Autism is a syndrome that comes from exhibiting certain combinations or patterns of behavior. Low functioning autism is the term used to describe autistic individuals that are not able to function or deal with every day life. Normal to high functioning autism is used to describe people that exhibit autistic behaviors that are in fact able to deal with real world activities and normal day to day life. Many people diagnosed with autism end up living in less then ideal conditions. Autism is a developmental disorder, that affects many areas of human function such as language, and the ability to communicate. It affects self-help skills, coordination, and the ability of an individual to learn.

Common Behaviors

There are several common traits that will aid in the diagnosis of autism. These traits include, the tendency to stay in isolation or be away from others. Autistic individuals will have a hard time making friends and will seem very awkward in social situations. An autistic person will very rarely look some else in the eye. They will be very naive and easily swayed or manipulated. They are often quite gullible. When an autistic person speaks they will often so so using very formal language. They may speak in a monotone and their use of body language may be very poor. (such as nodding "no" while saying "yes". Autistic people will generally prefer common routines, they may be very literal in their use of language and may remember and recite a lot of detail without having a lot of understanding. They may also exhibit hyper- or hypo- sensitivity of the senses, have odd tastes in food and clothing as well as very fine or very grossly exaggerated motor coordination.

The more of the above traits an individual exhibits the more severe the case of autism is said to be. In some cases the above symptoms may become helpfully in certain disciplines like science, math, and engineering. These disciplines require a lot of memorization and many autistic's are quite proficient in these subjects as a result.

Autism and ADHD?

There has been some discussion on about a genetic as well as behavioral link between ADHD and autism. Some experts believe that ADHD should be put considered as a form of autistic spectrum disorder. It is quite common to have children diagnosed with both ADHD and autism together. In children, the two disorders seem very much alike. As the individuals age, the disorders grow and become more apparent. Children with ADHD will often develop normal social skills and be able to communicate with their peers and with others. Autistic children however will continue to show symptoms even as they age. there is still much to learn about the autism spectrum. Even with current advances in technology and medical science, a cure for this condition remains a mystery. The more we study the sooner we will understand the disorder and be able to help those who are diagnosed with this condition.