Likewise, a child with autism may not speak, look at other people or play with their peers. Both shy children and those with autism may appear quieter and more reserved than other children, and may find it harder to make friends.
Shy children will typically use body language such as fidgeting, avoiding eye contact, and speaking in a low voice when uncomfortable, whereas children with autism may display verbal outbursts or physical aggression due to their inability to regulate their emotions.
Shy children may avert their eyes, hide behind a parent, or even cry when meeting new people. These behaviors can also look like the warning signs of autism.
Many biological conditions can lead to social difficulties, including autism. However, not all autistic individuals will display social awkwardness (though they may struggle inwardly). Moreover, not everyone who is socially awkward is autistic. And, in fact, they don't necessarily have a diagnosable condition.
Allistics with social anxiety are rarely misdiagnosed as autistic. More commonly, an Autistic person with social anxiety may just receive a social anxiety diagnosis while the more accurate diagnosis (Autism) is missed.
While autism and introversion share some similarities, it's important to remember that they are two very different things. Not everyone who is introverted is autistic, and not everyone who is autistic is introverted.
People with the BAP have some traits common to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but not enough to have the disorder. But it's not comedians who have drawn scientific scrutiny for having the BAP: it's the parents and siblings of people who actually have autism.
Some developmental health professionals refer to PDD-NOS as “subthreshold autism." In other words, it's the diagnosis they use for someone who has some but not all characteristics of autism or who has relatively mild symptoms.
Both shy children and those with autism may appear quieter and more reserved than other children, and may find it harder to make friends.
Diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be difficult because there is no medical test, like a blood test, to diagnose the disorder. Doctors look at the child's developmental history and behavior to make a diagnosis. ASD can sometimes be detected at 18 months of age or younger.
Shyness and introversion are commonly mistaken as being the same thing. Shyness involves fear of negative evaluation (and is a milder form of social anxiety),1 whereas introversion refers to a tendency toward becoming over-stimulated and the need to be alone to gain energy.
There are other brain disorders that mimic autism symptoms, like ADHD and anxiety disorders, including selective mutism. Autism can be misdiagnosed as another disorder with some shared symptoms.
Borderline autistic children have delayed language development but not to the same extent as of autistic children. They may also exhibit minor learning disabilities. However, for kids with borderline autism, learnability could be significantly improved by the use of behavior and concentration therapies.
Some people on the autism spectrum may seek social opportunities and may initiate social interactions themselves, others may enjoy social situations and interactions when they are initiated effectively by others.
ASD Level 1: Requiring Support
Level 1 is the mildest, or “highest functioning” form of autism, which includes those who would have previously been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. Individuals with ASD level 1 may have difficulty understanding social cues and may struggle to form and maintain personal relationships.
Findings of most studies support that ASD in high-functioning adults is associated with a distinct personality profile even if variability exists. Cluster A and cluster C personality disorders (PD) are the most frequent co-occurring PD in ASD, but overlapping features should be considered.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder that affects one in 68 children. 1 Core characteristics of ASD include lack of social and communication skills, as well as repetitive and restricted behaviors.
Conditions That Can Be Mistaken for Autism. These include: Speech delays, hearing problems, or other developmental delays: Developmental delays are when your child doesn't do things doctors expect kids their age to be able to do. These can include language, speech, or hearing problems.
Active but odd: This group makes initiations and responds to others. They are interested in interactions and seek them out, but their ways of carrying out the interactions are unusual in their odd language, obsessive topics, and lack of understanding of others.
Untreated autism causes changes in brain function that make it more difficult for the person to control impulsive behavior or think rationally about their actions before they act on them. This can lead to situations where ASD adults are unable to live alone and take care of themselves without assistance.