Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSigns and Symptoms of Autism in ChildrenSigns and Symptoms of Autism in AdultsComplications and ComorbiditiesAsperger SyndromeNext in Autism GuideCauses and Risk Factors of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Signs and Symptoms of Autism in Children
Signs and Symptoms of Autism in Adults
Complications and Comorbidities
Asperger Syndrome
Next in Autism Guide
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Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a developmental condition that affects how someone behaves and communicates, carries signs and symptoms that vary widely among individuals. Some people might experience onlymild symptomsthat don’t interfere with functioning, whereas others feel more intense symptoms that make daily life challenging. Left untreated, ASD can worsen in severity.
Your Autism Might Be Misdiagnosed as One of These 6 Disorders
Although many people living with this condition share a host of similar signs and symptoms, they look a little different between children and adults.
Communication Challenges
This is a symptom that is common in children and adults. For example, autistic people might struggle to speak, maintain eye contact, control theirfacial expressions, or repeat gestures.
These are some of the other ways communication challenges might reveal themselves in people with this condition:
Pathological Demand Avoidance in Autism and Beyond
Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors
Autistic children might engage in certain behaviors that might seem atypical if you aren’t familiar with them. They could also repeat these behaviors very often.
Some restricted and repetitive behaviors autistic children exhibit include:
Some other signs of ASD in children that don’t particularly fall under any of the above categories include:
Autism tends to feel and look a little different in adults and between men and women. Autistic women might be quieter and show fewer overt signs of the condition, making it harder to recognize and diagnose.
Some of the common symptoms autistic adults experience include:
Navigating the Experience of Hyper-Empathy in Autism
Research shows that people with autism have significant co-occurrences of mental and physical disorders such asADHDandsleep disorders. These conditions might last throughout their lives or might diminish in severity at different stages of the condition.
It’s often difficult for many co-occurring disorders to be diagnosed because autistic people often have communication difficulties.
Some of the most common co-occurring conditions autistic people might experience include:
Autism vs ADHD: What Are the Differences?
As autistic children grow, some of these symptoms may disappear or lessen in severity with proper care. However, autism is a lifelong condition, and no cure currently exists for it.
If any of these signs and symptoms seem familiar either with your children or someone you know, it’s advisable to speak to a doctor about it. Sometimes symptoms of ASD might also be indicative of other developmental disorders.
The Relationship Between Asperger’s and Depression
6 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Signs & symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder. March 29,2021NHS UK.Signs of Autism in Children. April 18, 2019NHS UK.Signs of Autism in Adults.April 10, 2019Besag FM.Epilepsy in patients with autism: links, risks and treatment challenges. NDT. 2017;14:1-10.Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Autism’s clinical companions: frequent comorbidities with ASD. July 01,2017Cleveland Clinic. Asperger’s syndrome: management & treatment. January 02, 2021
6 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Signs & symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder. March 29,2021NHS UK.Signs of Autism in Children. April 18, 2019NHS UK.Signs of Autism in Adults.April 10, 2019Besag FM.Epilepsy in patients with autism: links, risks and treatment challenges. NDT. 2017;14:1-10.Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Autism’s clinical companions: frequent comorbidities with ASD. July 01,2017Cleveland Clinic. Asperger’s syndrome: management & treatment. January 02, 2021
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Signs & symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder. March 29,2021NHS UK.Signs of Autism in Children. April 18, 2019NHS UK.Signs of Autism in Adults.April 10, 2019Besag FM.Epilepsy in patients with autism: links, risks and treatment challenges. NDT. 2017;14:1-10.Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Autism’s clinical companions: frequent comorbidities with ASD. July 01,2017Cleveland Clinic. Asperger’s syndrome: management & treatment. January 02, 2021
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Signs & symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder. March 29,2021
NHS UK.Signs of Autism in Children. April 18, 2019
NHS UK.Signs of Autism in Adults.April 10, 2019
Besag FM.Epilepsy in patients with autism: links, risks and treatment challenges. NDT. 2017;14:1-10.
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.Autism’s clinical companions: frequent comorbidities with ASD. July 01,2017
Cleveland Clinic. Asperger’s syndrome: management & treatment. January 02, 2021
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