If you feel your child is showing signs or symptoms of autism you need to see a suitably qualified professional to make a diagnosis. Diagnosis of autism is based on the interpretation of a child’s observed and reported symptoms and behaviours. Many children with autism also have severe learning difficulties, so a differential diagnosis needs to be made. The first signs of autism can present in several ways (but none of the following necessarily means your child has autism):

Social Interaction:

• Relates better to objects than people
• May only make and tolerate approaches from familiar people
• Unaware of simple social rules
• May echo words and phrases of others
• Rarely uses eye contact or gesture

Social Communication:

• Speech and language skills are delayed
• Words and phrases are repeated and/or used out of context

Social Imagination and flexibility of thought:

• Will not interact with other children
• Becomes very distressed at even small changes to a familiar routine
• May engage in repetitive body movements
• May lack imaginative play, just repeating the same sequences and using the same dialogue
• May be hypersensitive to sound, light and / or touch

These are just a few of many possible symptoms and a child may display some of these symptoms and may not have autism (they could have hearing impairment or learning difficulties and display some of the above symptoms).
If you are concerned about your child’s development ask your doctor to refer you to a paediatrician for a proper evaluation. An early diagnosis is important because the relevant professionals can become involved and programs and strategies put in place to help the child and parents. It is important to involve a suitably experienced speech and language pathologist / therapist to focus on all aspects of communication.

There are several conditions that fall under the umbrella of an autistic spectrum disorder, these include Autistic Disorder (also known as Kanner Syndrome or Classic Autism), Aspergers Syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder (otherwise not specified), Retts Syndrome and Hellers Syndrome (also known as Childhood Disintegrative Disorder). It is believed that approximately 70% of individuals displaying autistic symptoms have Autistic Disorder.

The Triad of Impairments

A better understanding of the disorder developed when, in 1979, Lorna Wing and Judith Gould proposed that individuals on the autistic spectrum generally presented with a 'triad of impairments'.

These impairments highlighted a number of difficulties:

1) Social interaction: Individuals have difficulty making friends, understanding what others are feeling and thinking, and working co-operatively with others. Social interactions range from aloofness to unusual social behaviour. Individuals may not make eye contact or respond when spoken to.


2) Social communication: Individuals comprehension is much poorer than expression, and expression is often echolalic (repeating words or learned scripts). There are difficulties using and understanding gesture, facial expressions, body language and intonation appropriately. Other social communication skills such as turn-taking may also be a problematic concept. Speech may be delayed and there is little attempt to communicate in other ways. Individuals with autism may rarely initiate communication.


3) Imaginative thought: Individuals have difficulties with empathy, imaginative play and become distressed when adjustments to a routine are made. Problem solving is difficult for individuals with autism and they may often take a literal perspective. Jokes, metaphor and sarcasm are not understood. Some individuals may display repetitive movements (hand flapping, or spinning objects etc) and have obsessions or attachments with certain objects. They may also have elaborate routines that they follow in certain environments.

Wing and Gould also noted that many individuals displayed sensory sensitivities to sound, light, smell, taste and touch. Some individuals were also more prone to inappropriate and challenging behaviour, especially if they become distressed.

Many individuals with ASD will have coexisting developmental difficulties which may include learning difficulties, speech and language delay, hyperactivity, and epilepsy.

Some individuals may only show mild examples of the above impairments.