Characteristics

Social Communication/Social Interaction      

• Deficits in verbal and non-verbal communication.

• Loss of or delay in developing spoken language
• Difficulty using speech in a meaningful way
• Difficulty or absence of ability to  imitate sounds and words
• Difficulty or inability to point in order to express need or interest
• Indicating needs with gestures (sometimes unusual ones) instead of words
• Rarely initiates communication
• Repeating words or phrases heard (echolalia) instead of answering.
• Confusing gender (he, she) and pronouns (I, me, you) in speech
• Unusual pitch and rhythm in speech

• Difficulties with social interaction
• Unusual or lack of eye contact
• Unusual or lack of facial affect or expression
• Difficulty interacting with other people (responding back and forth, turn-taking), making friends, and understanding others

• Apparent lack of empathy or consideration for others thoughts or feelings
• Difficulty controlling emotion and excitement

• Laughing, giggling or screaming at unusual times
• Difficulty joining other people
• Difficulty sharing attention with others

Behaviours:  Stereotypical, rigid routine, sensory stimuli

Repetitive, stereotypical behaviors

• Repetitive actions or body movements (e.g. Hand flapping, finger flipping, spinning, rocking etc.)
• Unusual postures, walking or movement patterns

 Rigid routines, behavior patterns

• Problems coping with change; dependency on parts of routines
• Unusual or inappropriate habits or interests
• Anxiety or tantrums (“meltdowns”) when things unexpectedly change.
• Difficulty with delayed gratification, waiting.

 Sensory Stimuli

• Difficulty imitating gross or fine motor movements
• Intense focus on moving or spinning objects
• No fear or understanding of real dangers (running, jumping off of objects etc.)
• Over or under reaction to sight, sound, smell, taste, pain or touch (including being held)
• Actively sensory seeking behaviors (running, spinning, jumping, seeking deep pressure contact and hugs, excessive smelling)
• Actively avoiding sensory stimuli (covering ears, eyes, avoiding crowded busy rooms and places)
• Intense or unusual activity levels

Cognition and Learning

• Difficulty paying attention or shifting attention (stuck on an idea or action, perseverates)
• Difficulty understanding abstract ideas
• Difficulty grasping time and order of events
• Thoughts and actions may appear illogical, may seem to arrive at irrational conclusions.
• Can have very a strong memory for certain specific details and facts, especially in an area of obsessive interest.
• Difficulty using items or toys to represent real objects
• “Black and white” thinking, difficulty in understanding “exceptions to the rule”
• May not benefit from typical teaching methods, rather need alternative teaching methods that concentrate on visual strategies, reinforcing, step-by-step and concrete learning.

Associated Features and Concerns

• Unusual sleep patterns
• Sudden, unexplained, extreme distress or fear, phobias
• Eating problems (often sensory and texture related aversions)
• Toileting problems
• Grooming, self-care difficulties or lack of concern for.
• Self-injurious or aggressive behavior or destructive behavior.