Autism is a spectrum disorder, which means that one child diagnosed with autism may not be the same as another child who has been diagnosed because symptoms differ according to which part of the spectrum you fall under.

 

Early diagnosis of Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD) goes a long way. Usually, children can be diagnosed by the time they are 2-3 years old. ASD cannot be discerned by the physical appearance of a person, it is the way they interact with their surroundings.

While some people diagnosed with autism can live with minimal to no support some require help with daily life.

 

It is also important to note that some children diagnosed with ASD can be gifted in an area of interest such as music.

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The general symptoms are that the person faces challenges with social skills, non-verbal communication, and speech.

Some common symptoms of ASD are: 
• Avoiding eye contact
• Getting upset because of minor changes
• Short attention span
• Impulsivity (acting without thinking)
• Echolalia (repeating words or phrases)
• Avoiding or resisting physical contact
• Unusual reaction to stimuli
• Trouble understanding jokes, teasing and sarcasm.