Physical Characteristics of Children with
Autism

It might be more convenient if there were a set list of physical characteristics of children with autism for parents and medical professionals to reference. Unfortunately along with a wide variety of symptoms (hence the term autism spectrum disorder) there are no defining physical signs of an autistic child.

Physical characteristics of autism

Trying to figure out what the physical signs of autism are is a frustrating process because what few there are can be almost completely subjective. For example, large eyes can be an indicator – but aside from the fact that children naturally have large eyes, the autistic trait is actually due to the dilation of the pupils. In other words, the eyes aren't actually larger – they simply seem that way. The other physical signs, such as the possibility of unusual shape or placement of years, are minor and not present in all autistic children.

The fact is, autistic children are often perceived by the general public and parents and physicians to appear to be typical children falling within the normal range of development – until they don't. Since early treatment of the disorder is key to the functioning of children as they get older, the challenges are huge.

In 2004, an Atlanta father was certain, when his child was delayed in speech development, that his son was autistic, and prepared himself and his family for the process of starting treatment – when suddenly the child began speaking normally. Further tests revealed that the child was not autistic at all, but the story highlights the difficulty in diagnosing autism spectrum disorders. Aside from the absence of physical characteristics of children with autism, the behavioral indicators that do appear can be easily mistaken for something else.

Through much research and treatment, there have been some rough guidelines established for identifying physical behaviors that can indicate the possibility of autism. These are by no means complete lists, and autism professionals should be consulted before a child is considered autistic:

• Lack of desire for cuddling
• Seeing other people the same way they see other objects
• Either a lack or surfeit of crying
• Obsessive focus and play with one toy to the exclusion of others
• Resistance to change, including the transition of toilet training

• Hyperactivity and resistance to rules set by teachers
• Compulsive and ritualistic behavior patterns
• Anxiety due to a lack of understanding social situations
• Difficulty using skills learned in one environment (such as school) to another (such as home)
• Lack of ability to make social judgments or understand social cues like body language

• Sexual development and awareness are delayed, and social norms surrounding them (such as exhibitionism) may be difficult to communicate
• Social anxiety continues and may give way to depression
• Epilepsy and other kinds of seizures may occur
• Disabilities, physical or learning, become more pronounced

It needs to be stressed that all of these symptoms are also symptoms of children without ASD, and do not need to be present for a child to actually have ASD.

As awareness of autism increases, the ability of school and medical professionals to identify, diagnose, and treat autism in young children is growing constantly. Through the work of organizations such as Autism Speaks and other autism support networks there are many resources to help parents understand and deal with the challenges of autism.

The first step is to contact a professional in the medical, educational or social work field and arrange for a meeting and testing for the child. Because of the variety of symptoms, there are a wide variety of both direct testing and indirect observational methods to ascertain whether or not a child has ASD. Once that has been determined, though, treatment can begin with a team of professionals and family working together for the better health of the child.

• Preschool Activities for Autistic Children
• Possible Causes of Autism
• Tips for Raising Kids with Autism
• What Is Your Autism Empathy Rating?

• Lesson Plans for Autistic Children
• Adult Autism Symptoms
• Social Skills Activities for Kids with Autism
• Speech Therapy Ideas for Autistic Children
• Famous Autistic People

• Toileting Issues with Autism
• Autism Disorder Characteristics
• Learning Characteristics of Autism
• Behavior Characteristics of Autism
• Category:Autism and Children