They might also show signs of hyperlexia, which involves reading beyond what’s expected of their age. Children on the autism spectrum might learn to read earlier than their neurotypical peers, sometimes as early as age 2. Explore the tool to see autism spectrum disorder prevalence estimates and demographic characteristics at the national, state, and community levels. People with autism have the same health problems as the general population. However, they may, in addition, have specific health-care needs related to autism or other co-occurring conditions. It is estimated that worldwide about 1 in 100 children has autism .
People
For example, they could have trouble communicating but be unusually good at art, music, math, or things that involve memory. Because of this, they might do especially well on tests of analysis or problem-solving.
What Causes Autism?
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They may insist on getting their own way and pursuing their own interests all the time or they may be very passive. Autistic children may take longer than their typical peers to learn to play with—rather than near—other children. Campaign with us Join us and help create a society that works for autistic people. Being highly focused helps many autistic people do well academically and in the workplace but they can also become so engrossed in particular topics or activities that they neglect other aspects of their lives. With its unwritten rules, the world can seem a very unpredictable and confusing place to autistic people. This is why they often prefer to have routines so that they know what is going to happen.
How Often ASD Occurs
Some people feel the spectrum is too broad, arguing an autistic person with 24/7 support needs cannot be compared with a person who finds supermarket lights too bright. We will continue to fight to make society work for autistic people. Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder among children aged 8 years—autism and developmental disabilities monitoring network, 11 sites, United States, 2016. While the severity of symptoms varies greatly, there are invariably impairments to social and communication skills. Some children with autism do not talk at all and remain mute throughout life, while others have mild social challenges. Children with autism also show restricted interests and repetitive behaviors.
They also have an early preference for unvarying routines of everyday life. The condition is diagnosed four times more frequently in males than in females, according to the CDC, although women are often overlooked and misdiagnosed. Autism is frequently confused with other mental health conditions. Learn more about the signs to look out for and what steps to take. Autism screening is a process of reviewing a child’s development to see if they may have early signs or symptoms of autism and may need autism testing. Autistic children may also engage in repetitive behaviors, have difficulty sleeping, or compulsively eat nonfood items.
Restricted interests – An excessive interest in a particular activity, topic, or hobby, and devoting all their attention to it. For example, young children might completely focus on things that spin and ignore everything else. Older children might try to learn everything about a single topic, such as the weather or sports, and perseverate or talk about it constantly. An older autistic boy arranging brads on a cork coaster.Repetitive behaviors – Repetitive behaviors such as rocking, hand flapping, finger flicking, head banging, or repeating phrases or sounds. These behaviors may occur constantly or only when the person gets stressed, anxious or upset.