I know there’s something different about my child. How do I know if it’s autism?
Many parents recognize the signs of autism long before they know what they mean or receive a diagnosis.
In This Article:
Behavior Patterns
Each Child Is Unique
Finding A Therapist
Behavior Patterns
There are several definitive patterns of behavior that might indicate the presence of autism:
- Sensory Hypersensitivity (could be sensitive on any or all sensory channels)
- Repetitive behaviors (commonly called stimming) like chewing, hand-flapping, rocking, spinning the wheels on a truck, or twirling.
- Hyper behavior or constant motion (like pacing).
- One area of specific interest or behavior that becomes a fixation
- Routines and rituals that are required to remain the same for the individual to stay calm (difficulty with change).
A child with ASD also develops unique thinking and a unique world view which differs from those without ASD. (Click here to learn more about the unique thinking and world view of individuals with ASD in Jeanne Beard’s Autism & The Rest of Us.)
Each Child Is Unique
Each individual displaying signs of autism might look differently. Autism is not a one-size-fits-all definition.
Here are a few other criteria that have in the past commonly been thought to be signs of autism, but in fact are NOT diagnostic are:
- Inability to make eye contact
- Introverted Personality
- Desire to always be on the computer or internet
In general, many people with autism appear to be angry all the time, trying to control their environment, or they may simply appear very quirky and odd. (Click here to read What Happens When Anger Management Fails?)
Finding A Therapist
A trained diagnostician (if you can find one) is the only certain way to sift through the individual’s presentation of symptoms to determine if autism is an appropriate diagnosis. (Click here to read How Do We Find A Therapist Who “GET’S IT?”)