What are the symptoms of autism in adults and how do they test for it?

AUTISM is a lifelong condition affecting more than one in 100 people in the UK.

Those who have it may find it difficult to communicate and interact with others, the National Autistic Society notes.

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What is autism and what is the autism spectrum?

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is the name for a number of similar disorders, including Asperger’s Syndrome, that affect a person’s social interactions, communication, interests, and behavior.

For example, people on the autism spectrum may be under- or over-sensitive to sounds, touch, tastes, smells, light, or colors.

They can have intense anxiety about unexpected changes and in social situations.

However, no two people with autism spectrum disorder have exactly the same symptoms, and it’s called a spectrum because of the variety of its signs and symptoms and varying degrees of severity.

Some people with ASD experience symptoms that make daily life difficult.

Others who are considered “high-functioning” may simply feel that there is something “different” about them.

You may have felt this way since you were a child, but you couldn’t exactly pinpoint why.

Likewise, they may not notice that they are feeling or behaving differently, but others around them may notice that they are behaving or acting differently.

What Are the Signs of High-Functioning Autism in Adults?

Notable symptoms of ASD are usually diagnosed in young children in infancy.

While autism is most commonly diagnosed in young children, adults with an autism spectrum disorder may go undiagnosed.

However, if you are an adult who has not been diagnosed with autism but think you may have ASD, you may have high-functioning autism.

The following are some signs of autism in adults:

• communication challenges
• They have trouble reading social cues.
• Participating in conversations is difficult.
• You have trouble engaging with the thoughts or feelings of others.
• They are unable to read body language and facial expressions well. (You may not be able to tell if someone is happy or unhappy with you.)
• You use flat, monotonous, or robotic speech patterns that don’t express what you’re feeling.
• You invent your own descriptive words and phrases.
• Understanding idioms and idioms (such as “the early bird catches the worm” or “don’t look a gift horse in the mouth”) is difficult.
• You don’t like looking someone in the eye when you’re talking to them.
• You speak in the same pattern and tone whether you’re at home, with friends, or at work.
• They talk a lot about one or two favorite topics.
• It is difficult to form and maintain close friendships.

How Is Autism Diagnosed in Adults?

There are currently no standard diagnostic criteria for adults with suspected ASD, but they are under development.

Meanwhile, clinicians diagnose ASD primarily in adults through a series of personal observations and interactions.

They also take into account any symptoms the person reports having.

If you’re interested in getting screened for ASD, start with your GP, who will examine you to make sure your behavior isn’t explained by an underlying physical condition.

Your doctor may then refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist for a thorough evaluation.

The clinician wants to talk to you about any issues you have with communication, emotions, behavioral patterns, interests, and more.

You’ll answer questions about your childhood, and your doctor may ask you to talk to your parents or other older family members to get their perspectives on your lifelong behavioral patterns.

Using the children’s diagnostic criteria as a reference, your doctor can ask your parents questions from this list and rely on their memories of you as a child for more information.

If your doctor determines that you did not have ASD symptoms as a child, but instead did show symptoms as a teenager or adult, you may be evaluated for other possible mental or mood disorders.

Real House Wives of Cheshire star Christine McGuinness previously revealed that she, like her three children, has been diagnosed with the disease.

The 33-year-old has always been refreshingly honest about what it’s like to be a parent to children with autism, revealing in her new book that she has been diagnosed with the condition.

Her three children, twins Penelope and Leo, eight, and five-year-old Felicity, were all diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at a young age.

In an excerpt from her new book, Christine McGuinness: A Beautiful Nightmare, she said: “I have been confirmed as autistic. It’s strange, but I’ve found that throughout my life there have been little hints that I’m autistic and more like my children than I ever could have imagined.

“Now everything makes sense. And as much as I’m not totally surprised, it was still emotional for me to accept it, but it’s also a relief.”