Sometimes the signs of autism become noticeable in school-aged children, because the school environment can help and may make the signs of autism appear or make them more visible.
In particular, children who are later diagnosed with autism may have difficulty in social situations at school, for example, they may find it difficult to follow up and participate in conversations appropriately, make friends, and enjoy interests appropriate to their age.
Some of the major social and behavioral signs of autism in middle childhood and adolescence are listed below.
If you notice some of these signs or are concerned about your child’s behaviour, seeing your child’s GP is very important. Your GP can refer your child to the appropriate health professionals for evaluation and diagnosis.
If there are sufficient signs of autism, health professionals may diagnose your child with autism.
In general, health professionals make a diagnosis of autism only when they have ruled out other possible explanations for a child’s behavior.
Social communication signs of autism in older children and teens:
Older children and teens with autism typically have difficulty using verbal and nonverbal communication for social purposes.
1- verbal communication
Older children and teens with autism may:
Have difficulty taking turns in conversations – for example, they may want to do all the talking or find it difficult to answer questions about themselves
– You talk a lot about favorite topics, but find it difficult to talk about a range of topics
Confuse the language and take things literally, for example, they might be confused with the phrase “pull your socks up” and they actually pulled their socks off
They have an unusual tone of voice, or they use speech in an unusual way, for example, they may speak very loudly, in a monotonous voice or with an accent.
– They have a very good vocabulary and speak in old formal ways
You find it difficult to follow instructions with more than one or two steps.
2- Non-verbal communication
Older children and teens with autism may:
They have difficulty reading nonverbal cues, such as body language or tone of voice, to guess how another person is feeling – for example, they may not understand when adults are getting angry based on the tone of their voice, or they may not be able to tell when someone feels they are being harassed Or use sarcasm.
Using eye contact in an unusual way, for example, they may make less eye contact than others, or not use eye contact when talking to them.
Expressing certain emotions on their faces, or being unable to read other people’s facial expressions – for example, they may not be able to tell if someone loves them in a romantic way.
Use very few gestures to express themselves.
Developing relationships:
Older children and teens with autism may:
They prefer spending time alone, rather than spending time with their peers
Other kids need to play their own rules and get upset if their rules aren’t followed
They find it difficult to understand the social rules of friendship
They find it difficult to make friends and have few or no real friends
They have a problem with children their own age and prefer playing with younger children or adults
They find it difficult to modify their behavior in different social situations
Invasion of personal space by getting too close to people.
Signs of autistic behavior in older children and adolescents:
1- Recurring behavior and interests
Older children and teens with autism may:
They have unusual interests or obsessions, for example, they might collect sticks or memorize football statistics but don’t really care about the game
They have compulsive behavior – for example, they may line up things or need to close all the doors in the house.
Have an unusual attachment to things, for example, they may carry toys or collect unusual items such as packages of chips or shoelaces
You get easily upset by change and like to follow a routine – for example, they may want to sit in the same seat for every meal or have a special order to get ready in the morning.
Repetition of body movements or unusual bodily movements, such as hand flapping or rocking.
Making repetitive sounds – eg, grunts, throat clearing, or stridor.
2- Sensory sensitivities
Older children and teens with autism may:
Being sensitive to sensory experiences – for example, they may be easily disturbed by certain sounds or uncomfortable clothes, or only eat foods with a certain texture.
Look for sensory stimulation – for example, they may want to apply deep pressure, look for objects that vibrate like washers, or flutter fingers on either side of their eyes to watch a flash of light.
Be less responsive to pain than other children.
Alarming .. Symptoms of autism in infants
Other issues related to autism
Older children and teens with autism often have other problems as well. These may include:
Difficulty sleeping, for example, they may have trouble falling asleep, they may wake regularly or have broken sleep patterns.
Anxiety or feeling tired, for example, they may feel anxious about going to new places, or being in social situations.
Older children with autism and teens who are aware of their differences often perceive how others see them and can feel like strangers.
These bad moods may be exacerbated by changing hormone levels during puberty.
Aggressive behavior – they often have sensory sensitivity that can lead to sudden aggressive behaviour. They may find it difficult to understand what is going on around them, which can lead to a buildup of frustration
Eating disorders – for example, they may have trouble transitioning to high school and may develop an eating disorder to deal with feelings of anxiety.
Difficulty with organizational skills May have difficulty managing increased complexity in high school
School refusal – they may feel confused or disoriented at school, they may also be prone to bullying at school
gender identity disorder
Children and teens with autism can be more likely than other children and teens to recognize a different gender than the sex they were assigned to at birth. If they feel upset about it, this is called gender dysphoria.
