Autistic Hedgehog

Um…yeah, that is pretty ableist. And generally no, you can’t. If you know what to look for you might see some signs, but these are things like an unwillingness to make eye contact or stimming behaviors. And it’s important to note that none of these things are guarantees that someone is autistic. 

If you’re concerned about potentially upsetting someone with autism and are hoping to find a way to avoid that, a good rule of thumb is to respect everyone’s boundaries. Don’t yell or scream or make other loud noises, don’t touch or hug people without their permission, avoid dousing yourself in perfume or smoking in public (we have a tendency to be very sensitive to smells) and if you see someone you suspect is having an autistic meltdown or is stimming, don’t stare and don’t judge.