A majority of the research has found that individuals with autism perform poorly on measures of executive function. A general decrease in working memory (WM) is one of the limitations, although some studies have found that working memory is not impaired in autistic children relative to controls matched for IQ.
Memory helps us to function in our everyday lives and to relate to others. However, some children with autism experience challenges with memory and this can impact how they relate to the world socially.
Many people over the age of 60 struggle with memory loss, brain fog, and mobility struggles. These symptoms are much rarer in children—with the exception of those who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
Autistic children are often good at learning by heart (rote memory). Many autistic children can remember large chunks of information, like conversations from movies, words to a song, number plates and so on.
The DSM-5 defines ODD as “a pattern of angry/irritable mood, argumentative/defiant behavior, or vindictiveness lasting at least six months.” Children on the spectrum are more likely to have this diagnosis as well because of the challenges they have in regulating behavior.
Main signs of autism
finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on your own. seeming blunt, rude or not interested in others without meaning to. finding it hard to say how you feel. taking things very literally – for example, you may not understand sarcasm or phrases like "break a leg"
Signs of High-Functioning Autism in Children
May appear more mature for their age and have above-average intelligence. A tendency to avoid eye contact. Trouble deviating from a routine or adapting to changes. Trouble making friends and maintaining social relationships or not “fitting in” with peers.
However, they look up to the mother or caregiver for social referencing and hover around or cling to the caregiver. Children with an ASD are not vigilant and do not look up to the caregiver for social referencing. They may not cling to the caregiver, although go up to them for succor.
Being autistic in this world can result in feeling constantly confused. Let's talk about what that can be like. This confusion is present in many parts of my daily life. Mainly when interacting with other people, which is something which tends to be unavoidable, of course.
The autistic brain shows fewer long-range connections but a lot more short-range connections. This means that with every thought, more connections are made, but also more side-steps; it produces nonlinear thought processes.
Autistic burnout might look like:
Withdrawing from your usual social activities or relationships. Difficulty with executive functioning, such as completing tasks and making decisions Increase in repetitive behaviors, like stimming. Difficulty with activities of daily living like cooking, cleaning or personal hygiene.
BV issues cause double/blurry vision, headaches and eye strain. A common binocular vision issue associated with ASD is convergence insufficiency (CI). This condition causes an inability of the eyes to converge together on an object close-up, making tasks such as reading or writing especially difficult.
find it hard to communicate and interact with other people. find it hard to understand how other people think or feel. find things like bright lights or loud noises overwhelming, stressful or uncomfortable. get anxious or upset about unfamiliar situations and social events.
Repetition helps to transfer information from short-term memory to long-term memory. For children with autism, using stories and asking the child to tell the story back to you or asking him/her to recall specific events in the story also helps to strengthen that muscle.
Some studies which looked at the brain activity of those with autism suggest that when presented with two tasks and told to focus on one of them, most people with autism can't shift their attention or focus. This is because an inability to understand which task is more important.
Autistic traits can amplify the conditions that lead to burnout, and burnout can cause these traits to worsen. They may become unable to speak or care for themselves, and struggle with short-term memory.
In conclusion, there are many factors that can make autism worse. Sensory overload, changes in routine, social isolation, co-occurring conditions, and lack of support can all exacerbate the symptoms of autism.
“Daydreaming, by itself, is an example of what is called "autistic thinking ", which means thinking that is sufficient unto itself, and not subjected to any criticism.
Mind-blindness, mindblindness or mind blindness is a theory initially proposed in 1990 that claims that all autistic people have a lack or developmental delay of theory of mind (ToM), meaning they are unable to attribute mental states to others.
Children with autism prefer their mothers to strangers and attempt to remain close to them as much as other children. However they do not engage in attention sharing behaviors such as pointing or showing objects. They also do not seem to recognize the meaning of facial expressions and emotions.
A new study challenges the theory that autism is largely passed down from mothers. In fact, siblings who are both diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) seem to get a larger portion of their DNA from their father.
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.
In fact, research has shown that autism symptoms tend to peak around the ages of 2-3 years old. During this time, children with autism may struggle with language development, social interaction, and behavior. They may have difficulty communicating their needs and understanding the needs of others.
Someone who is considered a savant may be especially skilled in art, math, music, memory recall, or another subject. Savant syndrome is commonly associated with autism but can occur alongside other conditions.