general developmental screening tool with sections targeting specific ages used to identify any developmental challenges a child may have.
• Screening Tool for Autism in Toddlers and Young Children , an interactive screening tool, comprising 12 activities that assess play, communication, and imitation.
• Parents Evaluation of Developmental Status is a general developmental parent-interview form that identifies areas of concern by asking parents questions.

The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages autism screening for all children at their 18 and 24-month well-child checkups. Parents and caregivers can also ask their pediatrician for an autism screening if they have concerns. In rare cases, individuals with autism reach adulthood before receiving a diagnosis. However, most individuals receive an autism diagnosis before the age of 8.

The Train Analogy: Understanding How We See The World

Imagine what it would be like if you were to be picked up suddenly and dropped into the middle of a packed rush hour subway in downtown Tokyo.

To begin with, you are overwhelmed by the number of people in your personal space the subway is so packed that you literally cannot move. Lots of people are talking to each other at once, to the point that you can barely hear yourself think. One person standing next to you may wear very strong perfume. Another person may have bad breath from forgetting to brush their teeth. The environment around the subway makes you extremely uncomfortable on a sensory level and you cannot wait to get off and out into the city.

The subway arrives and everyone disembarks. Every other person begins to walk in the direction they need to go in. But you find the signs around the station very confusing and you dont know how to leave the station. Doing the logical thing, you approach another passenger to ask for directions. You cant tell from his body language or facial expression whether he is happy to help or annoyed to be stopped. He is speaking very quickly in Japanese and is using local expressions you know nothing about you cannot follow his instructions as you are unsure about what he is saying to you.

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Getting The Right Environment

Environment is important to quality of life for autistic people. There are ways you can adapt and improve your environment to make it as comfortable and supportive as possible for you or your child.

The social model of disability is a way of looking at the world that treats the difficulties people with disabilities have as being caused by barriers in society, rather than just the disabilities themselves. These barriers can be physical for example, buildings not having accessible toilets. Barriers can also be caused by peoples attitudes for example, many people will assume someone is lying because they dont make eye contact while talking.

The social model of disability can be a helpful way of considering the difficulties someone faces, and how to adapt their environment so it works for them.

Common changes to an environment that can help autistic people include:

• sensory changes for example, being given a quiet space to work, being able to use sensory toys like fidget spinners, or being allowed to make noises while working
• communication changes for example, using email or apps to communicate, using very clear language, allowing additional time to ask questions, or using visual communication such as photos or pictures as well as written words
• routine keeping to a regular routine and giving warning of any changes as far in advance as possible

Autism Is Not An Illness

Being autistic does not mean you have an illness or disease. It means your brain works in a different way from other people.

It’s something you’re born with or first appears when you’re very young.

If you’re autistic, you’re autistic your whole life.

Autism is not a medical condition with treatments or a “cure”. But some people need support to help them with certain things.

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Treatment Considerations: Transitioning Youth And Adults

The core challenges associated with ASD can have an impact on the ability to succeed in postsecondary educational programs, employment, and social relationships, and to acquire the skills needed to live independently .

Individuals with ASD who are transitioning to young adulthood experience high rates of unemployment and underemployment and may have difficulty maintaining employment once secured . Socially, they may discontinue friendships, participate in fewer social activities , and experience social isolation .

These findings highlight the need for continued support to facilitate a successful transition to adulthood. SLPs are involved in transition planning in high school and may be involved, to varying degrees, in other support services beyond high school.

Transition planning for individuals with ASD may include

• determining the need for continued therapy, if appropriate
• identifying career goals and educational needs
• providing academic or career counseling
• providing opportunities for work experience
• discussing housing options and
• facilitating community networking .

Effective transition planning involves the student as an active and respected member of the team as well as their family, who can provide valuable information about the students needs. See ASHAs resource on transitioning youth.