One recent study found that up to 50% of children with a genetic disorder called 22q11. 2 deletion syndrome were told they had autism when they didn't. That's because many of the symptoms of 22q11. 2 deletion syndrome, including delayed speech development, can also be signs of autism.
There are several conditions that resemble or have autism-like symptoms such as developmental delays, language disorders, motor impairments, attention-deficit, anxiety, brain injury, chromosomal abnormalities, and severe emotional and behavioral disturbance – just to name a few.
More common co-occurring conditions include anxiety disorders, eating disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder or depression.
Every autistic person is different, but sensory differences, changes in routine, anxiety, and communication difficulties are common triggers.
Hyperlexia is a condition where preschool children display an intense early interest in letters in a way that is very advanced for their age. They can decode words accurately, but without understanding their meaning.
Someone might describe themselves as having borderline autism when: they suspect they have traits of ASD but do not have a diagnosis. they have some symptoms of ASD but do not meet the criteria for ASD. they have an ASD diagnosis with a severity of level 1.
Level 1 is the mildest, or “highest functioning” form of autism, which includes those who would have previously been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. Individuals with ASD level 1 may have difficulty understanding social cues and may struggle to form and maintain personal relationships.
Mildly autistic people require the least amount of support and are often able to hide their symptoms. However, they may struggle with social interactions, reading social cues, understanding body language, and deciphering facial expressions.
Although the exact cause of autism is still unknown, there is evidence to suggest that genetics play a significant role. Since autism is less prevalent in females, autism was always thought to be passed down from the mother. However, research suggests that autism genes are usually inherited from the father.
In some ways Williams syndrome is the opposite of autism. For example, people with Williams syndrome love to talk and tell stories, whereas those with autism usually have language delay and little imagination. Many people with Williams syndrome draw disjointed pictures, some with autism draw pictures in perfect detail.
Yes, it's possible for an autism misdiagnosis to occur.
A person can also be diagnosed with a different disorder when they actually should be diagnosed as autistic. Below are a few characteristics occasionally confused with autism: Speech delays. Developmental delays.
Excessive early-life screen media exposure has been associated with developmental delay and autism symptoms. Improvements in developmental trajectory in young children with ASD and high digital screen exposure have been reported when screen time is replaced with socially oriented activities.
Research indicates that stressful and traumatic life events are an underlying risk factor for virtually all the comorbid psychopathologies that are common in people with ASD (APA 2013; Mannion et al. 2014).
Signs of High-Functioning Autism in Children
May appear more mature for their age and have above-average intelligence. A tendency to avoid eye contact. Trouble deviating from a routine or adapting to changes. Trouble making friends and maintaining social relationships or not “fitting in” with peers.
About stimming and autism
Stimming might include: hand and finger mannerisms – for example, finger-flicking and hand-flapping. unusual body movements – for example, rocking back and forth while sitting or standing. posturing – for example, holding hands or fingers out at an angle or arching the back while sitting.
However, there have been cases where individuals with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) have been misdiagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This is because individuals with NPD may exhibit behaviors that can be mistaken for those associated with ASD.
Distrust, poor empathy and intimacy problems are common in BPD patients, often leading to difficulties in friendships and relationships. These symptoms may appear in both disorders, but typically those with autism are less defensive and are unable to read others' emotions.
First, it's important to understand that autism cannot develop in adults. Autism is caused by atypical brain development that occurs at the young age we mentioned above. By the time someone has reached an adult age, basic neurodevelopment has already completed.
For those unfamiliar, “allistic” refers to people who are not on the autism spectrum, and has become an increasingly popular term to help distinguish people from their autistic peers without using judgmental terms like “normal” in contrast to “autistic”.
Savant gifts, or splinter skills, may be exhibited in the following skill areas or domains: memory, hyperlexia (ie, the exceptional ability to read, spell and write), art, music, mechanical or spatial skill, calendar calculation, mathematical calculation, sensory sensitivity, athletic performance, and computer ability.
They show other signs of autism, such as withdrawal and isolation, avoidance of eye contact, and are adverse to giving or receiving affection. They are often overly sensitive to sounds or other forms of sensory overload. They too read early; way ahead of expected schedule.