The classic symptoms of autism in childhood include difficulty speaking or an inability to speak, a physical disability, and an IQ score in the lowest range.
Males are three times more likely to be diagnosed as autistic than females.
For example, Leslie can play any piece of music on the piano after hearing it once, but has an IQ score in the 20's. Many psychologists feel that the syndrome results from damage to the left hemisphere while the child was developing in the womb. However, more research is needed to arrive at a definitive answer.