Autism spectrum disorder — overview

Autism is a lifelong developmental difference in how a person communicates, relates to others, and experiences the world. It is not an illness and not something that goes wrong along the way — it is a different kind of wiring, present from early in development. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention keeps a clear, regularly updated overview for families, and it is a sound place to start when you want the basics without alarm.

What autism is Autistic people tend to process social information, language, and sensory input differently. That shows up in countless small ways: a child who lines up their toys with great care, who is overwhelmed by a noisy hall, who talks in detail about a favourite subject, or who takes words very literally. None of these on its own means a child is autistic — but a consistent pattern across social communication and behaviour is what a diagnosis describes.

Why it is called a spectrum The "spectrum" is not a line from mild to severe. It is a wide range of profiles. Two autistic children can look almost nothing alike: one may speak early and struggle with change, another may be minimally verbal and unusually calm in a crowd. Support needs vary between children, and they vary within the same child across settings and over time. A child who copes at school may be exhausted and dysregulated at home — both are real.

Signs, screening, and diagnosis The CDC groups early signs into social communication (limited eye contact, few gestures, not responding to their name) and restricted or repetitive patterns (intense interests, repetitive movements, strong need for sameness). It recommends developmental screening at regular check-ups, with a dedicated autism check around 18 and 24 months. Screening is not a diagnosis — it flags whether a fuller assessment by a specialist team is worth arranging.

Support and next steps There is no single treatment for autism, because autism is not a disease to be cured. Support means helping a child communicate, learn, and take part in daily life in ways that fit them — speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, play-based approaches, and school accommodations, chosen for the individual child. The CDC page links out to milestone checklists and to its "Learn the Signs. Act Early." resources, which are useful for tracking development and raising concerns with a doctor.

A calm way to read it If you are here because something feels different about your child, the most useful stance is curiosity rather than dread. Note what you see, track it against the milestone lists, and bring it to a professional. A worry written down and shared is far more useful than one carried silently for months. Autism understood early is autism supported early — and the goal of support is never to make a child less themselves, but to help them thrive as who they are. Whatever the assessment eventually shows, paying close, warm attention to your child is never wasted.