What is Autism? What are its Signs?

Written by Alison Schmeer, B. S., and Victor Harris, PhD, University of Florida, Department of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences
Reviewed by Heidi Radunovich, PhD, Department of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences, University of Florida

Did you know that April is national Autism Awareness Month? While many of us may have heard of this condition, there’s still a lot of confusion about what it is and what it means. Here’s a brief review.

What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Until May 2013, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) consisted of four separate disorders that fell under the umbrella of ASD. These are now lumped into one single diagnosis.

People with Autism Spectrum Disorder have two main areas of struggle. They have difficulty communicating and socializing with others, and they have restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. They also often have delays in language development and have a hard time with changes in routine. The severity of these problems varies from individual to individual. In order to be diagnosed with ASD, an individual must show problems in these areas in early childhood.

The symptoms of ASD fall on a continuum, so some individuals will show mild symptoms while others may have more severe symptoms. It is often said that no two individuals with ASD are the same, or that “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.”

What are the early signs of ASD? (Note: Symptom list courtesy of Autism Speaks)

  • “No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions by six months or older
  • No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles or other facial expression by nine months
  • No babbling by one year
  • No back-and-forth gestures such as pointing, showing, reaching or waving by 12 months
  • No words by 16 months
  • No meaningful, two-worded phrases (not including imitating or repeating) by 24 months
  • Any loss of speech, babbling or social skills at any age”

What are some other signs of ASD?

  • Difficulty making friends
  • Difficulty starting or maintaining a conversation with others
  • Difficulty with imaginative and social play
  • Can’t be flexible; must follow a specific routine

Who does ASD affect?

  • 1 in 68 children have ASD
  • 1 in 189 girls have ASD
  • 1 in 42 boys have ASD (it is almost five times more common in boys than girls)
  • Affects all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds
  • Impacts the family as well as the individual with ASD
  • 200 million people in the U.S. and tens of millions of people worldwide are affected by ASD

ASD intervention options

Although there isn’t a cure for autism, there are a lot of interventions that can help. Since ASD impacts each person differently, it is important that each treatment plan is customized. What may work for one person may not work for another.

Some common forms of treatment include a form of behavior modification called Applied Behavior Analysis, speech and language therapy, and physical therapy. Treatments will also vary depending on the person’s age and stage of development.

For parents

If you have concerns regarding your child’s development and are wondering if he or she could have ASD, please speak with your pediatrician. There is no single test that can diagnose autism, but there are autism-specific behavior evaluations that physicians and psychologists can use. Further information can be found at the sites listed below.

Further Reading

UF Center for Autism and Related Disabilities

Autism Speaks

NINDS Autism Information Page

(Image courtesy of The Autism Society)

References:

American Psychiatric Association (2013). Highlights of Changes from DSM-IV-TR to DSM-5

American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.) Washington, DC: Author.

Autism Speaks. (2014). Learn the signs of autism. Retrieved from http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/learn-signs

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014). Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) data and statistics. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html

NIH. (2014). Autism fact sheet. Retrieved from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm

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Posted: April 21, 2014


Category: Relationships & Family, Work & Life
Tags: Health And Wellness, Parenting


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