01/04/2023
Awareness Day is observed annually on 2nd April by the member states of the United Nations.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. People with ASD often have problems with social communication and interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests.
Early Signs:
A person with ASD might:
- [ ] Not respond to their name (the child may appear deaf)
- [ ] Not point at objects or things of interest, or demonstrate interest
- [ ] Not play “pretend” games
- [ ] Avoid eye contact
- [ ] Want to be alone
- [ ] Have difficulty understanding, or showing understanding, or other people’s feelings or their own
- [ ] Have no speech or delayed speech
- [ ] Repeat words or phrases over and over (echolalia)
- [ ] Give unrelated answers to questions
- [ ] Get upset by minor changes
- [ ] Have obsessive interests
- [ ] Flap their hands, rock their body, or spin in circles
- [ ] Have unusual reactions (over or under-sensitivity) to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel
- [ ] Have low to no social skills
- [ ] Avoid or resist physical contact
- [ ] Demonstrate little safety or danger awareness
- [ ] Reverse pronouns (e.g., says “you” instead of “I”)
- [ ] People with autism may also:
- [ ] Have unusual interests and behaviors
- [ ] Have extreme anxiety and phobias, as well as unusual phobias
- [ ] Line up toys or other objects
- [ ] Play with toys the same way every time
- [ ] Like parts of objects (e.g., wheels)
- [ ] Become upset by minor changes
- [ ] Have obsessive interests
- [ ] Other Symptoms:
- [ ] Hyperactivity (very active)
- [ ] Impulsivity (acting without thinking)
- [ ] Short attention span
- [ ] Aggression
- [ ] Causing self injury
- [ ] Meltdowns
- [ ] Unusual eating and sleeping habits
- [ ] Unusual mood or emotional reactions
- [ ] Lack of fear or more fear than expected
- [ ] Have unusual sleeping habits