Autism
January 17, 2008
Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life. Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities. One should keep in mind however, that autism is a spectrum disorder and it affects individuals differently and in varying degrees.
People with autism process and respond to information in unique ways and may also exhibit some of the following traits:
- Insistence on sameness; resistance to change
- Difficulty in expressing needs, using gestures or pointing instead of words
- Repeating words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language
- Laughing (and/or crying) or showing distress for reasons not apparent to others
- Little or no eye contact
- Unresponsive to normal teaching methods
- Obsessive attachment to objects
- Apparent over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain and/or physical contact
- No real fears of danger
- Non responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf, although hearing tests are normal
For people with autism, sensory integration problems are common, which may throw their senses off or cause them be over or under active. Soft fur may be experienced as painful or the smell of a peach may make the child gag. Some children with autism are particularly sensitive to sound, finding even the most ordinary daily noises painful.
Autism is the most common of the Pervasive Developmental Disorders, affecting an estimated 1 in 150 births (Centers for Disease Control Prevention, 2007). Autism knows no racial, ethnic, social, family income, lifestyle, or educational boundaries. The overall incidence of autism is four times more prevalent in boys than in girls.
Expert in Autism? DSES is always looking for volunteers to help teach or give presentations!!
Resources and Additional Information
Autism Society of America; autism-society.org
Autism Speaks; autismspeaks.org