Autistic and normal adults & children usually have very different facial expressions. In such cases, people with autistic traits might not be able to read the situation and/or understand how someone else might be feeling. This makes social interactions much more challenging.
People with autism have difficulty making appropriate facial expressions at the right times, according to an analysis of 39 studies1. Instead, they may remain expressionless or produce looks that are difficult to interpret.
The study found that children with autism have an unusually broad upper face, including wide-set eyes. They also have a shorter middle region of the face, including the cheeks and nose. Children with autism have a broader or wider mouth and philtrum - the groove below the nose, above the top lip.
Facial Features of Autism
These features may include a narrow forehead, a wide-spaced or flat nose bridge, and a small chin. Additionally, research has suggested that there may be more masculine physical features in individuals with autism, such as larger head circumference and narrower faces.
People with autism sometimes may have physical symptoms, including digestive problems such as constipation and sleep problems. Children may have poor coordination of the large muscles used for running and climbing, or the smaller muscles of the hand. About a third of people with autism also have seizures.
Another social sign that may be a sign of an adult with undiagnosed autism is repetitive behavior. The person may need to do the same thing over and over again. It may be as simple as just eating the same breakfast each morning, while for others, it may be more complicated and require a consistent routine.
Symptoms. Like all people on the autism spectrum, people who are high functioning have a hard time with social interaction and communication. They don't naturally read social cues and might find it difficult to make friends. They can get so stressed by a social situation that they shut down.
It is possible to be mildly autistic, but many of the behaviors and preferences found in people with autism are also common to people who do not have autism. The difference is that people with autism engage in these behaviors in different ways and for different reasons.
Children with a high autism spectrum quotient recognize multiple emotions like anger and sadness by observing facial expressions. However, children with autistic disorders have atypical neural networks, which makes it more difficult for them to identify the same emotions from facial expressions.
A broader top face, a shorter middle face, wider eyes, a wider mouth, and a philtrum are some of the common facial features seen in children with ASD [16,17].
Some of the frequent facial features of autism are a broader upper face, shorter middle face, wider eyes, bigger mouth, and the philtrum. One of the characteristic features of autism is the way individuals with autism process and respond to sensory information.
Some people who have autism actively avoid eye contact and appear confused and anxious when it occurs. Some seemed to make eye contact relatively early but later reported they were actually looking at something that fascinated them (such as their reflection in one's eyeglasses).
Inappropriate emotional responses may look like crying, outbursts, or tantrums for some children; however, as with ASD itself, the behaviours exhibited during an emotional response can cover a spectrum of intensity and severity and may include dangerous acts such as aggression (Matson & Cervantes, 2014).
These myriad of postural issues may result from reduced strength, decreased biomechanical stability, or from a sensory impairment, such as apraxia.
They found, on average, over 80% of ASD individuals perform worse than typical individuals on tests of face identity processing. “This impairment likely contributes to ASD-specific difficulties with social interaction, which require the ability to identify social partners as unique individuals,” said Scherf.
A tendency to avoid eye contact is an early indicator of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and difficulties with eye contact often persist throughout the lifespan. Eye contact difficulties may underlie social cognitive deficits in ASD, and can create significant social and occupational barriers.
Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have difficulty recognizing facial expressions. They identify angry expressions less accurately than typically developing (TD) children, yet little is known about their atypical neural basis for the recognition of facial expressions.
People with autism will often analyze emotions differently and will misinterpret your emotions, which can be confusing. They will take the time to deal with challenges to better manage their understanding of others, while taking advantage of your patience to feel understood by another person.
If you still hear people use some of the older terms, you'll want to know what they mean: Asperger's syndrome. This is on the milder end of the autism spectrum. A person with Asperger's may be very intelligent and able to handle their daily life.
Defining the Traits and Behaviors of Level 1 Autism
Difficulty switching between activities. Problems with executive functioning which hinder independence. Atypical response to others in social situations. Difficulty initiating social interactions and maintaining reciprocity in social interaction.
While some people with autism merely yell or stamp, many really do become overwhelmed by their own emotions. 3 Bolting, hitting, self-abuse, crying, and screaming are all possibilities. These can be particularly frightening—and even dangerous—when the autistic individual is physically large.