What are signs of Autism?

Question

i was told that my daughter might be Autistic...she is going to school right now for getting help on it...im trying everything i can do to help her out! she does not like to be picked up, does odd things with her hands when excited, freaks out in public outta the blue for no reason?! thanks :)

Answer 1

My 5 year old has Pervasive Developmental Disorder, An Autism Spectrum Disorder. She started showing signs at 11 months. She had an older brother, so I had something to compare her to. She didn't want to be held, she would not let me comfort her at all. She cried in crowded areas. If things were noisy she would cover her ears. She would not respond to the phone ringing or the doorbell and sometimes her own name. She stopped talking to us, she would sing and that was it. She was constantly jumping, like she was on a trampoline. I knew something was going on, I searched the Internet and I knew she had PDD before she was diagnosed. When she was diagnosed, we got so much more help for her...... She is doing so well today. Most people can't tell she has a disability. I have had educators question her diagnosis, because she is doing so well.... If your daughter does have a disability, embrace it. Give her the tools to be the best she can be. Do not be embarrassed about it, and it was nothing you did wrong. I never looked at my daughter as helpless, I constantly help her reach for more and I help her to be the best she can be. I give all the support and I don't use her disability as a crutch. She learns differently from a lot of other kids, okay so I will help her learn that way. It may be harder, but in the end her smile, her inspiration, her hugs and kisses and her incredible person is worth all the hard work.

Answer 2

Donna Williams wrote 'nobody nowhere'. I help care for a child with autism. Go to a professional, not a GP.

Answer 3

Hi.

Many children with autism experience distortions of sensory perception.  By this I mean they may experience seeing, hearing, taste, smell and touch quite differently from you or I.  The sensory messages coming into the brain can be amplified, underamplified, or she may be experiencing other distortions.

In the case of your daughter, she may not like being picked up because it is a disturbing sensory experience for her!  She may also freak out in public because of the same problems.

I am going to recommend a book, which explains this in detail.  In your daughter's case I am sure it will describe what she is going through and will give you a better understanding of how to help her.

You can get it here.  http://www.lulu.com/content/1225081

Or you can get it from this website.  http://www.snowdrop.cc

Answer 4

check this site...

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/autism/...

Answer 5

It's different for everyone.  My son showed the same symptoms but they didn't show up until he was 8 years old.  He was dx'd with Asperger's Syndrome.

He was always a picky eater (hardly anything), would throw a tantrum in public (if there was considerable noise), he would take his pj's off at night if they weren't the fuzzy sleepers, would hum to himself without realizing it, didn't like to maintain eye contact, obession with one or two specific topics, carry on one sided conversations without taking a breath, very concrete in his thinking (no abstract thinking), could read all by himself before age 3, did not like playing with kids his own age,  has no problems carrying on a conversation with an adult all day long, loves the news, weather...etc....it's a long list of things that would take me all day to list...no child meets all of the criteria. (and as parents I've found that things that we see as normal in our children doesn't become noticable as odd until you see them around other kids)

It took a smart teacher to open my eyes to what I thought was the smart only child that has ADD (yes he was tested for it).  She suggested Asperger's Syndrome.  Once I read up on it I knew that he had it.  It was text book.  So I took him to the Childrens Hospital and had him tested.

I didn't want to believe that he had it....how could he?  He's extremely smart, funny, what I perceive as normal (just a little eccentric), somewhat clumbsy kid that has a little problem paying attention.  

All the symptoms were there I just didn't see them.  My son still does odd things with his hands....it's a nervous "tic" as I've been told by the therapist.  I was told that he would change them up often.  He has this problem with tilting his head all the time.  We've almost corrected it...now we have shirt chewing.  We're working on that now he wants to suck on his fingers (nasty) I'd rather have the other ones.  

Like I said the symptoms are many and the internet is a wonderful tool to research it all.  There is a board called conductdisorders.com that is for parents of children with disabilities (or suspected disablilities) that is wonderful.  They've been there and can offer a wealth of knowledge.  

I think it's wonderful that the school is trying to help her.  My son finally got his IEP this year (for autism via his dx from the doctors) and is receiving speech therapy, OT & social skills training.  (Yes...it's wonderful.  It helps us as parents & them understand why/how to avoid the meltdowns that occur because of their condition.  It's helped mine to the point that going out in public is an option now.!)

I wish you all the luck.  Hang in there...I know that it's hard.   But the silver lining is that there is hope and many famous autistic people have paved the way for others to follow.  (Einstein, Newton, Alexander Graham Bell, Emily Dickenson....(Suspected....Bill Gates)

P.S. - if your child has an obsession (like a favorite toy) carry it with you and let her have it when things get stressful for her.  My son is hypersensitive to sensory.  He hears things & smells things stronger than we do.  So, I offer him a gameboy (with headphones) or a mp3 player for when we're out running errands.

Answer 6

get her tested threw the Dr to make sure she really has it.

Answer 7

If your child is in a school to help her with her behavior, it is likeley that she has had a special education evaluation and there is a suspicion oif an autistic spectrum disorder. Autism is a disorder that covers a broad range, from Asperger's, to Pervasive Developmental Disorder to classsic Autism. There are many websites that can give you more information about autism, such as Autism Society of America, The National Center On Birth Defects and developmental Disabilities, the Mayo Clinic,. If you google autism you will find an overabundance of websites with information.

However, to give you an answer to your question myself, autism is a developmental disorder. In general, autistic spectrum disorders are characterized by difficulties with communication, at least in the area of social communication or pragmatics, and difficulties processing sensory information. Behavioral difficulties can include stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms ( hand or finger flapping or twisting), a need to stick to familiar routines, difficulty making eye contact, reacting to sensory input (lights, sounds, smells, clothing textures) in an unusaul manner, difficulty with imaginitive play.

From your description, your daughter may be on the autistic spectrum. Her freaking out in public for no reason may be due to sensory processing difficulties, there may be sounds, smells or things she is seeing that are very uncomfortable or frightening, and you or I might not notice them.

One thing to note about a diagnosis of autism is that it is different for every person. Your child is first and foremost an individual human being, with all sorts of unique and wonderful characteristics. She may also have an autistic spectrum disorder. That does not define her totally, but if you learn more about it it may help you understand better what she may be going through and how to help her. it sounds like she is in a program already. If the program is not specifically for children with autism, you might want to request a special education evaluation through your school district. There are usually special education programs tailored specifically to autism, especially in the younger age groups. Research has shown that early intervention gives the best result for helping children with autism adjust to the demands of schoool and society in general. I wish you all the best with your daughter.

Also, a good resource to read up on is Temple Grandin, she writes a great deal about autism, and is autistic herself.

Answer 8

Who told you that your child might be Autistic? It is important that only people qualified to make such statements are making such sweeping statements and also that they are supported in their diognosis by other equally qualified people. Ask the person who suggested this what they are basing their thoughts on - what signs do they see?

You can look up plently of information about signs of Autism on the net but remember that the point with Autism is that it is on a very wide spectrum from high functioning through to extreme complex needs you daughter may or may not fall somewhere on that continum but her particular characteristics will be in a combination unique to her.

I know there are 3 diagonostic areas which indicate autism - cant remember what they are but they will be on the net. How extreme a child falls into those areas varies but to be diagonised I know they need to exibit behaviours in all 3 areas.

I have worked with a number of children with Autism. There is one girl in particular who really captured me. Her concept of the world was facinating and it was just the matter of finding the kety to help her access language. There is a saying that says there is a little bit of autism in everyone....its a way of interacting and thinking about the world...lots of creative people interact and think about the world in interesting ways and we dont lable them as such.....

There is a book I read 'Nobody Nowhere' cant remember who wrote it but the author has Autism and she found the key to understanding it and her place in the world. Her life was very complex ontop of her Autism but it still is very enlightening and inspiring I think to read the words of someone who was 'written off'. She has a website to I think check it out if you are interested.

Best Wishes xx

Answer 9

Take her to a doctor. They can tell you if she is or not.

Another sign of Autism would be that she won't look people in the eyes, by the way.