Children with High Functioning Autism have a problem maintaining eye contact with the parent or caregiver. They may not respond to caregivers in the way other children do. They may not laugh or play with the same mannerisms.
Some signs of high functioning autism in females include: Difficulty with social communication, such as maintaining eye contact or understanding sarcasm. Strong interests in specific topics, often related to science or technology. Difficulty with transitions or changes in routine.
Differences with social communication (which increases with age) Choosing behaviors that seem to be shy, quiet, or unusually passive. Having symptoms of anxiety or another co-occurring mental health condition. Challenges with controlling emotion.
finding it hard to understand what others are thinking or feeling. getting very anxious about social situations. finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on your own. seeming blunt, rude or not interested in others without meaning to.
Although the exact cause of autism is still unknown, there is evidence to suggest that genetics play a significant role. Since autism is less prevalent in females, autism was always thought to be passed down from the mother. However, research suggests that autism genes are usually inherited from the father.
A child with level 1 autism may understand and speak in complete sentences, but have difficulty engaging in back-and-forth conversation. Children with ASD level 1 experience some inflexibility of behavior, like difficulty switching between tasks, staying organized, and planning.
Intensely disliking loud noises and crowds. Insisting on having things and/or events occur in a certain way. Having trouble playing and socializing well with peers or avoiding socializing altogether. They prefer to be alone because others do not do things exactly as they do.
In the autism community, functioning labels are discouraged because they can be misleading. A person can be able to function independently in some areas but require significant support in others. People labeled as high functioning can often have significant needs that are overlooked.
The FDA has approved the use of some antipsychotic drugs, such as risperidone and aripripazole, for treating irritability associated with ASD in children between certain ages. Parents should talk with their child's healthcare providers about any medications for children with ASD.
While ADHD can make it difficult to focus, sit still, or control impulses, autism can limit a person's scope of interests or affect social skills and learning abilities. ADHD and autism often share symptoms, like difficulty communicating or concentrating. Additionally, it's possible that the conditions are connected.
People with level 1 or high-functioning autism are often able to function far more independently than those with more severe autism. They too have challenges with social communication, but typically have strong language skills.
Early symptoms often noted by parents include delayed speech, restricted interests, not responding to his or her name, and avoiding eye contact. No two autistic children will have the same symptoms. Warning signs might be easy to see in one person, and virtually invisible in another.
It is a spectrum disorder, meaning there is a broad variation in the types and severity of symptoms. No two people with ASD have the same symptoms. Borderline autism is not an official term or diagnosis. Instead, it is an informal term referring to less severe ASD symptoms.
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.
Population-based studies have found that, in addition to the individuals with ASD, many others exhibit subthreshold autistic or autisticlike traits (ALTs), that is, problems or peculiarities in sociocommunicative behavior, perception of others and self, and adaptation to the environment that do not meet formal criteria ...
There is not just one cause of ASD. There are many different factors that have been identified that may make a child more likely to have ASD, including environmental, biologic, and genetic factors.
Autism is very distinct from ADHD, but the core symptoms of ADHD-Combined type, i.e., attention deficit, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, would appear to also be features of autism. ASD and ADHD are neurobiological disorders characterized by similar underlying neuropsychological “deficits”.
Autism is a disability under the ADA. Some adults and children with autism can access Social Security benefits, including disability benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Provide opportunities for girls to be themselves - allow time for them to follow their interests and sit with people they feel most comfortable with. Support them to understand what makes them feel anxious and why. Identify and help them with strategies to offset anxiety, helping them to recharge.