A child with autism faces a lot of challenges in their life, but no challenge to them may be greater than the social challenge they face every single day. But it’s these social challenges they face that distinguish autism from the other types of disorders in the same class. If a child has autism they generally lack a knowledge and understanding for other people that you may know. For instance, someone may be crying at the loss of a loved one but a person with autism may not understand why they are crying. They may not equate the tears to a direct sadness with someone losing a loved one.
The lack of social skills becomes very clear from an early age. Somewhere in early childhood autistic kids are not excited by the same things that normal kids are. They tend to not make eye contact and not smile as much. They also do not respond to their own name. Something else that distinguishes them: when a kid wants something their instinct is to just tell the parent or authority figure what they want but if an autistic kid wants something they may take an adults hand and point it at what they want or make a motion in order to get it.
There are children that are less likely to exhibit understanding in social situations and they are less likely to take turns. This does not mean that children who are autistic are not affectionate or always attached. They often respond to their caregivers and form really strong bonds and attachments to them. The fact is that children with autism end up showing their signs at a very early age and while it can be alarming and upsetting to parents, it’s important for them to see it early and make the necessary adjustments.