What are the symptoms of autism?

Autism symptoms primarily manifest in areas such as social communication, behavior, and interests. Common features include difficulties in social interaction, delayed or atypical language development, repetitive and stereotyped behaviors, restricted interests, and sensory processing abnormalities. A detailed analysis is as follows:

1. Social Interaction Difficulties: Individuals often struggle to form emotional connections with others, avoid eye contact, fail to respond when called, and rarely initiate social interactions. Even when participating in social situations, they have difficulty interpreting emotional cues from facial expressions or tone of voice, making it hard for them to naturally integrate into group activities and frequently resulting in social isolation.

2. Delayed or Abnormal Language Communication: Some individuals show significant delays in language development compared to peers, with some lacking spoken language entirely. Those who do develop language may still exhibit abnormalities, such as echoing others' words (echolalia), uttering meaningless phrases, or struggling to understand abstract language, making it difficult to accurately express needs and thoughts through speech.

3. Repetitive and Stereotyped Behaviors: Individuals often engage in repetitive actions without apparent purpose, such as hand-flapping, spinning in circles, or lining up objects. They may also insist on rigid daily routines—for example, dressing or eating in a fixed sequence. Any disruption to these routines can trigger intense anxiety or oppositional behaviors.

4. Restricted Interests: Individuals typically show little interest in common activities but may become intensely focused on specific objects or topics—such as staring at fans or clocks for long periods, or repeatedly playing with a single toy. They tend to ignore other stimuli and resist engaging with new experiences outside their narrow range of interest.

5. Sensory Processing Abnormalities: Individuals may exhibit unusual responses to sensory stimuli such as sound, light, or touch. For instance, they might become distressed by mild noises or show reduced sensitivity to pain or temperature changes. Some may also experience abnormalities in taste or smell, such as eating only certain flavored foods or refusing to touch items with particular odors.

If a child exhibits any of the above symptoms—especially during infancy or early childhood—it is important to seek evaluation and diagnosis from a qualified professional as early as possible.