| Autism can be a very tricky disorder to diagnose, | | | | Most autistic individuals react either too much or |
| as it first sets in the child in his early childhood. | | | | not at all to sensory stimuli such as light and |
| Most doctors are apprehensive of labeling a child | | | | sounds. While some react extremely to normal |
| autistic right away, as autism symptoms are very | | | | sound and lighting, others may not even notice |
| complex, multifarious and manifest in different | | | | over-bright lights or loud sounds. |
| ways in different individuals. | | | | As far as motor functions are concerned, not |
| To make matters even more complicated, there | | | | many victims display apparent physical deficiencies. |
| are people with autism who seem to show no | | | | But some of them have really bad handwriting |
| apparent symptoms, but do suffer from this | | | | and poor abilities where the finer motor |
| condition all the same. | | | | movements are concerned, such as in athletics or |
| In spite of all these differences and difficulties, | | | | dancing. |
| there are a set of symptoms which most people | | | | Personality traits |
| afflicted with autism display. These common | | | | Though autism has a wide spectrum, victims |
| symptoms of autism are as follows: | | | | usually display the following personality traits: |
| Social behavior | | | | Performing repetitive acts, such as being |
| The most prominent symptom of autism comes | | | | obsessed with a certain type of behavior or being |
| up while the sufferer, either child or adult, is put in | | | | mentally rigid and unbending. |
| a social setup. The autistic person clearly displays | | | | Have hardly any interest that they are passionate |
| certain abnormal or repetitive types of behavior | | | | about. |
| while interacting and communicating with other | | | | Inability to make friends and sustain several |
| people. Here are some of the most common | | | | long-term friendships at a point of time. |
| types of autistic social behavior: | | | | Not interested in speaking too much - prefer |
| Delayed speech or abnormal speech patterns. | | | | minimum verbal interaction. |
| Some victims have fantastic language skills, but | | | | What is of most interest to Science today is that |
| do not know how to use them in public. | | | | most autistic people of certain age-groups seem |
| Interestingly, it is seen that children suffering from | | | | to have similar interests. For example, younger |
| autism can actually repeat audio or video scripts | | | | children afflicted with autism have a tremendous |
| verbatim, even with the exact tone of voice that | | | | fascination for toy trains, while older children, |
| the character in the clipping used. | | | | adolescents and adults have an extreme and |
| Defective intonation. The victim might speak | | | | marked liking for computers and technology, |
| either in a dreary monotone or in a high pitched | | | | nature and animals. |
| squeak. | | | | Each person has a unique psyche and behavior |
| Inability to understand body language or common | | | | pattern and so does each autistic individual. Every |
| words in slang. | | | | person diagnosed with autism behaves differently, |
| Inability to make and sustain eye contact. | | | | shows a different spectrum of the condition and |
| Lack of ability to understand and empathize with | | | | a different set of autism symptoms. Arriving at |
| other people. | | | | the correct diagnosis and treatment alone can |
| Sensory and fine motor functions | | | | help them with their malady. |