Autism is quite a mystery. Every person who is diagnosed with the condition manifests different symptoms. There are various symptoms and each person diagnosed with the condition displays autism in his own unique way. It is rare to find all the symptoms or even most of the symptoms of autism in one single person. Generally speaking, an autistic has three problem areas: social skills, communication skills, and the manifestation of repetitive and restricted patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. Impaired Reciprocal Social Interaction When an autistic displays impaired reciprocal social interaction, it may include the following: inability to perform body language and nonverbal communication (eye contact, proper facial expressions, and gestures); indifference of other people's feelings and inability to understand and manifest emotions like pleasure, distress or pain; tendency to become unsociable; difficulties in interacting; and wariness about physical contact. Impaired Communication When an autistic displays impaired communication, it may include the following: delayed or total absence of speech development or unclear speech; difficulty in expressing needs and wants through speech or gestures; tendency to repeat words spoken to them; difficulty in starting or continuing a conversation; and inability to imagine. Restrictions in Behavior When an autistic displays restrictions in behavior, it may include the following: aversion to change; compulsiveness in behavior; odd play; repetitive body movements and abnormal posture; strange fascination with certain objects; and limited interests. Behaviors There are certain behaviors displayed by an autistic: He usually has an intelligence quotient that is below average; however, there are rare cases where an autistic has above-average intelligence. He may experience seizure attacks and can be very sensitive and aggressive. His behavior can go from one extreme to another, as in the case of under-activity and hyperactivity. Also, an autistic person may throw some tantrums and display a very short attention span. |
