HOMEPAGE > UNDERSTANDING AUTISM > Characteristics
The main characteristics related to ASD fall into 2 broad areas:
with social interactions and communication

Making little or inconsistent eye contact.

Appearing not to look at or listen to people who are talking.

Infrequently sharing interest, emotion, or enjoyment of objects or activities (including infrequent pointing at or showing things to others).

Not responding or being slow to respond to one’s name or to other verbal bids for attention.

Having difficulties with the back and forth of conversation.

Often talking at length about a favorite subject without noticing that others are not interested or without giving others a chance to respond.

Displaying facial expressions, movements, and gestures that do not match what is being said.

Having an unusual tone of voice that may sound sing-song or flat and robot-like.

Having trouble understanding another person’s point of view or being unable to predict or understand other people’s actions.

Difficulties adjusting behaviors to social situations

Difficulties sharing in imaginative play or in making friends
restricted and repetitive behaviours and interests

Repeating certain behaviors or having unusual behaviors, such as repeating words or phrases (a behavior called echolalia).

Having a lasting intense interest in specific topics, such as numbers, details, or facts.

Showing overly focused interests, such as with moving objects or parts of objects.

Becoming upset by slight changes in a routine and having difficulty with transitions.

Being more sensitive or less sensitive than other people to sensory input, such as light, sound, clothing, or temperature.

People with ASD may also experience sleep problems and irritability.
People on the autism spectrum also may have many strengths, including:

Being able to learn things in detail and remember information for long periods of time.

Being strong visual and auditory learners.

Excelling in math, science, music, or art.
The common signs and traits of ASD in children include the following:
  • lack of social or emotional exchanges like pointing, smiling, showing you things
  • lack of non-verbal communication such as nodding and shaking head, using hand gestures
  • difficulty developing and maintaining relationships appropriate to their age, such as peer play, lack of close friends
  • delayed expressed speech and understanding of speech
  • lack of eye contact when speaking
  • loss of language skills at any age
  • excessively following routines, patterns or behaviour, and becoming distressed at changes
  • stereotyped or repetitive speech
  • using objects in unusual ways, such as rolling wheels before eyes
  • movements, such as flapping hands, toe walking
  • strongly reacting to sensory input such as sound, pain or textures
  • restricted or fixated interests. This might be only playing with certain toys or talking about certain topics
  • having difficulty managing emotions, such as frequent and long tantrums
In adults, ASD traits may include the following:
  • struggling with time management
  • feeling sensitive to the environment
  • feeling a sense of isolation
  • difficulty paying attention
  • struggling to pay attention to detail, or having too strong an attention to detail
  • feeling anxious in social situations
  • having difficulty maintaining relationships
  • becoming overwhelmed easily