What is Autism?
March 3rd, 2009 | 
Author: Autism is a general term that is used to cover a number of disorders known as Autism Spectrum disorders. These disorders affect the ones that have them in their interaction and communication with others. Autism can affect anyone, no matter what age, sex, or race they are, and at the moment millions of people, both children and adults are suffering from one form of autism or another throughout the world. If one member of the family has one of the Autism Spectrum Disorders then the whole family will feel the repercussions, financial and social problems will occur and furthermore, it is a great chance that the children of the person who has Autism will also have it because it is transmitted genetically to the ancestors.
Children with autism don’t understand what the others are saying, cannot interact with other children and cannot play with them. The affection seriously affects the behavior, some of the patients developed an aggressive defense against anyone who tried to communicate with them, others appeared to develop a special sensitivity to the environment and its changes.
How can autism be detected, does it have any specific symptoms? Well, it’s up to the family and the ones around someone with autism spectrum disorders to discover his/her condition. In the children’s case the family or the teacher should be the first to notice that a child has a different behavior. These are the signs that can make you suspect a child of autism:
-the child starts to speak at an older age, later than the other children
-he focuses on one single object for hours sometimes
-he can speak words, but until the age of 2-3 years old he does not say a sentence with more than one word in it
-some of the children with autism spectrum disorders don’t even respond to their own name when it is called
-the general behavior of the child indicates that he is withdrawn, indifferent and lonely.
However, if you or your child are diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum, then you will have one of five types of autism spectrum disorder:-
- Asperger Syndrome
- Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
- PDD-NOS or Pervasive Developmental Disorder (Not Otherwise Specified)
- Rett Syndrome
- Autism – Also referred to as SLD Autism or Kanner’s Syndrome
Sufferers of each of these five autism spectrum disorders share a “triad of impairments”, or three common characteristics, though with varying degrees. All three of these common impairments are to do with socialization and social skills.
# The Triad Of Impairments
1) Difficulty with Interaction
All autistic people have some difficulty interacting with those around them. This impairment covers problems making friends and “fitting in”, difficulty mixing with their peers, problems understanding social rules and the rules of conversation, and not picking up on other people’s feelings or showing their own in an inappropriate manner.
2) Difficulty with Social Imagination
This second impairment is to do with empathy and understanding consequences. An autistic person many have problems understanding the feelings and actions of other, coping with change, planning for the future, coping with new situations and experiences, understanding risks and dangers, and playing imaginatively.
3) Difficulty Communicating
All autistic people have some degree of difficulty either with communicating or with understanding communication. Some sufferers will have problems with speech, some will not understand the different ways people communicate – gestures, body language and facial expressions, others will take things that people say quite literally and not understand jokes or sarcasm, and some just will not understand how conversation works and will interrupt or change the subject.
# Other Common Characteristics
Although there are only three characteristics which are common to all of the autism spectrum disorders, some of them do share other characteristics and difficulties:-
- Sensory sensitivity – Many parents report that their autistic children are either hypersensitive or hyposensitive. Hypersensitivity is when a child is over-sensitive to touch, tastes, noises and smells. Hyposensitivity is the complete opposite and may mean that a child has problems with fine motor skills, like doing up buttons, and may not be able to feel pain.
- Obsessions – It is common for many autistic children to become “fixated” on a certain hobby or interest.
- Learning disabilities – Some autistic children have learning problems and may need special support at school. Some autistic people also have problems like dyspraxia, dyslexia or ADHD.
- A need for fixed rules and routine – As I have said, it is common for autistic people to have problems coping with change and new experiences. An autistic child may cope better if they have a predictable daily routine.
- Problems with daily chores and actions – Things that the rest of us take for granted, like brushing our teeth, washing and making our beds, may be difficult for an autistic child or adult to remember and do.
Related Posts :
Tags: Autism
Posted in Autism