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Facts About Autism
There are no observable physical features of autism and the symptoms of autism are reflected in deficits in social communication and interaction as well as repetitive behaviours.
Autism presents itself in early childhood (before 3 years old) and can be identified as early as 18 months old.
Autism is a spectrum disorder. This means that some individuals are affected by autism on a mild level, some on a moderate level and some on a severe level.
Prevalence of Autism
There is no exact cause of autism yet, but there are links to genetic, environmental and biological factors.
1 in 36 children (CDC, 2023)
4 boys to 1 girl
Myths of Autism
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Can TV cause autism?
Do you think TV causes autism? Find out the truth behind this, as well as the link between TV and children’s social skills and speech.
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Are people with autism aggresive?
Do you think that people with autism are aggressive? You may have heard that some individuals with autism may have self-injurious behaviours or are aggressive to other people. Find out why they do so in this video.
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Is autism caused by vaccines and/or bad parenting?
Have you ever wondered whether vaccines cause autism? How about bad parenting? In this video, we explain the truth behind the causes of autism.
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Aren’t people with autism geniuses?
Have you ever wondered whether all people with autism are geniuses? Well, in this video, you can find out if this is a myth or fact.
Main Areas of Deficits
Social Interactions and Communication
- Absence of speech or delay in speech development
- Any loss of language skill at any age
- Does not respond when name is called
- May demonstrate unusual speech (e.g. repeating sentences or making strange sounds)
- Difficulty in having normal back-and-forth communication
- Does not imitate adult’s movements
- Limited or inconsistent eye contact
- Does not show interest in other children
- Does not demonstrate age-appropriate nonverbal communication
- Does not share interest with adults and may not look at objects when adults point to them
Restricted and Repetitive Behaviours
- Repetitive motor movements (e.g. hand-flapping or flicking, spinning, jumping, etc.)
- Repetitive play (e.g. lining up items, spinning items, hoarding, etc.)
- Stereotypical speech (e.g. echolalia, rote phrases, etc.)
- Demonstrates inflexibility in any area (e.g. extreme distress at changes, wanting to wear the same clothes every day)
- Oversensitive/undersensitive to sensory areas such as pain, sounds, lights, temperature, textures, or movement
- Fixated interests (demonstrated by a strong attachment or preoccupation with certain objects, interests, or topics)
Downloadable Resources
Does My Child Have Autism?
Learn about the red flags of autism, complete the M-Chat self-assessment and learn about what to expect from a comprehensive Diagnostic Evaluation as well as the DSM-5 criteria.