Characteristics of Autism
- Little or no eye contact with others
- Does not understand unwritten social rules
- Seems unable to recognise how someone else is feeling and appear to be insensitive
- Appear to behave strangely as they face difficulties expressing themselves
- Prefer to be alone, aloft or over friendly
- Difficulty maintaining friendships
Impaired Communication
- Speech started early but gradually stopped for a period of time
- Have difficulty communicating with speech or gestures and understand what is said by others to them
- Difficulty whispering
- Speech is abnormally loud or quiet
- Difficulties starting or continuing a conversation and may use a person’s name excessively in a conversation
- May repeat what others say (echolalia)
- Lack make-believe or pretend-play skills
Peculiar interests and behaviours
- Interested and obsessed with few objects or activities and play with them in repetitive ways
- Have difficulty with changes in their repetitive routines and transitioning
- Compulsive repetitive behaviour patterns (flapping arms, rocking, humming, etc.)
- Unusual attachment to objects
- Unexpected actions and have difficulty waiting patiently
- Phobia for no apparent reason and may cause hurt to own self
- Verbal outbursts