by "ASD" stands for "Autism Spectrum Disorder", having been recently revised in the field of psychology to be a spectrum upon which functioning and severity fall. An individual on the spectrum would used to have been diagnosed with either autism or Asperger's Syndrome depending on the severity of the disorder, with autism being the more fully-manifested version of it, and Asperger's being the lesser, generally more highly-functional version. Both disorders are characterized by a lacking of social-cognitive development, and often minimal speech or communication with others. This is usually detected and diagnosed when the child begins to enter the period of language development and communication at the age of approximately 3 or 4 by the child's pediatrician.
The parents may notice that their child does not respond to typical social cues, like their name, and refuse physical affection or communication (they may not listen, speak, or give hugs as expected). Their ability to detect and respond to the social conditions of the immediate is minimal in people with this disorder.
As the child gets older, social issues will often become more pronounced, as well as issues in school and elsewhere with agitation and stimulation behavior. The child will either have a high demand for stimulation that can seem almost insatiable, or become easily overwhelmed by stimulus. Both can occur at different times, with a tendency more so toward or the other, along of spectrum of severities depending on the individual.
A person with this disorder may have:
*One particular or a set of similar interests that veer not (limited, hyper-focused interests)
*Trouble understanding what is happening in certain social settings
*[Severe] emotional outbursts from stimulus frustration, sometimes to the severity of what's known as an "autistic meltdown", similar to an emotional breakdown due to being overwhelmed
*Trouble speaking and responding to physical/verbal cues, thus having difficulties with conversations (talking unceasingly, or not speaking when expected to)
*Low social functioning
*A difficult time switching between tasks, which can make it difficult to complete them, and care for themselves
*An appearance of numbness or flatness
*A tendency to exhibit repetitive gestures, known as self-stimulation behaviors, such as hand flapping, tapping, hitting oneself on the head, etc.
*A tendency to exhibit poor emotional inhibition or control, sometimes leading to very negative social consequences (this vastly depends on the person, how they've been raised, and their personal moral values, as well as the severity of their impairment)
*Difficulty focusing
*Poor personal hygiene and difficulty caring for themselves adequately
Some additional reading, resources, and sources of my information:
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/autism-spectrum-disorder/index.shtml
The parents may notice that their child does not respond to typical social cues, like their name, and refuse physical affection or communication (they may not listen, speak, or give hugs as expected). Their ability to detect and respond to the social conditions of the immediate is minimal in people with this disorder.
As the child gets older, social issues will often become more pronounced, as well as issues in school and elsewhere with agitation and stimulation behavior. The child will either have a high demand for stimulation that can seem almost insatiable, or become easily overwhelmed by stimulus. Both can occur at different times, with a tendency more so toward or the other, along of spectrum of severities depending on the individual.
A person with this disorder may have:
*One particular or a set of similar interests that veer not (limited, hyper-focused interests)
*Trouble understanding what is happening in certain social settings
*[Severe] emotional outbursts from stimulus frustration, sometimes to the severity of what's known as an "autistic meltdown", similar to an emotional breakdown due to being overwhelmed
*Trouble speaking and responding to physical/verbal cues, thus having difficulties with conversations (talking unceasingly, or not speaking when expected to)
*Low social functioning
*A difficult time switching between tasks, which can make it difficult to complete them, and care for themselves
*An appearance of numbness or flatness
*A tendency to exhibit repetitive gestures, known as self-stimulation behaviors, such as hand flapping, tapping, hitting oneself on the head, etc.
*A tendency to exhibit poor emotional inhibition or control, sometimes leading to very negative social consequences (this vastly depends on the person, how they've been raised, and their personal moral values, as well as the severity of their impairment)
*Difficulty focusing
*Poor personal hygiene and difficulty caring for themselves adequately
Some additional reading, resources, and sources of my information:
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/autism-spectrum-disorder/index.shtml
