Refers to the full range of people affected by a deficit in social interaction, communication and flexible behaviour
Clinical features
Autism affects 3 main areas of development:
Social interaction
- Lack of eye contact
- Delay in smiling
- Avoids physical contact
- Unable to read non-verbal cues
- Difficulty establishing friendships
- Not displaying a desire to share attention (i.e. not playing with others)
Communication
- Delay, absence or regression in language development
- Lack of appropriate non-verbal communication such as smiling, eye contact, responding to others and sharing interest
- Difficulty with imaginative or imitative behaviour
- Repetitive use of words or phrases
Behaviour
- Greater interest in objects, numbers or patterns than people
- Stereotypical repetitive movements
- There may be self-stimulating movements that are used to comfort themselves, such as hand-flapping or rocking
- Intensive and deep interests that are persistent and rigid
- Repetitive behaviour and fixed routines
- Anxiety and distress with experiences outside their normal routine
- Extremely restricted food preferences and other sensory issues e.g. hair washing/cutting, textures of clothes
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