An individual with autism may have problems with making and maintaining friendships. He may appear to be deaf and not respond to someone who is talking to him or to other sounds. The individual with autism may also appear to be insensitive to pain, the cold or heat or he may just over-react to any of these. An individual may also show uneven patterns of intellectual functioning in ways such as being skilled in some areas such as drawing, music, math, science and so on. In other cases, an individual with autism may have varying degrees of mental retardation.
Medications also play a role in treating an individual with autism.
They may help relieve some of the symptoms such as hyperactivity, irritable mood, social withdrawal, and aggression. Paul Brooks Publishing Co. Autism Society of North Carolina.