Autism is a lifelong, nonprogressive neurological condition that usually manifests before the age of three. The term “autism” refers to a developmental disorder that has a substantial impact on verbal and nonverbal communication as well as social interaction.
The classic form of autism manifests as constrained, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior and activities, as well as deficits in social interaction, communication and language use, and limited imagination.
Autism is a condition that spans a wide range of symptoms. Autism symptoms and traits can appear in a wide range of combinations, ranging from mild to severe. Although autism is defined by a set of characteristics, children and people with autism can display any combination of these behaviors in any severity. Two children with the same condition can behave extremely differently and have distinct abilities.