Autism

Autism

Autism is characterised by difficulties with social communication and interaction, restricted and repetitive behaviours, or interests.   

It is diagnosed via an assessment within the context of a multidisciplinary team. The assessment involves two professionals from a different background e.g. an Occupational Therapist and Speech and Language Therapist, parental interview and information gathered from school alongside detailed assessment and observation of the child or young person.   

Autism can be present in early childhood; however, a child may receive a diagnosis later, due to their differences becoming more apparent as they grow older.   

Characteristics of autism:  

Difficulties initiating or respond to others.  

• not responding to their name 
• not shifting their attention from a toy to look/notice you.  Paying more attention to objects than people 
• Not copying actions or sounds – not imitating actions like clapping hands, banging on a drum, or people’s vocalisations and words 
• Not showing or sharing objects or ideas with others 
• Not babbling, not directing communication towards a person  

Nonverbal communicative behaviours used for social interaction: 

• poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication 
• difficulties with eye contact  
• difficulties in the understanding and use of gestures - to a total lack of facial expressions and nonverbal communication -  

Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships 

• Difficulties initiating interaction with another person 
• Difficulties responding when others initiate with them e.g. not responding to their name, not shifting their attention from a toy to look/notice you 
• difficulties adjusting behaviour to suit various social contexts 
• difficulties in sharing imaginative play or in making friends, reduced interest in toy play, and absence of interest in peers 

Restricted and repetitive behaviours or interests 

• stimming 
• lining up toys or flipping objects 
• echolalia 
• Insistence on sameness 
• inflexible adherence to routines 
• or ritualized patterns or verbal nonverbal behaviour e.g., extreme distress at small changes difficulties with transitions, rigid thinking patterns, greeting rituals, need to take same route or eat food every day 
• Highly restricted, fixated interests that are notable in intensity or focus e.g, strong attachment to or preoccupation with objects, excessively circumscribed or perseverative interest 

Hyper or hypo reactivity to sensory input:  

• apparent indifference to pain/temperature  
• adverse response to specific sounds or textures  
• insistence on smelling or touching of objects  
• visual fascination with lights or movement