Autistic childrenAutism: what is it? Autistic children have communication difficulties, narrow interests and repetitive behaviour. Early signs of autism might include lack of interest in other people, including lack of eye contact. Autism can be diagnosed in some children from around 18 months of age.https://raisingchildren.net.au › about-autism › asd-overview
Puzzles are a favorite toy of children with autism, according to their parents. Connecting pieces provides a satisfying tactile sensation, and children enjoy the bright colors that come into picture as the puzzle progresses.
Are autistic kids always smart? In the United States, 1 in 59 children is autistic. About 70% of autistic people have an intellectual disability, which means they have an IQ lower than 70. The remaining 30% have intelligence that ranges from average to gifted.
Rote memory skills and autism. Autistic children are often good at learning by heart (rote memory). Many autistic children can remember large chunks of information, like conversations from movies, words to a song, number plates and so on.
Although typically developing children generally produce their first words between 12 and 18 months old (Tager-Flusberg et al. 2009; Zubrick et al. 2007), children with ASD are reported to do so at an average age of 36 months (Howlin 2003).
Children with autism spectrum disorders tend to be less physically active than those without such disorders, according to a recent study. But results of several fitness tests show that children with autism spectrum disorders were evenly matched with children without autism except in one area: strength.
Kids with autism experience “deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships, ranging, for example, from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social contexts; to difficulties in sharing imaginative play or in making friends; to the absence of interest in peers (DSM-5).”
31% of children with ASD have an intellectual disability (intelligence quotient [IQ] <70), 25% are in the borderline range (IQ 71–85), and 44% have IQ scores in the average to above average range (i.e., IQ >85). Autism affects all ethnic and socioeconomic groups.
Special abilities are more common in autism than in other groups, with one study1 finding that a third of autistic adults showed superior skills in one or more areas by parental report and on psychometric tests. Some well‐documented skills are as astounding as any in fiction, such as the renowned artist S.
Students with autism indicated a preference for a more structured environment. Student preferences for varied sociological learning opportunities were also examined. Students with autism report that they learned best in a variety of social settings.
Main signs of autism
getting very anxious about social situations. finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on your own. seeming blunt, rude or not interested in others without meaning to. finding it hard to say how you feel.
Hobbies such as collecting stamps, playing cards or board games, drawing and photography can also provide opportunities for enjoyment, as well as increased self-confidence and motivation individuals on the spectrum.
Some autistic children can find it difficult to pay attention to and focus on things that don't interest them. This includes activities that involve shared attention, like reading a book with a carer, doing a puzzle, or even walking safely across the road.
Advanced parental age at time of conception. Prenatal exposure to air pollution or certain pesticides. Maternal obesity, diabetes, or immune system disorders. Extreme prematurity or very low birth weight.
Caring for a child with autism can demand a lot of energy and time. There may be days when you feel overwhelmed, stressed, or discouraged. Parenting isn't ever easy, and raising a child with special needs is even more challenging. In order to be the best parent you can be, it's essential that you take care of yourself.
Besides having language problems, children with ASD may: avoid eye contact. prefer being alone, exhibit little or no interest in others, or have trouble relating to others. fail to understand or recognize others' feelings, or lack the ability to express their own feelings.
Dance can be a major resource for children with autism, especially those who are nonverbal. Dance uses the body as a way of communicating instead of the use of words. Depending on the movement, the body can tell a story that the child might not be able to express any other way.
High-functioning autism means that a person is able to read, write, speak, and handle daily tasks, such as eating and getting dressed independently. Despite having symptoms of autism, their behavior doesn't interfere too much with their work, school, or, relationships.
Studies have shown autistic children can have varying degrees of difficulty with fine and gross motor skills. Another study suggests autistic children could be six months behind in gross motor skills compared to their peers, and a year behind in fine motor skills.
Research says that autistic children spend more time on screen than children who do not have autism. About 64.2 percent of young adults with ASD spend their free time on TV, and video games and 13.2 percent of young adults with ASD spend time on social media sites, emails, and chatting.
Some children with autism smile to show they're happy but don't share their enjoyment. Others show little facial expression or have flat affect and rarely smile so you may not know when they're happy.
Repetitive behaviour
For example, children might: make repetitive noises like grunts, throat-clearing or squealing. do repetitive movements like body-rocking or hand-flapping. do things like flicking a light switch repeatedly.