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Characteristic Behaviors of Autism

© Sharon Gillson

Each child with autism will be different, showing different degrees of severity. A child may display most or all the characterists listed below, or a child may only display one or two of these characteristics.

This list of characteristics is not meant to serve as a basis for diagnosis of autism in your child. They should only be used for a informational resource only, and only a professional should diagnose your child.

There are three basic characteristics of autism. They are:

1. Impaired verbal and nonverbal communication.
2. Difficulty interacting socially with others.
3. Unusual and/or restricted interests and sensory responses.

A more complete list of characteristics of autism is divided into categories:

1. Social development
   • When picked up, offering no "help"
   • Seems unaware of other people and their feelings
   • Treating other people as if they were inanimate objects
   • Doesn't point at objects to indicate wants or needs
   • Doesn't share achievements or interests
   • Has difficulty starting relationships with peers
   • Avoids eye contact with others
   • Has difficulty cooperating in groups
   • Prefers solitary activities
2. Communication
   • Has delayed speech and use of gestures
   • Has difficultly understanding language
   • Has difficultly understanding nonverbal cues
   • Repetitive speech; echoes what others say (echolalia)
   • Confusion between the pronouns "I" and "You"
   • Memorizes words but can't use the words in context
   • Has difficulty with the give and take of conversation
   • Monotone voice
3. Behavior
   • Has rigid routines (may appear as if resistant to change)
   • Repetitive behaviors, such as hand flapping, rocking, finger flicking
   • Insistance on following a set pattern of behavior
   • Insistance on keeping objects in a certain, often intricate, physical pattern
   • Preoccupation with hands
   • Preoccupied with parts of an object instead of the whole object
   • Spins objects and/or fixates on spinning objects
   • Dislike of certain sounds
   • Dislike of touching certain textures
   • Dislike of being touched
   • Temper tantrums
   • Displays a lack of imaginative play; can't pretend
   • Self-injurious behavior
4. Learning deficits
   • Has difficulty with abstract concepts
   • Has difficulty using skills learned in one environment in another environment (generalization)
5. Associated features
   • Shows a lack of fear and/or awareness of danger
   • Laughing at inappropriate times
   • Sudden mood changes
   • Self-injurious behavior
   • Toilet training, sleeping, and/or eating problems