Signs and symptoms of adult autism

There's a person I deal with daily that my husband says is Autistic. So I did some research and I believe he is correct.

Autistic people may find some aspects of communication and social interaction challenging. They may have difficulty relating to people and understanding their emotions. Autistic adults may also have inflexible thought patterns and behavior, and may carry out repetitive actions.

Common signs and symptoms of ASD in adults can includeTrusted Source:

• difficulty making conversation
• difficulty making or maintaining close friendships
• discomfort during eye contact
• challenges with regulating emotions
• extreme interest in one particular topic
• frequent monologues on the same subject or subjects
• hypersensitivity to sounds or smells that do not seem to bother others
• involuntary noises, such as repetitive throat clearing
• difficulty understanding sarcasm or idioms
• lack of inflection when speaking
• limited interest in only a few activities
• preference for solitary activities
• problems reading the emotions of others
• trouble understanding facial expressions and body language
• reliance on daily routines and difficulty dealing with change
• repetitive behaviors
• social anxiety
• superiorTrusted Source abilities in a particular field, such asTrusted Source mathematics or other disciplines
• the need to arrange items in a specific order

Autistic people will not usually have all the above signs and symptoms, and they may experience others that are not on the list.

There may be some similarities between ASD and other disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but the signs and symptoms of ASD vary from person to person.

Also, the symptoms can differ across genders. Some people may seem able to cope better with social situations than others, as their symptoms may be more subtle and masked. As a result, it can be more challenging to diagnose ASD.