5 Signs of High Functioning Autism
High Functioning Autism(HFA) is a term applied to people within the autism spectrum who have a “higher functioning” IQ (70 or greater) than other individuals with ASD.
Sometimes, it can be hard to spot it in small children, however, today we want to share with you a small list that can help you identify some early signs of it.
High Functioning Autism Signs That You Might Be Ignoring
1.- Narrow Areas of Interest: This is a common denominator in ASD children. They have a tendency to like something and embrace it all the way. If an autistic child likes a particular cartoon, he would want all his items to be related to it. It’s also common for children within the autism spectrum to obsessively play the same song, watch the same cartoon, memorize some lines, and present other autism fixations.
2.- Neologisms: Neologism is basically the creation of new words to define regular objects or situations. Sometimes it is common for ASD parents to find their children mentioning a certain unknown word, without understanding what the child is pointing out to, which can be frustrating for both the parents and the child.
Tip* Ask your child to make a drawing of the object they are referring to so you can quickly identify what it is.
3.- Wants Things His/Her Own Way: Many times, when parents have not yet found out about their child’s diagnosis, they might confuse this kind of behavior with tantrums, when in reality the child is having an autistic meltdown.
Tip* Taking your child out of the “stressful” situation usually helps to calm children down within minutes. Your child might be feeling overstimulated over people, noise, colors, etc, and a quick walk or moment of peace can make the whole difference for them.
4.- Avoids Crowds: Social interactions can be overwhelming for ASD children and they might be pointed out as shy, or awkward when in reality this is a sensory overload issue. Understanding this issue can be a game changer when it comes to allowing your child to have their own space and time.
5.- Frequent Ear Infections: Children within the autism spectrum are 10 times more likely to have ear abnormalities than nonautistics during the first 3 years of infancy, so make sure to pay attention to ear issues and ear tube drainages.
Although these are some common indicators of HFA, we highly recommend you to seek professional support to if your child has not been professionally diagnosed. Remember, you are not alone during your journey and at WSCC we stand together with you each step of the way.
At World Stem Cell Clinic, we believe that that having an informed parent –in an effort to empower him and his family– is the only way to for us to deliver optimal healthcare. Visit our website to find out more about our services and let us be part of your journey.
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