What is ASD?

ASD is the acronym for Autism Spectrum Disorder which as its name suggests, includes a range of differences caused by a developmental disability in the brain. These differences can vary significantly and aren’t always easily detected so it can take years to gain an understanding of what ASD is and if you or someone you know has it.

Some people with ASD have a known difference, such as a genetic condition which can be obvious to notice. However there are many differences that are still being researched. Scientists believe there are many causes of ASD that act together to change the most common ways people develop. We really are still only learning about ASD and how it impacts people with it.

What we do know is that people with ASD may behave, communicate, interact, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. Often, you could not tell someone with ASD apart from another person and that’s because it often has nothing to do with the way they look.

The abilities of people with ASD can vary significantly. While some people with ASD may have advanced conversation skills there are others who may have trouble speaking altogether and are considered nonverbal. Some ASD people need extra care and daily support to get through the simplest of tasks such as getting dressed and cooking where as others can work and live with little to no support.

ASD generally begins in the first few years of a child's life but can go completely unnoticed despite them moving through developmental milestones. Your child may not be quick to crawl or walk or even talk but because the measurement for development may push a child out a month or so, it doesn’t seem to raise a flag. However, a little further along the timeline, as a child develops, these delays become noticeable.

Hayley is a solo mother who had no idea her son had obsessive “spectrumy” behaviours. It was when a friend who is a teachers aid brought it to her attention and a friend telling her to seek counselling advice so the two of them could communicate better, that it was revealed to her.

“My reaction was 2-fold. On one hand I was super surprised because I had no idea what it was and was clueless about the characteristics of someone with ASD, but also relieved to know that parenting wasn’t spose to be this hard. It had been a tough few years!” She tells me.

Some children with ASD are on track to hit the regular new skill targets and meet developmental milestones until around 18 to 24 months of age mark, and then they don’t keep moving forward from there or they regress.

Noticing the nuances of ASD generally comes after the first couple of years of a child's life and that’s mainly because there’s a bunch of behaviours and characteristics that you’ve essentially been able to identify and build a list with.

As these kids grow older, it’s common for them to have difficulties developing and maintaining friendships, communicating with peers and adults, or ‘reading the tone’ and following expected guidelines in school, sports or part time jobs. In upper primary and early secondary schooling, tweens and teens tend to need help from healthcare providers as its when anxiety and depression really surfaces.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder also becomes a lot more apparent as children with ASD grow. It’s not always easy to pick when kids are little because kids are kids. They’re busy. They’re active. However, when the busyness doesn’t subside and it slides into sleep time, then it becomes more obvious.

A commonality among people with ASD is their struggle is social settings especially with interacting with their peers. Making new mates and engaging with those around them is really tough. It’s common for ASD kids to play on their own or alongside others and be completely immersed without any collaboration or interest in what others are doing.

We’ve hit on some of the fundamental signs of ASD and there are more really telling signs that indicate if a child has it through these social behaviours and characteristics:

• The child avoids or does not keep eye contact for long

• As a baby shows little engagement or attachment to parent

• Does not respond to their name within the first 9 months

• Does not show facial expressions like happy, sad, angry, and surprised by 9 months of age

• Does not play simple interactive games that includes clapping and tickling by the time they are one year old

• Uses few or no gestures like waving hello or goodbye by one year old

• Does not share interests with others by 15 months of age (for example, shows you an object that they like)

• Does not want to share something with you that they see when they’re 18 months old

• Does not notice when others are hurt or upset by 2 years

• Does not notice other children and join them in play by 2 and a half years

• Has no interest in imaginative play and dressing up by 2 years

• Cannot recognise social cues, such as timing, by the time they are 4 years

• Does not sing, dance, or act for you by the time they are 5 years old.

While the differences of the social behaviours and characteristics can be unusual, ASD people are likely to also have restricted or repetitive behaviours and interests too.

These noticeable traits can be identified by:

• Keeping their toys in order and lining them and other objects up then and getting upset when order is changed or disrupted

• Repeats words or phrases over and over (called echolalia)

• Plays with toys the same way every time

• Is focused on specific parts of toys or objects such as buttons, wheels, hinges

• Has big emotional reactions to minor changes or little things…basically their reaction outweighs the little change

• Has obsessive interests and no flexibility to move beyond their focus

• Must follow certain routines and gets upset or rattles when these are not done

• Spins self in circles, flaps hands or rocks body

• Does not give direct attention but actively listens while busy doing something else

• Has unusual reactions or big emotions to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel

Delayed movement, language, cognitive or learning skills are other related characteristics that are often connected to people with ASD. Others may be:

• Hyperactive, impulsive, and/or inattentive behaviour

• Epilepsy or seizure disorder

• Unusual eating and sleeping habits

• Gastrointestinal issues (for example, constipation)

• Unusual mood or emotional reactions

• Anxiety, stress, or excessive worry

• Lack of fear or more fear than expected

Not all children with ASD have all or any of the behaviours listed here. Autism presents itself differently in everyone and also at different growth stages just at it can improve over time too especially with early learning intervention.

However these are common traits of those who do have it.

You can learn more about ASD here.: