What social and behavioral characteristics do young children with autism exhibit?
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that affects three areas of function: social interaction, language, and behavior. Infants with ASD have little interest in social interactions. They may not smile, or later, imitate facial expressions, point, or respond when called. As older children, they are awkward at best in social situations and often have little interest in interacting with other children. They don’t maintain eye contact. Regarding behavior, children with ASD prefer routines and often have rituals and difficulties when they transition from one activity to another. They may become attached to odd objects and engage in repetitive actions. They have little interest in typical age-appropriate play activities and imagination activities. Instead, they exhibit repetitive behavior such as flicking fingers, twirling, rocking, or lining up toys. In older children, there may be memorization of particular information like train schedules or intense interest in cert
