Features

Generally speaking, people with autism don’t look different than anyone else. However, the way that they behave, communicate or interact around other people might look a lot different than what we are used to.

There are a variety of features (listed below) that can make up a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Each individual can have any combination - or any degree of severity - of those traits.

Autism is a structural difference in the brain that becomes identifiable in early childhood and lasts throughout a person's life. Some parents notice differences in their child within the first few months of life, other children may not show signs until they are two years or older. People with Asperger's/high-functioning autism are often more likely to receive a diagnosis later in life, sometimes not until adulthood, when their skills and development become noticeably different from that of their peers.

It's important to remember that autism is a "spectrum disorder". This means that, just as the features and symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are extremely varied, the impact and severity of the symptoms experienced by each person will also vary significantly.

This contributes to why some people with Asperger's/high-functioning autism can experience very complex issues. While they may be highly functioning in some areas of life, they may also have what amounts to a learning disability in one or more other areas.

Because ASD is a developmental disorder, the characteristics presented may change with age, with certain symptoms becoming more or less pronounced throughout a person’s lifetime. Intervention and treatment often helps symptoms improve over time.