Someone with low-functioning autism will display the following characteristics: Limited or no verbal communication (instead using picture display boards and other technology for communication) Limited social skills. Inflexible, repetitive behaviors.
Level 1 Autism
Level 1 is typically classified as “mild” autism, as autistic people at Level 1 have the lowest support needs. For an autistic person to be considered Level 1, they must have low support needs for both communication and behaviors.
For such difficulties, people with high-functioning ASD may require some support but are able to live independently. In contrast, people with low-functioning ASD are diagnosed at “level three” and will usually require support from a caregiver throughout their life.
Relevance to autism: 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.
Someone with level 3 autism may be non-verbal and be unable to engage with people. Sensory stimuli may be overwhelming. Cognitive deficits are common. Repetitive behaviors may be extreme and uncontrollable.
In conclusion, there are many factors that can make autism worse. Sensory overload, changes in routine, social isolation, co-occurring conditions, and lack of support can all exacerbate the symptoms of autism.
In addition to communication challenges, individuals with low-functioning autism may engage in repetitive behaviors such as hand-flapping or rocking. They may also experience sensory difficulties, such as heightened sensitivity to certain sounds or textures.
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.
Due to its lower prevalence in females, autism was always thought to have a maternal inheritance component. However, research also suggests that the rarer variants associated with autism are mostly inherited from the father. Ultimately, autism is a complex condition with 100s of genes involved.
Someone who is considered a savant may be especially skilled in art, math, music, memory recall, or another subject. Savant syndrome is commonly associated with autism but can occur alongside other conditions.
Autism is very distinct from ADHD, but the core symptoms of ADHD-Combined type, i.e., attention deficit, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, would appear to also be features of autism. ASD and ADHD are neurobiological disorders characterized by similar underlying neuropsychological “deficits”.
Long-term research that involved following a group of individuals with autism for two decades indicates that the average life expectancy for some autistic people is about 39 years. Furthermore, this population generally succumbed to health complications about 20 years earlier than individuals who do not have autism.
Children with level 1 autism may find it difficult to engage in conversations. They also may form social bonds, but establishing and retaining friends may not come easily to them. Those diagnosed at this level may prefer established routines and find changes or unexpected events unsettling.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. Some people with ASD have a known difference, such as a genetic condition. Other causes are not yet known.
Autism is not an illness
It means your brain works in a different way from other people. It's something you're born with. Signs of autism might be noticed when you're very young, or not until you're older. If you're autistic, you're autistic your whole life.
Autism is a disability under the ADA. Some adults and children with autism can access Social Security benefits, including disability benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Having a family health history of ASD makes you more likely to have a child with ASD, or to have ASD yourself. If you have a child with ASD, you are more likely to have another child with ASD, especially if you have a daughter with ASD or more than one child with ASD.
But surprisingly, fathers did pass on substantially more than 50% of their variants. This suggests that autistic children might have inherited risk variants in regulatory regions from their fathers but not their mothers, the researchers report today in Science.
Can autism skip a generation? Yes, it's possible for autism to skip a generation. This is because the genes that contribute to autism can be passed down from grandparents to grandchildren, even if the parents do not have the condition.
For starters, a recent study, partly funded by Autism Speaks, found that in families with one or more children with ASD, the chances that a baby sibling will develop autism are much higher than previously thought. In fact, the odds were around one in five, or 20 percent.
Difficulty with back-and-forth communication: An autistic person can find it hard to hold a conversation and use or understand body language, eye contact, and facial expressions. Trouble expressing yourself verbally: You may say things that seem blunt, or have trouble describing what you are thinking or feeling.