1. The TWO Core Areas (Most Important)
According to the site, autism is mainly identified by:
1️⃣ Social Communication & Interaction Differences
2️⃣ Restricted & Repetitive Behaviors
👉 These are the core diagnostic areas used by professionals
2. Social Communication Differences
People with autism may find social interaction harder in different ways:
💬 Social interaction
- Difficulty starting or continuing conversations
- May not share emotions or interests easily
- May struggle to understand other people’s thoughts or feelings
👀 Communication
- Eye contact may feel uncomfortable
-
Difficulty reading:
- Facial expressions
- Body language
-
Voice may sound:
- Flat
- Too loud or quiet
🤝 Relationships
- Difficulty making or keeping friends
- May prefer being alone sometimes
- Can feel overwhelmed in social situations
👉 This is why autism is often noticed in social situations first
3. Repetitive Behaviours & Routines
This is the second core area.
🔁 Repetitive behaviours (often called “stimming”)
- Rocking, hand flapping, spinning
- Repeating words or phrases (echolalia)
- Lining up objects
🔒 Need for routine
- Strong preference for sameness
- Distress if plans change
- Repeating the same routines daily
🎯 Intense interests
- Deep focus on specific topics
- Very strong knowledge in certain areas
🔊 Sensory differences
-
Over-sensitive or under-sensitive to:
- Noise
- Light
- Touch
- Smell
- May seek or avoid sensory input
👉 These behaviours help with regulation, comfort, and understanding the world
4. Other Common Characteristics
Not always required for diagnosis, but often seen:
- Difficulty with planning and organisation (executive function)
- Motor coordination differences
- Emotional regulation difficulties
- Meltdowns or shutdowns
- Different ways of communicating (e.g. typing, visuals)
👉 Autism is a spectrum, so this varies a lot
5. Early Signs (Children)
The site also highlights early developmental signs:
👶 Babies (6–12 months)
- Limited eye contact
- Few smiles or facial expressions
🧒 Toddlers (12–24 months)
- Little or no speech
- Not responding to their name
- Limited gestures (pointing, waving)
📊 At any age
- Loss of skills (regression)
- Repetitive behaviours
- Sensory sensitivities
👉 Some children show signs early, others later
6. Masking (VERY Important for your book)
- Some people hide their autistic traits to fit in
-
More common in:
- Girls
- Women
👉 This can lead to:
- Anxiety
- Exhaustion
- Late diagnosis
🔄 Linking to What You Said (Differences & Similarities)
You made a really important point:
“They both have differences, the same and similarities.”
Here’s how that fits:
✔ Similarities (Autism & ADHD)
- Focus difficulties (but different types)
- Sensory issues
- Emotional regulation challenges
- Executive functioning difficulties
❗ Differences (Autism)
- Strong need for routine
- Social communication differences
- Deep, focused interests
- Repetitive behaviours
❗ Differences (ADHD)
- More impulsivity
- More hyperactivity
- Difficulty sustaining attention
👉 When combined (AuDHD), it can feel like:
- Wanting routine and change
- Being focused and distracted
💬 Easy Read Version (for your materials)
What is Autism?
-
Autism affects how people:
- Communicate
- Socialise
- Experience the world
Main signs:
- Social and communication differences
- Repetitive behaviours or routines
People may:
- Find social situations hard
- Like routines
- Have strong interests
- Be sensitive to noise, light, or touch
Important:
- Everyone is different 🌈
- Autism is a spectrum
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