By: MADISON GARCIA
Staff Writer
Autism Spectrum Disorder typically has an onset when a child enters preschool. It begins before the child reaches the age of 3. Some symptoms of the disorder are “difficulties with social communication and social interaction and restricted and repetitive patterns in behaviors, interests, and activities” (American Psychological Association). This disorder develops from genetic and environmental factors and is caused by differences in the brain. Usually, there are no physical features that someone can see to know someone has this disorder. The abilities that people have with this disorder can differ. Some people with Autism may require a lot of help living their everyday lives, while others may be fully or mostly independent. This disorder can make it very hard for people to be successful socially. Communicating with people and maintaining friendships can be difficult. It is common to see people with Autism have other disorders as well such as anxiety and depression. In order to diagnose someone with Autism Spectrum Disorder, doctors must analyze a child’s behaviors and development. Children can be diagnosed as early as 12 months or as late as 2 and older. While symptoms start by the age of 3, some people are not diagnosed until they have entered adulthood. Autism is not something that can be cured but people can “seek to reduce symptoms that interfere with daily functioning and quality of life” (CDC). While there is not one known cause for this disorder, there are some risk factors that have been identified: experiencing complications at birth, having been born to older parents, and having a sibling with the disorder, along with others.
