Autism is a brain neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests a series of atypical behavioral developments. Children with autism are also referred to as autistic children, also known as “children from the stars,” because autism significantly affects the children’s social and communication abilities, leading to peculiar behavior, introversion, and frequent solitary activities.
Social impairment, stereotypical behavior, and narrow interests are the three typical symptoms exhibited by autistic children. So, what are the symptom manifestations of children with autism? Let’s explore them together.
The “Five No’s” behavior of autistic children:
1. No (little) eye contact
Abnormal eye contact; during infancy, they often avoid making eye contact with others, even while breastfeeding, they avoid eye contact with their mothers. Even when communicating face-to-face with others, children with autism actively avoid eye contact, appearing very unnatural.
2. No (little) response
When parents call their names, children ignore them, immersed in their own worlds, deaf to their family’s calls. When parents point to something using their fingers, children do not follow the gaze, finding it difficult to respond to their parents’ instructions.
3. No (little) pointing
When facing something of interest, children do not use appropriate physical gestures to express their needs. For instance, when a child cannot reach a toy placed high up, they do not use their fingers to point to the toy they want, nor do they nod or shake their head to indicate agreement or disagreement.
4. No (little) speech
Most children with autism exhibit abnormalities in their language development; compared to their peers, they have noticeably delayed language development.
Common manifestations include late speech development and echolalia. For instance, some children with autism may reach the age of 5 without speaking, unable to express their needs correctly through language, only uttering meaningless monosyllables. Even if they use language, it may sound stiff and short, or they may constantly echo others without meaning. Their communication lacks emotions, sounding robotic without intonation, often responding inappropriately and self-centeredly.
5. No appropriateness
Incorrect use of items, with abnormal sensory perceptions. Children with autism often display rigid and peculiar behaviors.
For example, repetitively switching lights on and off, opening and closing doors, or rotating bottle caps. They may also exhibit unusual interests in certain items, such as collecting and arranging glass bottles neatly, or enjoying the sensation of tearing things.
In their daily lives, they rigidly adhere to certain routines and struggle with environmental changes. For example, they follow a specific route when going out, and items in a room must be arranged as required, any change will make the child irritable and anxious.
The aforementioned “Five No’s” behaviors serve as crucial indicators for early detection of autism in children. Additionally, autistic children may also exhibit abnormalities in intimate relationships, failing to openly display attachment to family members and lacking the understanding of others’ emotions, which might give the impression of coldness.
If parents notice symptoms suggestive of autism in their children, it’s crucial to promptly have the child examined, seek help from professionals, early detection and intervention are key, do not miss the golden intervention period.
