--- title: What is autism? description: 'Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects how people interact with others and the world. People talk about autism spectrum disorder in different ways. Learn more. ' slug: what-is-autism author: Amanda Morin reviewer: Elizabeth Harstad, MD, MPH published: '2019-08-05T15:07:44.369Z' thumbnail: https://cdn-images.understood.org/p0qf7j048i0q/7HpGYu9CvIyeSq4WNlx2es/2598432d13f94d4606f1f3a016afd0a6/G1147745817.png source_url: https://www.understood.org/en/articles/what-is-autism lang: en --- # What is autism? Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects how people communicate and interact with others and the world around them. It’s lifelong — you don’t grow out of it. Autism often co-occurs with other conditions, like [ADHD](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/ive-heard-that-autism-and-adhd-are-related-is-that-true) and learning disabilities. They share common challenges with social skills and communication, including: - Trouble reading nonverbal cues or picking up [“unwritten” social rules](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/unwritten-social-rules-for-kids) - Difficulty participating in conversation  - Not always being able to modulate (control how loud you speak, or in what tone) - Taking language literally and not always understanding puns, riddles, or figures of speech   Another common sign is what’s known as *stereotyped behavior*. This may look like having a** **“special interest” around a certain topic or object. Or it can refer to repetitive behaviors and movements** **like: - Arm flapping or rocking (sometimes called *stimming*) - Repeating certain sounds or phrases (sometimes called *echolalia*) There’s a lot of variation in how autism presents from person to person. Some people communicate by speaking. Others use nonverbal communication. There’s also a wide range in intellectual and self-care abilities. An autism diagnosis reflects this by using Support Levels of 1, 2, or 3. These levels show how much support a person needs, with 3 as the highest level.   People talk about autism in different ways. Doctors and schools often use the term *autism spectrum disorder* (or ASD) and person-first language (“a person *with autism*”). Some people with the diagnosis prefer identity-first language and may call themselves *autistic*. Rather than calling autism a disorder, some in the autism community embrace [neurodiversity](https://www.understood.org/en/articles/neurodiversity-what-you-need-to-know). This concept says conditions like autism are neurological variations that are simply part of human difference. --- ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.understood.org/en/articles/what-is-autism#webpage","url":"https://www.understood.org/en/articles/what-is-autism","description":"Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects how people interact with others and the world. People talk about autism spectrum disorder in different ways. Learn more. "},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://www.understood.org/en/articles/what-is-autism","name":"What is autism?"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","datePublished":"2019-08-05T15:07:44.369Z","description":"Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects how people interact with others and the world. People talk about autism spectrum disorder in different ways. Learn more. ","headline":"What is autism?","url":"https://www.understood.org/en/articles/what-is-autism","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.understood.org/#organization","name":"Understood for All Inc","logo":"https://cdn-images.understood.org/p0qf7j048i0q/307jFAYQevghG8nQMCjh89/ccdbbec895765824db43f6d30b496e83/logo_lockup_navy.jpg"}}] ```