WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF ATYPICAL AUTISM?
Parents who suspect that their child may be autistic but find that their child does not have many of the common autism characteristics should consider the characteristics of atypical autism. As well as being late onset, typically after 3 years of age, there are usually insufficient difficulties in one or two of the three main areas required for a diagnosis of autism: social skills, language development and imaginative expression. The range of symptoms in children with atypical autism can be quite different and cases can be mild or severe. Characteristics can vary greatly since each case is unique but can include the following: • Symptoms present during late toddler years • Social skills difficulties which may include difficulties with eye contact • May have difficulty making friends or may not show interest in making friends • Problems developing a vocabulary or loss of a previously gained language skill • Communication difficulties • Limited speech • No or limited pretend or imaginati
