Autism Spectrum Disorder is very common among kids and is one of the most common disorders. Today, I am going to deliver you a ton of information about symptoms of Autism that might be useful for you or your kids. But before that, let’s understand autism a bit more thoroughly.
ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)
Autism spectrum disorder is a condition associated with cerebral palsy that affects the way a person perceives and interacts with others, causing problems in social and communication. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may look different in different people. Add mainly affects the way people communicate or behave with others. There is no single cause for it, and the symptoms can be very mild or very severe. Some troubled children begin to show symptoms as early as they are a few months old.
Some appear to have normal growth in the first few months or years of life and begin to show symptoms later. The disease includes limited and repetitive behaviors. The term “spectrum” in autism spectrum disorder refers to a variety of symptoms and severity. Autism spectrum disorder starts in childhood and ends up creating problems that cause some issues in the community, at school, and at work. So here are some of the most common symptoms that everyone must know.
Autism Spectrum Disorder Symptoms
Some children show symptoms of autism spectrum disorders at an early age, such as diminished eyesight, poor pronunciation, or indifference to caregivers. Some children aren’t exactly aware of the disorder, but suddenly they become aggressive or lose the language skills they have already acquired. The symptoms of visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, and gustatory autism have been discussed.
Visual
Visual ASD is one of the most common disorders. There are millions of cases around the world who are victims of visual ASD. We all know that eyesight is one of the most important senses in the human body. If you are reading this, you should be grateful for the gift you have and try your best to preserve it.
Poor eye contact and lack of facial expression
Kids that have problems maintaining eye contact during the conversation have chances of being the victims of visual ASD. During the conversation, if the child didn’t express the expected facial reaction, it’s important to pay attention to such minute details to understand the disorder more properly. Ignoring them could be a major problem.
Unusually sensitive to light
If the kid is having problems with the sudden changes in the frequency of light, there are chances of ASD. It’s a very common symptom among people suffering from ASD.
Doesn’t appear to understand simple questions or directions
If the child is unable to understand very basic directions or is having problems in solving a certain task there is a slight chance that he could be a victim of ASD.
Repeating words or phrases
while reading a text or a paragraph from a book if the child repeats the text while reading, it might be a hint to ASD. Some kids are not very good at reading for some other factors, so we cannot say for certain that not being able to read properly is a sign of a visual ASD.
Auditory
Do you like listening to music, watching movies or playing games? Now imagine enjoying them with a poor sense of hearing. I am sure you would agree that there is no fun when you can’t do everything clearly. Hearing is one of the most important sensors and ASD plays a vital role in degrading this sense. So it’s crucial to pay attention to the symptoms that protect our precious sense of hearing. Here are some of the most common symptoms that people should never ignore.
Covering ears in a noisy environment
If you ever see a child covering his ear in a place where there is not a lot of noise then that child could be suffering from auditory ASD. The patient with auditory Autism has problems adapting to an environment with loud noises.
Distress when surrounded by a lot of noise.
As I mentioned before, children with auditory Autism have problems adapting to an environment with loud conversations, so children with auditory Autism will have problems in rooms where there are a lot of people. Due to kids with autism, I am not able to focus properly in the class.
Fails to respond to his or her name
Another very common symptom of auditory ASD is that the child does not respond when someone takes his name or calls him. This is one of the most common symptoms among auditory autism victims.
Delayed speech
If the child doesn’t speak properly or has delayed speeches it could be a sign of auditory autism as kids with autism are usually not very good at conversations.
Difficulty to understand simple questions or directions
If the child takes a bit longer to understand some basic tasks and is unable to respond quickly then there are high chances that he is suffering from auditory ASD.
Difficulty recognizing nonverbal cues, or tone of voice
If the child misunderstands verbal communication quite or is having problems differentiating in different tones of voices it is a strong hint of ASD.
Tactile
Touch plays a vital role in transferring feelings. There are a lot of things that can provide you comfort on a busy day. But some people feel irritated while coming in contact with different kinds of fabrics and other materials. This is a sign of tactile autism and must never be ignored. Here are some other symptoms that we should pay close attention to.
Performs repetitive motion of the body
If the child performs some kind of repetitive motions with hands or other body parts or is not able to sit still for a long duration of time. There is a possibility that there is tactile ASD in play.
Unable to identify the object by touching when blindfolded
A child suffering from tactile ASD will have problems while trying to identify the material by touching it. For example, the kids will have trouble differentiating between different fabrics such as silk, jute, and cotton.
Being bothered by the feeling of certain fabrics or clothing textures
If the child is irritated by the touch of fabrics, then there are high chances that the child is suffering from Autism.
Avoidance of messy textures
There are different types of messy textures such as sand clay, slimes, and paints. If the child is feeling discomfort while touching them, there are strong chances of tactile autism.
Olfactory and gustatory
I am sure everyone loves eating new and delicious dishes and smelling some beautiful flowers. Taste and smell are two senses that are very closely attached. The malfunction of one can result in the poor functioning of the other. So it’s best to keep both of them in good health. Here are some symptoms that you must pay attention to protect these two senses.
Prefers very strong flavors
It’s one of the most common symptoms of gustatory autism. Parents must play close and must never ignore the Kids that prefer the strong flavor most of the time as they might be in the hands of autism.
Eats non-food items
Some kids like to eat things like paper, eraser, pencil lead and many other things. These non-food items often result in stomach problems. If your child is often found eating non-edible stuff. Then there are very high chances that he is suffering from gustatory autism.
Unable to detect the odor
Some kids have trouble identifying different odors. This symptom is very easily caught. There are some olfactory activities that kids can perform to know their strength of smelling sense.
Irritated by some very common smells
If the child is irritated by some very smells like the vegetables, fruits, paints, or the soil, then there is a possibility that he is affected by olfactory Autism. Most kids don’t have any problems with such smells, in fact, many like them.
Final Word
Unfortunately, there is no cure for autism, but even though there is no cure for ASD, there are several treatments available, such as ABA, that can help people with ASD to navigate everyday situations and build skills. Here are some tips that people with autism can follow:
Take your time
Draw your time each day. Whether it is a brief exercise, study, or spending time with a friend, taking care of yourself is the most important thing in caring for someone.
Find a support group for autism
Reaching out to other people in the community can help you learn new information, share tips and tricks to help you manage situations, and feel supported as you connect with the same feeling.
Help promote good behavior
Consider using teaching aids to help your child with daily schedules and activities. Verify the behaviors they learn from the treatment. Celebrate good things by recognizing and appreciating skills and strengths.
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