What Are People With Autism Like?

Children with autism often appear relatively normal in their development until the age of 24-30 months, when parents may notice delays in language, play or social interaction.

The following areas are among those which may be affected by autism:

Communication
Language develops slowly or not at all; use of words without attaching the usual meaning to them; communicates with gestures instead of words, short attention span.

Social Interaction
Spends time alone, rather than with others; shows little interest in making friends; less responsive to social cues such as eye contact or smiles.

Sensory Impairment
Unusual reactions to physical sensations such as being overly responsive to touch or under-responsive to pain; sight, hearing, touch, pain, smell and taste may be affected to a lesser or greater degree

Play
Lack of spontaneous or imaginative play; does not imitate others' actions; doesn't initiate pretend games.

Behaviors
May be overactive or very passive; may throw frequent tantrums for no apparent reason; may persevere on a single item, idea, or person; apparent lack of common sense; may show aggressive or violent behavior or injure self.