Persistent difficulty with social communication or social reciprocity
Trouble understanding unspoken social rules, tone, or body language
Strong preference for routine, predictability, or sameness
Distress when plans change unexpectedly
Intense, focused interests that feel unusually deep or absorbing
Repetitive movements, behaviors, or speech patterns
Sensory sensitivities to sound, light, texture, smell, taste, or touch
Sensory seeking behaviors, such as needing movement, pressure, or specific textures
Difficulty with back-and-forth conversation or knowing when to speak
Feeling like social interaction is confusing, exhausting, or unnatural
Masking or copying others to fit in socially
Feeling different from peers from an early age
Strong need for alone time after socializing
Challenges with eye contact, facial expressions, or gestures
Difficulty identifying or describing your own emotions
Frequent burnout, shutdowns, or meltdowns under stress
A lifelong pattern of these traits across different settings
Getting an autism assessment from a qualified professional