Autism is a condition that affects how a person thinks, feels, interacts with others, and experiences their environment. It is a lifelong disability that starts when a person is born and stays with them into old age. Every Autistic person is different to every other. Autism is described as a ‘spectrum’. It is estimated that 1 in 70 people are on the autism spectrum
While some people on the autism spectrum also have an intellectual impairment or disability, many others have average intelligence, while others have above-average intelligence.
No single indicator necessarily signals autism – usually a child will present with several indicators from some of the following categories:
Behaviour:
- Has inexplicable tantrums
- Has unusual interests or attachments
- Has unusual motor movements such as flapping hands or spinning
- Has extreme difficulty coping with change
Sensory:
- Afraid of some everyday sounds
- Uses peripheral vision to look at objects
- Fascination with moving objects
- High tolerance of temperature and pain
Communication:
- Not responding to his/her name by 12 months
- Not pointing or waving by 12 months
- Loss of words previously used
- Speech absent at 18 months
- No spontaneous phrases by 24 months
- Selective hearing – responding to certain sounds but ignoring the human voice
- Unusual language patterns (e.g. repetitive speech)
Social Skills:
- Does not return your smile
- Lack of interest in other children
- Often seems to be in his/her own world
- Does not seek to share interests with others
- Lack of interest in other children
Play:
- Prefers to play alone
- Very limited social play (eg. “peek-a-boo”)
- Play is limited to certain toys
- Plays with objects in unusual ways such as repetitive spinning or lining up
- Shows very strong interests in or attachment to a limited number of games or toys
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, call us today on 1300 00R UOK (1300 007 865) or contact us to book your initial appointment. Let the amazing team at Outloook Psychology help you.
