People with autism often engage in repetitive behaviors (stimming like hand-flapping), have intense, focused interests, prefer routines, and experience sensory sensitivities, leading to challenges with social communication like understanding sarcasm or making small talk, but also possess strengths in detail-orientation, logic, honesty, and loyalty, with actions varying widely as autism is a spectrum.
Autistic people may act in a different way to other people
Autistic people may: find it hard to communicate and interact with other people. find it hard to understand how other people think or feel. find things like bright lights or loud noises overwhelming, stressful or uncomfortable.
Main signs of autism
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. taking things very literally – for example, you may not understand sarcasm or phrases like "break a leg"
Research tells us that autism tends to run in families, and a meta-analysis of 7 twin studies claim that 60 to 90% of the risk of autism comes from your genome. If you have a child with autism, you are more likely to have another autistic child. Your other family members are also more likely to have a child with ASD.
Some autistic people have interests in things that other people may find unusual (or unusual for their age) or very specific. For example, a specific type of engine, an animated TV series or a niche academic interest. Having very intense, uncommon interests is a well-known sign that a child or adult may be autistic.
Autism in young children
Donald Triplett, autism's 'Case 1,' dies at 89. Triplett gained media attention for his autism later in life, and he became the face of the effort to research the lives of older adults with autism.
5 common signs of autism in adults
Top 10 Calming Strategies for Autism
Intonation: Individuals with an Autism Accent may sound flat or have a monotone voice. Rhythm: An Autism Accent can disrupt the natural flow and rhythm of speech, sometimes creating a robotic or scripted tone that others may interpret as sounding American or overly formal.
The Autism Spectrum Disorder person often has no idea what he or she is feeling, and even less how you are feeling. Discussions tend to stay at a superficial level, often focused on facts, ignoring subtly and nuance, and with little regard to multiple perspectives on any given position.
The researchers say their findings “suggest that nearly half of individuals with ASD have average or higher IQ,” and warn that these individuals “remain at risk for not being identified.” “IQ in autism spectrum disorder: a population-based birth cohort study,” Maja Z.
Common Autism Spectrum Signs and Symptoms
The longest living autistic person known is Donald Gray Triplett, famously known as “Case 1,” who was the first person ever diagnosed with autism. He lived until 89 years old, passing away in 2023.
With specialized skills in one or several of these areas, a person with ASD that is encouraged to capitalize on their strengths and taught in ways that appeal to their thinking patterns, may become a very successful individual who is capable of doing things that even you and I might not be able to do.
What not to say if someone reveals that they are autistic to you
Autism Speaks is dedicated to creating an inclusive world for all individuals with autism throughout their lifespan. We do this through advocacy, services, supports, research and innovation, and advances in care for autistic individuals and their families.
One of the most common challenges faced by individuals with autism is difficulty regulating emotions, including anger. Anger is a natural emotion that everyone experiences from time to time. However, for individuals with autism, anger can be more intense and difficult to manage.
Pre-adolescence, also known as the “tween” years, is a critical period as children begin to experience rapid physical, social, and emotional changes. This stage can be particularly hard for children with autism, as they may struggle to understand or adapt to the concept of social identity and independence.
Chinning is a form of repetitive self-stimulatory behavior (stimming) that you may notice in children or adults with autism. It involves pressing, rubbing, or holding the chin against objects, surfaces, or even hands to gain sensory input or comfort.