Does anyone know the symptoms of autism? And how do they test for it?

Answer 1

The top three signs of autism are;
1. Social Impairment such as;
a. No eye contact, pointing, or gestures to communicate.
b. Doesn't show off items. "Look at what I have!" type behaviour, or otherwise share interest or enjoyment with others.

2. Impairments in Communication such as;
a. Delay in, or total lack of speech
b. Or with Asperger's, marked impairment in the
ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others.

3. Repetitive movements, patterns of behavior & interests such as;
a. Hand-flapping, rocking, etc.
b. Obsessions with objects or parts of objects.
c. Prefers to organize or line up items rather than actually "play" with them.
d. Inflexible adherence to routines & rituals. (My niece will throw a fit if the bus driver doesn't stop at every normal stop even if the child at that particular stop didn't come to school that day, therefore doesn't need to be dropped off.

There is not blood test, brain scan, or genetic testing that can determine if a child is autistic. Observation is necessary.

Answer 2

There are three distinctive behaviors that characterize autism. Autistic children have difficulties with social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors or narrow, obsessive interests. These behaviors can range in impact from mild to disabling.

How is autism diagnosed?



Autism varies widely in its severity and symptoms and may go unrecognized, especially in mildly affected children or when it is masked by more debilitating handicaps. Doctors rely on a core group of behaviors to alert them to the possibility of a diagnosis of autism. These behaviors are:

impaired ability to make friends with peers
impaired ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others
absence or impairment of imaginative and social play
stereotyped, repetitive, or unusual use of language
restricted patterns of interest that are abnormal in intensity or focus
preoccupation with certain objects or subjects
inflexible adherence to specific routines or rituals
Doctors will often use a questionnaire or other screening instrument to gather information about a child’s development and behavior. Some screening instruments rely solely on parent observations; others rely on a combination of parent and doctor observations. If screening instruments indicate the possibility of autism, doctors will ask for a more comprehensive evaluation.

Autism is a complex disorder. A comprehensive evaluation requires a multidisciplinary team including a psychologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, speech therapist, and other professionals who diagnose children with ASDs.

Answer 3

Some of the symptons are just that they don't speak, but some of them do. Usually they will rock back and forth, focus their attention on one certain object. They don't seem mentally up with their age group. Things like that. And doctors actually, have a test and they evaluate the children. Hope this helps.