Characteristics of Autism: Cognition

The severity of ASD varies from individual to individual and many children with ASD may experience delays in their cognitive development. It has been estimated that around 70% of children with ASD also have some degree of cognitive delay, although some recent studies suggest this estimate may be too high. A decrease in the number of children with ASD who have significant cognitive delays may be attributable to improvements in early intervention services. In addition to general cognitive delay, children with ASD also often display other unique cognitive tendencies. These include selective attention, concrete processing and rote memory.