The three common ‘red flag’ symptoms of autism in adults - when to see a doctor

Autism is a lifelong condition that affects how a person communicates with other people, and how they see the world around them. It’s the name given to a group of conditions that affect a person’s social interaction and behaviour, according to the NHS.

It’s much more common than people think, with around 700,000 patients in the UK.

Patients are born with autism, and it’s usually diagnosed in children.

But every autistic patient has varying degrees of symptoms, and some may need little or no support for everyday life.

One of the key warning signs of autism is giving unrelated answers to questions.

READ MORE: Autism – signs to look out for

“Autism spectrum disorder [ASD] is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain,” said the CDC.

“ASD begins before the age of 3 and last throughout a person’s life, although symptoms may improve over time.

“It is important to note that some people without ASD might also have some of these symptoms. But for people with ASD, the impairments make life very challenging.

“A person with ASD might have delayed speech and language skills, repeat words or phrases over and over [echolalia], give unrelated answers to questions, get upset by minor changes, have obsessive interests.”