Types of Autism and Their Characteristics

According to the WHO, 1 in every 160 children has an autism spectrum disorder.⁽¹⁾

In this PsychologyFor article, we explain what the types of autism and their characteristics, what are the traits that characterize people with this disorder and how we can promote a higher quality of life. It may be of great interest to people who want to know how to help someone around them, learn about the typical features of this disorder, or simply help the people who have it to identify how and what they feel.

The autism spectrum disorders, also called ASD, are a series of developmental disorders and, although the traits of the people who present it may vary, they are usually people who have difficulty in social relationships, understanding and communication. They tend to establish little eye contact, have certain repetitive behaviors and very specific and selective interests. Normally, disorders are diagnosed during the first 3 and 5 years of life and it is common to detect the first signs at school along with the involvement and collaboration of the family.

What are autism spectrum disorders?

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurological involvement which becomes noticeably visible as the baby develops. It is characterized by impairment in several areas of development: the area of ​​language and speech, the area of ​​cognitive development, and the area of ​​social and emotional development.

The diagnosis, especially when the boy or girl is very young, can present some difficulty in diagnosing it since each boy and girl has a different development.

There is 5 types of autism spectrum disorders These are: autism, Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, Heller syndrome or pervasive developmental disorder and, finally, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified.

Although not all people present the same disorder or have the same problems, there is a generalization in their behavior or way of acting:

• They usually have a cognitive immaturity.
• They are characterized by being people with difficulties to relate and express themselves both linguistically and emotionally. They have a hard time maintaining eye contact and body contact.
• They need routines and habits to feel safe, they are not comfortable outside their comfort zone and it often causes them helplessness/anger, since they do not understand what is happening.
• Selective interest They do not usually show interest in what is proposed to them or in what others do, normally, they show interest in unusual aspects. With the topics that are of interest to them, they are great experts, since they pour themselves into everything that is in their hands, sometimes it can even become obsessive.
• Repetitive movements or stereotypies. They usually carry out repetitive movements such as rocking the body, moving the hands, movements with the mouth, tongue, etc.

Types of autism

The disorders that are included within the types of autism are:

1. Autism or Kanner syndrome.
2. Asperger syndrome.
3. Rett syndrome.
4. Heller syndrome or disintegrative disorder.
5. Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified.

Autism or Kanner syndrome: symptoms and characteristic

It’s a neurodevelopmental disorder which is usually detected during the first years of a child’s life and will accompany him throughout his life cycle, since there is no cure. It is usually detected at school since that is where he spends most of his time. It has been shown that there is greater effectiveness in diagnosis if there is family involvement, since there are times when people do not want to recognize that their child suffers from a disorder.

The most common characteristics in people with autism are usually:

• Communication and social relationship difficulties: In general, people with autism find it difficult to relate and interact with others.
• They follow repetitive patterns and routines: They are people who have very specific interests and who tend to follow a repetitive pattern. They don’t like to get out of their routine and usually dislike it.

In autistic children and/or adults characteristics What we usually observe are:

• Difficulty relating to other boys and girls, often there is an interest but they do not know how to do it since there is a difficulty in understanding the language.
• There is little eye contact and they limit physical contact.
• They have a strong specific interest in what they are passionate about and, usually, in unusual things. They don’t usually share it with others. Many times, they appear fascinated.
• They don’t usually have a very rich language, it is quite limited.
• They have a hard time reacting when a person speaks to them, even their parents. There is usually no feedback from them.
• They don’t usually smile much. They understand language in its literal sense, since they do not usually understand jokes or jokes, they do not have a sense of humor.
• There is little emotional expression.
• They tend to carry out repetitive behaviors, such as rocking their body or constantly moving their hands. These movements are called stereotypies.
• There is usually an absence of symbolic play (playing with dolls or kitchenettes) and imaginative play. Their play is different from other children, as well as obsessive and unusual, this can catch our attention.

We will take into account that there are different degrees of autism, we will consider the mild autism or high functioning autism as the lowest degree, where the person who presents it can lead as normal a life as possible without major effects in the different areas, and those who have a higher degree of autism as a person who has more dependence.

Asperger syndrome: symptoms and characteristic

He Asperger syndrome It is a type of autism that is characterized, above all, by little social interaction and a deficit in the ability to express and understand one’s own verbal and non-verbal language, and that of others.

Social interaction

They are people who want or try to relate to others, but by not having the necessary tools to do so, they can feel frustrated. Consequently, many are reserved and prefer to be alone or in little company, especially in the school environment, recess can become a difficult time for them. It is important to have someone to accompany you, such as a partner.

Language

As in autism, language is altered. Normally, it is shorter and they understand the literal meaning of the sentences. Many times, they do not control the tone, volume or flow of the words. They may talk about their interests for a long time but are not aware of when to end a conversation. Normally, they respond without problem to the questions asked of them, but they are not able to propose a topic of conversation “on the fly.”

Non-verbal communication

Less registration and use of non-verbal communication: gestures, looks, body position, distance, etc., all these factors are altered, making good communication difficult, since this is a very important part of communication. When we speak, we perceive stimuli through non-verbal communication, they inform us about various aspects of the receiver. In this case, it is reduced, they cannot be seen.

Lack of empathy

People with Asperger’s are usually people who lack empathy. This is because, as we have mentioned previously, they cannot interpret the non-verbal communication of the person they are talking to, many times, nor their emotions or feelings. It is important to convey verbally, clearly and precisely what we want to convey, since they understand the literal meaning of things and do not perceive what we want to say with gestures, expressions, looks, etc.

Routine habits

By not understanding everything that happens around them, it gives them a lot of stability to determine routines. Those who are affected cause resistance to change. They do not understand the reason for this change and it often translates into anger and/or anxiety. It is important to verbalize the reason for the change and try to convince him that it is nothing negative for him.

Few interests, very strong and unusual

They have selective interest and are very passionate about what really interests them. They enrich themselves with knowledge as much as they can, they become experts on the subject. Many times, this passion allows them to dedicate themselves to it professionally, other times, they only do it for pure entertainment and it can be a negative aspect, since they become isolated and obsessed.

The interests or tastes of boys and girls with Asperger’s tend to be dinosaurs, calculation, some methods of transportation, geometric shapes, etc.

Sensory perception

There are those who have hypersensitivity, some of the senses altered, causing discomfort in light, noise, strong smells, etc.

On the other hand, the sense of proprioception may be altered, they do not control the body in relation to space and they may feel uncomfortable or cause discomfort in others due to excessive body contact. What for us may be a totally normal aspect, for a person who suffers from Asperger’s can be really annoying.

In women…

Normally, in women or girls who have Asperger’s, the disorder can present in a more subtle way, presenting the traits that we have discussed previously, but with a milder degree.

Rett syndrome: symptoms and characteristic

He Rett syndrome although for a long time it has been included within the autism spectrum disorders, in the new update of the DSM5, no longer appears as such. It differs from other disorders, since it has a genetic origin the disorder originates on the X chromosome and, therefore, commonly occurs in girls and women.

Normally, the disorder begins to be appreciated around 6-18 months when a development setback and this can become stagnant. It is a disorder where the child loses already acquired skills. Being degenerative, this process can go more or less quickly depending on each particular case. The stage of further deterioration usually begins to occur around 10 years of age.

Characteristics

• Impairment in coordination and movement. We can see that a child who began to want to crawl or walk is losing skill instead of progressing. This point can create confusion, since a child who does not crawl or walk, when he is supposed to “should”, does not necessarily have to have ASD. She may simply have slower development and need more time. We must consult with a specialist if we have any questions.
• Loss of communication skills. We observe that there may be a deterioration in communication skills, as well as eye contact. It is common for people with Rett syndrome to communicate in other ways, such as nonverbal language.
• frequent mood swings They can go from happy to bursting into tears in a matter of just a few minutes.
• The disconnection mental It is one of the most common characteristics of girls or women with Rett syndrome.
• Crying as a form of expression. It is common for them to use crying as a form of expression, since sometimes, in certain situations, they do not know how to do it any other way.
• Night terrors. It is common for them to often have night terrors. These are a sleep disorder where the person, while asleep, may show signs of stress and panic. Normally, it manifests itself because the person may scream and actually appear in a state of panic while sleeping. The heart rate increases and sweating occurs. After a few minutes, the symptoms disappear and the person continues sleeping as if nothing had happened. Unlike nightmares, they usually don’t remember anything the next day.
• Bruxism. It is another sleep disorder where the person tends to grind their teeth while sleeping; it is very common in people with Rett syndrome.
• Stereotypies. Facial and body movements. They usually carry out movements with their jaw, lips or tongue, as well as with their hands. They move their eyes from side to side a lot or blink excessively.
• Sounds. It is common for them to let out a long, loud laugh or make “strange” verbal sounds/noises.
• Scoliosis. Suffering from scoliosis, which is a deformity of the spine, is very common in people who have Rett syndrome.
• Problematic behaviors. There are cases, both in childhood autism and autism in adults, in which they have certain problematic and/or aggressive behaviors, although we will remember that they do not do it consciously and, many times, it is due to misunderstanding of a situation or frustration.

Disintegrative disorder or Heller syndrome: symptoms and characteristic

He t disintegrative disorder or also called Heller syndrome It is a pervasive disorder of cognitive development and is characterized by being a late detection disorder.

It is a disorder that is very similar to autism, with the difference that before the age of 2 or 3, no anomaly or trait is observed that could indicate that the boy or girl may have this disorder, correct development is perceived. In autism, from babies, you can see certain traits, behaviors or behaviors in the child that can put us on alert. In Heller syndrome there will be normal development until at least 2 years of age. From 2-3 years onwards, is when we will observe a deterioration such as, for example, in communication and language skills, as well as in motor skills.

The characteristics of Heller syndrome are very similar to those of autism:

• Loss of acquired skills We observe, from 2 or 3 years of age, already acquired communicative, social relationship and motor regressions. At 3 years old, a child who already spoke and communicated fluently loses dexterity.
• Particular behavior As in autism, these are boys and girls who have little eye contact, smile little, and have communication difficulties.
• Cognitive immaturity In boys and girls with Heller syndrome, we can see cognitive immaturity, especially when regressions or loss of already acquired skills begin to occur.

Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified

Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified is a term given in cases where The diagnosis is not clear The person may present several characteristics or traits of more than one type of autism and cannot be diagnosed with a specific disorder.

There is some disagreement regarding the classification of patients in this disorder and research is still being done on it, as it causes some confusion, especially among professionals.

Autism treatment

It is worth remembering that boys and girls have different rates of development and slow or different development does not always have to lead to ASD. Even so, it is necessary to observe and be alert to changes, behaviors and regressions. It is very common that, when there is any suspicion on the part of teachers, professionals are requested. In these cases, psychologists and pedagogues come to make observations on the daily life of the classroom, and thus be able to identify and evaluate the possible special needs that a student may have.

ASD currently has no cure, it will accompany the person throughout their life, but a series of actions can be carried out to help improve their quality of life. Although we must look at each case, as the way we will intervene may vary. The tips are as follows:

Method ABA

The ABA method or Applied Behavior Analysis deals with individualized interventions using specific techniques and strategies. The methodology, although it is based on the specific needs of each person, above all focuses on the acquisition of new skills and reducing a greater impact on the development of ASD. Analysts observe conduct or behavior and develop interventions based on these observations. Interventions of 25 hours a week or more are commonly carried out, where a notable improvement is seen in people with ASD.

Social skills training

These sessions aim to learn, put into practice and rehearse the different social skills. There are different proposals for this, although Role Playing is a widely used technique. Try to create situations where the person will assume a specific role where they will need the use of social skills. This technique allows the person to put themselves in a certain situation or role, it may be real but it is normally a previously prepared situation. An example could be simulating a purchase in a store: asking, asking, expressing your wishes, etc.

Pictogram creation

When a person with ASD does not communicate fluently, or there is no communication, we can create pictograms (PECS). They are panels created individually with images that will be part of the child/adult’s daily life and that will point their finger at their requests, answers, questions or desires. We can create all the panels we want, there are even those who create classified notebooks in various areas. Pictograms can include routines, questions, habits, actions, days of the week, photos of family members, foods, clothes, activities, emotions or anything we deem appropriate.

Trust and give autonomy

Many times ASD are not given the possibility of being autonomous beings, we think that they are not capable and we immediately intervene. To facilitate this situation, we will try to ensure that the child/adult can resolve the circumstances that arise without intervening directly and encouraging them to ask us for help, something unusual. We will be present, valuing and trusting in their possibilities, letting them button their jacket, for example. In this way, we help them feel valued and capable of solving their own problems.

Intervene as mediators

When the person is surrounded by many people, which can cause a lot of anxiety and insecurity, we can intervene as mediators so that a conversation, situation arises or, in the case of children, so that they join in to play with a group of children. and girls. “This is Marc and he would really like to play with you with clay. Can you leave him a place on the bench so he can sit with you?”

Swimming

Swimming allows them to relax, release tension and work on motor skills, control of their own body and coordination. at the same time they generate energy expenditure and strengthen the cardiovascular system. It gives them security and autonomy. If they swim with other classmates, they will reinforce social skills and communication. If you do it with your father or mother, the family bond will be strengthened.

Music therapy

Music therapy has multiple benefits, since through music and body expression it helps with auditory, visual and tactile perception, concentration, the development of fine and gross motor skills, knowledge and control of one’s own body. It also improves communication, since they interact with more children/adults. In addition, it helps them reduce anxiety and reduce tics and repetitive movements, a very common characteristic in people with ASD.

What toys to offer to children with ASD?

It is recommended that the toys or materials we offer positively favor their development, encourage creativity and help stimulate. Wooden constructions, therapeutic balls, clays and plasticines for modeling, toys with lights or sounds, percussion instruments, geometric figures or unstructured material (tuppers, macaroni, brushes, sponges, strainers, wooden spoons…) would be some of the toys we can offer. If we have the opportunity, it is very beneficial for them to try to play together with other boys and girls. It is advisable to restrict the use of tablets or consoles, as they do not favor social relationships and it is an area that must be promoted.

symbolic game

Although boys and girls with ASD normally do not have much interest in symbolic play, we can create situations and invite them to play. Kitchens, playing with dolls, “playing to be”, etc., allow them to adapt roles and learn to function in different situations, as well as practice social skills.

In conclusion…

As we have seen, although there are some significant traits in common, each disorder is different and affects each person’s development differently. By following the advice we have cited above, you can help children and/or adults with autism to be able to live together better and with a higher quality of life.

This article is merely informative, at PsychologyFor we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to Types of autism and their characteristics we recommend that you enter our Clinical Psychology category.

References

1. WHO. (2018). Autism spectrum disorders – World Health Organization

Bibliography

• Spanish Association of Rett Syndrome – PDF common problems.
• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (2013). – Pervasive Developmental Disorders in the DSM-V.