What is autism?
Autism is a neurological disorder that affects the way your brain develops. It can affect the brain’s development. Autism can also be called autistic disorder or infantile autism. Whatever you call it though, autism is something you were born with and something you will live with your whole life.
Autism is one of five pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs), which can be classified as either:
Autism
Asperger’s syndrome
childhood disintegrative disorder
Rett disorder, and
Pervasive developmental disorder (PDD-NOS), not otherwise identified
These are the categories psychologists and therapists use to attempt to classify your child to start a treatment program.
Although an autistic child is usually born, the diagnosis is not made until the child has shown clear signs and symptoms, typically around age 3. However, everyone is unique so generalizations should not be made.
It is important to get help as soon as possible. Many autistic people can learn and thrive in life with early treatment and therapy. This will allow them to live a normal, productive life. This is true for most autistic patients. However, some may need ongoing assistance with daily living activities.
What are the signs and symptoms of autism?
Although every autistic person is unique, there are common characteristics to autism. These are:
Low social skills and difficulty interacting with others
Communication difficulties
Repetitive actions and restricted interests
Abnormal sensory issues like sound, touch, light, and smell
Some people display aggressive or self-injurious behaviors, such as biting or head banging.
What is the intelligence level for someone with autism?
Autism is characterized by mild mental retardation in many people, while around one-third of autistic individuals have normal intelligence (IQs). Autism sufferers will also be more likely to develop epilepsy than the rest of the population.
Asperger’s syndrome, also known as high-functioning autistic disorder, is characterized by a higher than average intelligence and similar functions to people without autism. We’ll get to that more later.
Are all autistic people the same?
Autism can affect children and adults differently. Many people with autism show affection and emotions. They respond to family, friends, and situations in the same way as non-autistic individuals.
While some may be bright and communicate well, others might be nonverbal and mentally retarded. Autism is a complex condition that can vary from one person to another. There are many labels to describe the level of autism. These include autistic tendencies, autistic like, autism spectrum, high-functioning autistic autism, and low-functioning autistic.
No matter where a child is on the spectrum, they will likely have problems with social communication, such as difficulty focusing, difficulty carrying on conversations, and trouble understanding another person’s point of view.
Many people who have seen Rainman or any other TV series about autism see the “typical” autistic person. Autism can be very different from one person to the next. Some people can talk to their ears, while others are almost silent. While some people cannot tolerate loud music or noisy environments, others can cope with chaotic environments. Do not try to pigeonhole someone with autism. Each person is unique.
What is high-functioning Asperger’s and autism?
High-functioning individuals (Asperger’s syndrome falls under this category) may not have autism symptoms to the same extent. Although they may be slower in developing language skills, they still have trouble interacting socially with others (e.g., they cannot get along with their peers at school).
They might have trouble relating to others, and will often focus only on one topic. They may be perceived as “talking at” people rather than “talking to them”. This is because they will talk about their favorite topic endlessly, regardless of any attempts to change it.
Asperger’s syndrome and high-functioning Autism are different in that Asperger’s sufferers usually develop verbal speech skills at the same time as those with high-functioning autism. People with high-functioning Autism often have speech delays. Asperger’s sufferers are often described as bright, verbal, but have problems with social communication skills. Asperger’s sufferers are often called “geek”.
Are autistic people cold and insensitive?
There are many myths and generalities about autism. Refrain from believing them all! Adults and children with autism are distinct individuals. Some people are outgoing while others prefer to remain private. Some people do well at school while others struggle. While some people will be able to keep a job that pays the bills, others will not. Some people will get married, while others won’t. You must spend time with an autistic person and get to know them.
Some people view autism as a negative term. Everyone on the autism spectrum has something to contribute to the world. Autism adults and children are some of the most genuine, open-minded, compassionate, and passionate people you will ever meet. They are ideal candidates for certain careers, which we will discuss later. More about this list here