Source: https://ada.com/signs-of-autism/

Text dump for the autists here who want to copy and paste then explain the joke.

Signs of autism in adults Autism spectrum disorder is a lifelong condition and some people with autism spectrum disorder are not diagnosed until they are adults. This could be because they fall into the higher functioning range of the autism spectrum and their symptoms are less severe, or because they were misdiagnosed with a condition such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or obsessive compulsive disorder.

Although treatment can improve some outward symptoms, people with autism will always process sensations such as sound, sight, touch and smell in different ways.

Autism is a spectrum condition, which means that adults will have different experiences of day-to-day living. An adult with mild symptoms, who is towards the higher functioning range of the autism spectrum, may:

Have difficulties with social interactions Avoid making eye contact Not understand nonverbal facial or body gestures, such as frowning or shrugging Not understand changes in tone of voice, such as sarcasm Be comforted by rules and routine Get upset at changes to routines Be under- or over-sensitive to loud noises, strong smells or tastes Engage in repetitive behaviors, such as pacing or hand flapping Have a narrow range of interests Have a good memory and recall of facts An adult who is towards the lower functioning range of the autism spectrum may:

Never communicate verbally, or have only limited verbal skills Need assistance with everyday living, such as bathing and dressing Engage in repetitive behaviors, such as rocking Insist on rules and routine Become extremely distressed at changes to routine Need specialized diets Employment may present a challenge for adults with autism. People with autism are likely to need adjustments to be able to work productively, such as lights that do not flicker or a quiet space to work in.

One common sign of autism spectrum disorder in adults is anxiety. Signs of anxiety can include:

Irritability Insomnia Racing heart Headaches Dizziness Constant thoughts about worst case scenarios Depression Adults with autism spectrum disorder may also experience meltdowns.

Signs of autism in girls The ratio of boys to girls diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder is 4:1. However, there is some evidence that autism is going undiagnosed in girls, particularly those who are at the higher functioning end of the spectrum.

There is discussion around whether girls and women with autism may display different symptoms to boys and men, and that the current diagnostic criteria may be biased towards boys and stereotypical male behavior. Girls and women may also be better able to mask difficulties with social interactions than boys, and this may delay a diagnosis. New diagnostic criteria may be needed to assess ASD in girls and women. Past theories, including controversies such as the extreme male brain, may have led to under-referral and under-diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in girls and women.

Signs that a girl may have autism include:

Difficulties with social interactions; however, differences from typical autism symptoms may include: Better grasp of emotions and ability to make friends than boys May mask lack of intuitive understanding of social situations by repeating role-plays seen in real life or film/television May be able to make friends but find difficulty keeping them Intense focus on particular topics; differences in gender may be expressed as a focus on trains or dinosaurs for boys, and celebrities or animals for girls, Fewer repetitive behaviors and gestures than boys, or may have different gestures than boys Reliance on rules and routine, however, that may be interpreted as good behavior in girls There are also higher rates of anxiety, depression and eating disorders among girls with autism spectrum disorder than among boys.