What are the characteristics of autism

The degree of severity of characteristics differs from person to person, but usually includes the following: Severe delays in language development. Language is slow to develop, if it develops at all. If it does develop, it usually includes …

http://teacherweb.com/NY/Arlington/SiouxzanneHarris/faq1.stm#q2

There is some confusion between Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. If you had true autism you wouldn’t be able to write that question or read the answers. You could be an “aspie” though, as they can have high levels of intelligence a…

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080921001949AAMD876

Some characteristics of autism include a lack of formal means of communication; echolalia; stereotypical behaviors such as hand flapping, rocking, and head banging; lack of eye contact; lack of joint attention; an inability to engage in mea…

http://www.autismspectrum.ilstu.edu/autism/classicautism.shtml

Related Questions Answered on Y!Answers

Do you agree that when a youngster is showing Autism characteristics they don’t understand where they head to?

Q: Do you agree that before a child is diagnosed with Autism, they have no understanding where they are headed to nor how, and are unaware of how different they are among other children?Why or why not?I’m not talking about the degrees of Autism.

A: Not necessarily. There are varying degrees of autism. Some are highly functioning, some are not.

Was told my son is showing a few characteristics of Autism. What signs should I look for?

Q: I’ve looked it up of course but would like some views from other parents with autistic children. What other signs should I be looking for?He’s only 2. Doesn’t speak at all. Used to say a few things, but doesn’t anymore. Is doing speech therapy and therapist is trying to teach him baby signs but hes just not getting it yet. Shows no interest. Doesn’t play with other children, keeps his distance. Seems very smart and understands things. Has had eye surgeries for crossed eyes so thinking maybe plays a part in his learning but still unsure. Liked some things at first, then becomes afraid of them later. These are just a few concerns…

A: I have a 6 year old with autism – not asperger’s, but more severe.He was late walking, (17 months), didn’t talk. He did make eye contact and smiled. At about 2 and a half he had maybe 30 very unclear ‘words’ which only we would understand, and his receptive language (his understanding) was very poor. We had his hearing checked first, because we thought that might be it. It wasn’t.He also showed more and more severe behavioural problems from about the age of 12 months. He was extremely clingy to me to the point of not being able to let me out of his sight without going beserk. He would bite, kick, scream and bang his head on the floor or any other hard surface.I had to face the fact that he had special needs when I tried to put him in a nursery so I could go back to work and the staff had such a terrible time (this was at the age of 2 and a half), they took me to one side and asked if I had had him looked at. The manager of the nursery said she’d had experience of special needs children, and he was ticking all the boxes. The only way they could calm him down during the half hour trial sessions (that’s as far as it got!) was in the sensory area with lights and bubbles, which usually works on children like that.It was a big wake up call and I got him into a special needs nursery, abandoned the work plans (I still don’t work), and got him all the help he needed. It became my full time job to make sure he was provided for to help him progress to his full potential. He is now in a special school, and after being there 2 years, they say he is now ready to start actually learning. Before this it was all about getting his behaviour under control.His speech has improved. He can make basic sentences, and understand simple questions. He has his obsessions – trains, car washes, lifts. He dictates most of what we do at the weekends (always the same routine). At 2, it’s hard to say how much of this is going to be relevant to your son. They all turn out so different anyway. The most dramatic things my son did and still does at 6 which are typically ‘autistic’ are:Putting hands over ears when there is a strange noise, or for no reason at all.Taking your hand and leading you to do something he wants you to do.Obsessed with wheeled objects or things that spin, in particular trains.Repetitive play – simply wheeling a car in and out of something for hours on end.Lining toys up and looking at them from eye level.Tantrums provoked by change in routineHates getting hair cut, nails cut, teeth brushed, face washed, or being touched to examine for any reason (looking at a mark or cut, for example).Wants to read the same books over and over again, resistant to new ones.Flapping his hands when having a tantrumThe list is long, and there is much more. I hope this is helpful to you. We have lived with this for so many years now we are very used to it, and it’s not as tough as it probably sounds to others. We have a wonderful, loving little boy, who is a real charmer, and an entertainer. He loves to perform in front of others (which is decidedly un-autistic, but as I said, they are all so different).Good luck to you and your family.

What characteristics do autism and mental retardation share in common?

Q:

A: 1. Echolalia. This involves repetion of things that others say. For example, you would say to the child “put your toys away” and the child would repeat it back. The child would not be thinking about the content of the words. It would be an attempt at conversation.2. Difficulty carrying out activities that involve more than 2 steps. 3. Repetition of movements can be an issue with both illnesses. The child with MR will do this if they do not know what to do next. The child with autism will repeat movements for the sensory feedback.