Are there forms of autism

Or you might know someone personally affected by the disorder or have realized its impact on people and the world. Either way, it is encouraged that you educate yourself on what autism is and what the three types of autism spectrum disorders are. In doing so, you will have a better understanding about the disorder, which can help you to interact and communicate more effectively with individuals who are on the spectrum and to put yourself in their shoes.

The information provided in this article can give you all the necessary tools to understand autism and its three different spectrums. Those with autism spectrum disorders have these main characteristics:.

To be more specific, they list more symptoms that are split into two categories. Symptoms can typically be observed early in life, as young as two-years old; however, many individuals are not diagnosed until the school-age years or even high school. It all depends on the severity of symptoms and having someone notice that there is an issue. Those who are autistic can be impaired only mildly by these symptoms, while some others may be impacted severely. Here is where the three types of spectrum disorders come into play.

Each type of spectrum is defined by its varying degrees of symptoms. Next, we will outline the three types of autism spectrum disorders. This type is considered the most severe form of autism and also the most common. People who have autistic disorder may have problems with being touched by other people, perform restricted or repetitive behaviors, experience sensory overload, and may have issues communicating.

Most other types of autism have the same symptoms, but this particular type means that those symptoms are much more severe. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder are often restricted, rigid, and even obsessive in their behaviors, activities, and interests. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder tend to be less spontaneous than other kids. They also show differences in the way they play. They may have trouble with functional play, or using toys that have a basic intended use, such as toy tools or cooking set.

Sensory problems — Many children with autism spectrum disorders either underreact or overreact to sensory stimuli. At times they may ignore people speaking to them, even to the point of appearing deaf. However, at other times they may be disturbed by even the softest sounds. Sudden noises such as a ringing telephone can be upsetting, and they may respond by covering their ears and making repetitive noises to drown out the offending sound.

Children on the autism spectrum also tend to be highly sensitive to touch and to texture. They may cringe at a pat on the back or the feel of certain fabric against their skin. Emotional difficulties — Children with autism spectrum disorders may have difficulty regulating their emotions or expressing them appropriately.

For instance, your child may start to yell, cry, or laugh hysterically for no apparent reason. When stressed, they may exhibit disruptive or even aggressive behavior breaking things, hitting others, or harming themselves.

The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities also notes that kids with ASD may be unfazed by real dangers like moving vehicles or heights, yet be terrified of harmless objects such as a stuffed animal. Uneven cognitive abilities — ASD occurs at all intelligence levels. However, even kids with average to high intelligence often have unevenly developed cognitive skills. Not surprisingly, verbal skills tend to be weaker than nonverbal skills.

In addition, children with Autism spectrum disorder typically do well on tasks involving immediate memory or visual skills, while tasks involving symbolic or abstract thinking are more difficult. The most common savant skills involve mathematical calculations, calendars, artistic and musical abilities, and feats of memory. For example, an autistic savant might be able to multiply large numbers in their head, play a piano concerto after hearing it once, or quickly memorize complex maps.

The road to an ASD diagnosis can be difficult and time-consuming. In fact, it is often two to three years after the first symptoms of ASD are noticed before an official diagnosis is made. This is due in large part to concerns about labeling or incorrectly diagnosing the child.

In order to determine whether your child has autism spectrum disorder or another developmental condition, clinicians look carefully at the way your child interacts with others, communicates, and behaves. Diagnosis is based on the patterns of behavior that are revealed. This type of autism only affects girls and can be apparent when they reach 6 months old.

Symptoms like difficulty breathing, grinding teeth, growth delays, seizures, and mental retardation can increase in severity as the child gets older. Childhood Disintegrative Disorder — children with this type of autism can seem perfectly fine in their first two years of life — developing normally, meeting all their milestones — but start regressing suddenly. CDD can be particularly tough and confusing for parents because one day your child is showing no signs of developmental delays, and suddenly they stop talking and interacting.

This rare form of autism has been connected to seizure disorders by doctors. Children with this syndrome typically show signs of what is considered the standard behaviors of autism — difficulty understanding or communicating with others, low or no eye contact, hypersensitivity to senses, and a need for a particular routine. These children tend to keep to themselves and have very little to no interest in engaging in the world around them.

Pervasive Developmental Disorder — This is a mild form of autism which can cause children to have developmental or social delays, like walking and talking later than other children.