Autism, also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder, is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that affects children’s brain development, leading to significant differences in social communication, interests, and behaviors. Autism typically appears in childhood with a variety of symptoms, but primarily includes the following aspects, which parents and educators should deeply understand in order to timely detect and intervene.
Social Interaction Impairments
Children with autism often exhibit significant difficulties in social interaction. They struggle to establish emotional connections with others, lack nonverbal communication skills such as eye contact, smiling, and gestures. These children may have delayed responses to others’ feelings and emotional reactions, find it challenging to form friendships and maintain relationships with others. They may be reluctant to communicate with family and friends, and even have a low attachment to parents.
Communication Impairments
Language communication difficulties are another major characteristic of children with autism. They may have delayed speech, slow language development, unclear language expression, or some may remain nonverbal throughout their lives. Some children, even if they can speak, often choose gestures over words, or simply imitate what others have said without using their own language to communicate. Additionally, nonverbal communication methods like facial expressions and gestures also commonly present issues.
Narrow Interests and Stereotyped Behaviors
Children with autism often have very narrow interests, focusing for extended periods on certain games or activities while showing little interest in other things. For example, they may obsess over spinning lids, watching TV commercials and weather forecasts, while showing no interest in cartoons or children’s shows. At the same time, they may exhibit stereotyped behavior patterns such as repetitive movements, arranging items, being overly sensitive to environmental changes, etc. Once these behaviors are established, they become difficult to change and may even result in strong resistance to change.
Sensory Abnormalities
Children with autism may also experience abnormalities in sensory responses. They may react restlessly or strongly to certain sounds, colors, foods, or light, while showing weaker responses to cold, heat, or pain. These abnormal sensory reactions can lead to a lack of alertness and appropriate responses when faced with danger.
Intellectual and Behavioral Issues
Intellectual development in children with autism is often uneven, with some displaying exceptional abilities in certain areas such as music, painting, or math, while showing significant delays in other areas. Additionally, they may be more susceptible to emotional or environmental factors, exhibiting emotional issues like anxiety, depression, irritability, and behavioral problems such as hyperactivity, attention deficits, temper tantrums, aggression, self-harm, etc.
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