Signs of autism: symptoms and causes

Find out what the main signs of autism are and if you should get advice.

Signs of autism in children

Signs of autism in young children include:

not responding to their name
avoiding eye contact
not smiling when you smile at them
getting very upset if they do not like a certain taste, smell or sound
repetitive movements, such as flapping their hands, flicking their fingers or rocking their body
not talking as much as other children
not doing as much pretend play
repeating the same phrases

Signs of autism in older children include:

not seeming to understand what others are thinking or feeling
unusual speech, such as repeating phrases and talking ‘at’ others
liking a strict daily routine and getting very upset if it changes
having a very keen interest in certain subjects or activities
getting very upset if you ask them to do something
finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on their own
taking things very literally – for example, they may not understand phrases like "break a leg"
finding it hard to say how they feel

Autism can sometimes be different in girls and boys.

Autistic girls may:

This means autism can be harder to spot in girls.

You could speak to:

a GP
a health visitor (for children under 5)
any other health professional your child sees, such as another doctor or therapist
special educational needs (SENCO) staff at your child's school

Getting diagnosed can help your child get any extra support they might need.

Find out how to get diagnosed

Common signs of autism in adults include:

finding it hard to understand what others are thinking or feeling
getting very anxious about social situations
finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on your own
seeming blunt, rude or not interested in others without meaning to
finding it hard to say how you feel
taking things very literally – for example, you may not understand sarcasm or phrases like "break a leg"
having the same routine every day and getting very anxious if it changes

You may also have other signs, like:

not understanding social "rules", such as not talking over people
avoiding eye contact
getting too close to other people, or getting very upset if someone touches or gets too close to you
noticing small details, patterns, smells or sounds that others do not
having a very keen interest in certain subjects or activities
liking to plan things carefully before doing them

Autistic women may be more likely to:

have learned to hide signs of autism to 'fit in' - by copying people who do not have autism
be quieter and hide their feelings
appear to cope better with social situations
show fewer signs of repetitive behaviours

This means it can be harder to tell you're autistic if you're a woman.

If you already see a health professional, such as another doctor or therapist, you could speak to them instead.

Getting diagnosed can help you get any extra support you might need.

Find out how to get diagnosed