Awareness of Students with Diverse Learning Needs,
What the Teacher Needs to Know, Volume 1

Recognizing the Child with Autism

Although symptoms have been identified as a characteristic of people with autism, not all people display all symptoms. A diagnosis by appropriately qualified medical personnel is needed to verify the condition. Qualified personnel include the developmental/assessment team at Sunny Hill Hospital for Children, B.C. Children's Hospital, Queen Alexandra Hospital or a pediatrician, psychiatrist or a registered psychologist. Individuals display different combinations of the following observable symptoms:

• Wide variation in the ability to communicate. This may include a poor understanding of gestures, difficulties with abstract concepts, focusing on one topic: perseveration, or echoing what is said: echolalia.
• Gesturing, rather than speaking, to indicate needs.
• Serious difficulties in relating to other people - unusual social interactions.
• Apparent lack of fear of real danger, or a very real fear for no reason. e.g., going up and down stairs.
• Inappropriate laughing, giggling or screaming.
• Extreme mood swings for no apparent reason, from inconsolable crying to uncontrollable laughing.
• Apparent deafness.
• Unresponsiveness to simple commands.
• Unusual responses to stimuli and sensations. e.g., pain, touch, hearing, taste, smell and balance.
• Different rates of development of physical, social and language skills.
• Delayed speech and language.
• A wide range of behaviour, from repetitive and aggressive to extremely passive.
• Self-injurious behaviour.
• Self-stimulatory activities, e.g., rocking, hand flicking, spinning.
• Attachment to unusual objects, e.g., piece of string.
• Difficulty in changing routine.