Autism Spectrum Disorder: Signs and Symptoms

People with ASD usually have problems with social, emotional, and communication skills. They might be repetitive with certain behaviors and might not deal well with change in their daily activities. People with ASD also have different ways of learning, paying attention, or reacting to things. These sign of ASD will sometimes begin during early childhood and possibly last throughout a person’s life.

According to the CDC, children or adults with ASD might:

• Not point at objects to show interest (for example, not point at an airplane flying over)

• Not look at objects when another person points at them

• Have trouble relating to others or not have an interest in other people at all

• Avoid eye contact and want to be alone

• Have trouble understanding other people’s feelings or talking about their own feelings

• Prefer not to be held or cuddled, or might cuddle only when they want to

• Appear to be unaware when people talk to them, but respond to other sounds

• Be very interested in people, but not know how to talk, play, or relate to them

• Repeat or echo words or phrases said to them, or repeat words or phrases in place of normal language

• Have trouble expressing their needs using typical words or motions

• Not play “pretend” games (for example, not pretend to “feed” a doll)

• Repeat actions over and over again

• Have trouble adapting when a routine changes

• Have unusual reactions to the way things smell, taste, look, feel, or sound

• Lose skills they once had (for example, stop saying words they were using)