What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
The World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), regarded as the global standard, came into full effect as of January 2022. It describes ASD as follows:
Autism spectrum disorder is characterised by persistent deficits in the ability to initiate and to sustain reciprocal social interaction and social communication, and by a range of restricted, repetitive, and inflexible patterns of behaviour, interests or activities that are clearly atypical or excessive for the individual’s age and sociocultural context. The onset of the disorder occurs during the developmental period, typically in early childhood, but symptoms may not become fully manifest until later, when social demands exceed limited capacities.
Facts about Wednesday
- The girl despises social media.
- She hates drip coffee.
- She doesn't like to hug.
- The girl shows no emotion.
- She likes firing verbal shots.
- There is a lot of sarcasm and dark humor in her lines.
Only outcasts, freaks, and monsters study at Nevermore Academy. Wednesday Addams is the most eccentric student at the Academy (that's a fact, ahaha).
Wensday's words, which show that she has difficulty understanding what other people are thinking or feeling (ASD: social interaction; verbal and nonverbal communication):
- "Friends are a liability and can be exploited. That makes them weaknesses"
- "Sartre said, «Hell is other people». He was my first crush"
- "I will ignore you, stomp on your heart, and always put my needs and interests first"
- "It’s not my fault I can’t interpret your emotional Morse code"
- "Pugsley, emotion equals weakness"
Main signs of autism spectrum disorder
- Developmental learning delays
- Over or under sensitivity to lights, sounds, touch, or tastes
- Difficulty communicating
- Repetitive movements and behaviors
- Difficulty in social situations
- Trouble with transitions
- Attachment to unusual interests
- Difficulty understanding emotions
- Recurring sleep problems
- Insufficient impulse control
It’s important to note that there are differences in the autism symptoms adults and children display. Symptoms and signs of autism can also change as children transition to adolescence and then to adulthood.
Based on Wednesday Addams dialogues and behavior (and information from ICD-11), we can assume that she may have an autism spectrum disorder.
More information about autism spectrum disorder
Signs of ASD in adults
Common signs of ASD in adults include:
- finding it hard to understand what others are thinking or feeling
- getting very anxious about social situations
- finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on your own
- seeming blunt, rude or not interested in others without meaning to
- finding it hard to say how you feel
- taking things very literally – for example, you may not understand sarcasm or phrases like "break a leg"
- having the same routine every day and getting very anxious if it changes
Other signs of autism. You may also have other signs, like:
- not understanding social "rules", such as not talking over people
- avoiding eye contact
- getting too close to other people, or getting very upset if someone touches or gets too close to you
- noticing small details, patterns, smells or sounds that others do not
- having a very keen interest in certain subjects or activities
- liking to plan things carefully before doing them
What is the main cause of autism?
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. Some people with ASD have a known difference, such as a genetic condition. Other causes are not yet known.
Can a blood test detect autism?
Because ASD is a behaviorally-defined condition, it cannot be diagnosed using a genetic blood test, an MRI scan of the brain, an electroencephalogram (EEG), or any other non-behavioral method.