10 signs of autism in teenagers

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) encompass a series of neurodevelopmental disorders that frequently reduce the ability to adapt, especially to the social environment. The earlier the detection, the better the outcome of any intervention.

In this sense, the problem is that there are cases in which the characteristic manifestations of the condition go unnoticed or there is a lack of trained specialists to identify them. Next, you will learn the most typical signs of autism in adolescents.

Adolescence is usually a stage in which the problems caused by autism become more evident.. Because it is a period in which important physiological and psychological changes occur, it is likely to see certain typical signs; unlike childhood, where symptoms could be confused with natural children’s behaviors.

From what age is it possible to diagnose ASD?

ASD is a neurodevelopmental condition, therefore, symptoms could be observed even from early childhood. However, as its name indicates, it is a heterogeneous spectrum. Consequently, in certain cases the disorder may not be identified until adulthood.

Autism problems in adolescence tend to become more evident.

Signs of autism in teenagers

One of the main characteristics of autism spectrum disorder is deficits in social communication.. As we well know, adolescents usually stand out for their interest in the social sphere. Therefore, this may be when the signs of autism become more prominent.

1. Restricted interests

Patients with ASD often have a restricted and unusual set of interests.. For example, someone might have a particular interest in ships and know a lot of facts about them. This is something that can also be seen in a neurotypical adolescent and does not mean that they have autism.

The difference is that patients with ASD do not show interest in anything other than that topic. That is to say, there is a very marked and restrictive fixation.

2. Difficulties in communication

Another sign of autism in adolescents is problems communicating with others. For people with this disorder, it can be difficult to start a conversation with someone. They may even refuse to interact with others from the beginning.

In this area, the difficulties suffered by people with ASD in maintaining eye contact stand out. Not everyone who has trouble making eye contact is autistic, but many autistic people struggle with this part of social communication (and sometimes it persists into adulthood).

3. Too formal language

Teenagers are well known for using different types of slang when talking to each other. However, patients with ASD tend to use formal words, unusual sentences, and neologisms when communicating. This increases difficulties in communication, since it could be difficult for others to understand them.

4. Problems grasping the nuances of verbal language

For neurotypical people, sarcasm, jokes, and conversational tones come naturally. But, for teens with autism it can be challenging to understand these types of nuances in communication.

So, It could happen that they take all the things that are told to them literally. Or they don’t know how to understand that someone’s tone of voice indicates annoyance or sadness. Studies indicate that this occurs because these people often have difficulty with abstraction and metaphysics (and the words used to speak in these terms).

5. Difficulty understanding non-verbal language

Much of our communication is non-verbal. Our brain is capable of detecting subtle body signals and interpret them. For example, if we notice that someone is frowning, it is easy to assume that he is upset or worried. However, when we study the signs of autism in adolescents, it is found that these patients have problems with it.

Adolescents with ASD do not simply grasp the bodily expressions that are part of non-verbal language. In fact, when speaking, their language is likely to be perceived as “robotic” because they tend not to show facial expressions.

6. Social isolation

Considering the previous problems in communication, it is common that adolescents with ASD tend to choose solitude. Unlike their neurotypical peers, they do not feel comfortable in social situations where they may have to interact with strangers.

In addition to the above, it is also possible that they are not invited to participate in social integrations by their peer group. A study in the Journal of autism and developmental disorders shows that young adults are more likely to be socially isolated, not visit friends, not be called by them, and never be invited to activities.

Therefore, it is possible that we will not see them participate in school activities, parties, etc. Likewise, they usually have few friends and maintain infrequent contact with them. All this is because social relationships do not represent a special interest for them.

Adolescents with ASD often have difficulties interacting on a social level.

7. Stereotypical behaviors

It is often observed that ASD patients display certain repetitive behaviors with their body. For example, there are those who rock from side to side when sitting or who make repeated movements with their hands.

8. Sensory hypersensitivity

One of the most characteristic signs of autism in adolescents is hypersensitivity to different sensory stimuli. Typically, a feature of sensory processing in autism is a lack of tolerance for loud noises and very bright lights. These types of stimuli produce a sensory overload that can overwhelm them, triggering an anxiety reaction.

This area is relatively little studied, but it is attracting more and more interest. Developing a sensory profile of patients with autism is very useful to meet their daily needs.

9. Little tolerance for changes

In autism spectrum disorder, there is a significant tendency to establish different rituals in daily life. A situation with which we could exemplify this could be playing a game every day at the same time. While neurotypical people also have routines, they tend to be much more flexible when it comes to change.

On the other hand, if for some reason the adolescent with ASD cannot follow his routine, he may react aggressively. For them, Changes in routine are a cause of anxiety and stress. As the National Institute of Mental Health points out, people with autism tend to become angry at slight changes in their routine and have great difficulty making transitions.

10. Challenging behavior

In some cases of ASD, patients may display challenging behaviors, including tantrums or self-harm. These behaviors are a consequence of the difficulty they have in regulating their own emotions.

Considerations about the diagnosis of autism in adolescence

The condition described, with its manifestations, is characteristic of mild and moderate symptoms of autism. However, there are cases in which the difficulties are deeper. For example, there are people who do not speak at all and do not tolerate physical contact.

Following this line, it is important to know that what was explained before are indications of a possible neurodevelopmental dysfunction. Nevertheless, ASD diagnosis must be made by a trained specialist.

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