ASD varies from person to person, and no two people will show the same symptoms. The hallmark feature of ASD is impaired social interaction. As early as infancy, a baby with ASD may be unresponsive to people or focus intently on one item to the exclusion of others for long periods of time. A child with ASD may appear to develop normally and then withdraw and become indifferent to social engagement.
Children with an ASD may fail to respond to their names and often avoid eye contact with other people. They have difficulty interpreting what others are thinking or feeling because they do not understand social cues, such as tone of voice or facial expressions, and they do not watch other people’s faces for clues about appropriate behavior. They may lack empathy.
Many children with ASD engage in repetitive movements, such as rocking and twirling, or in self-abusive behavior, such as biting or head-banging. Children with ASD tend to start speaking later than other children, and they often do not play or interact with other children.
