What is Autism?
Did you know that autism affects 1 in 150 people? They don’t really know what causes autism. Although I thought I saw something earlier this year about something to do with a missing gene. I might be mistaken. I will have to hunt that one down and share it tomorrow. Autism is a neurological and developmental disorder.
People with autism view the world differently than those that don’t have autism. For autistic people, it’s hard to talk and express themselves to others using words. People with autism and not all people tend to keep to themselves and many of them can’t communicate without special help. They may tend to react to what’s going on around them in unusual ways. For example, you are in a crowded gym with lots of kids. The chatter is loud as there is laughter and screaming and kids just having fun. You see a child cover his or her ears. That child is covering their ears because to them it’s overly loud. That child may be noise sensitive. So you see this example is of a child that may react differently than a normal child.
People with autism may not make connections as easily as their peers. For example, say you are joking around and everybody around you laughs, but the person with autism gets upset because they think you are laughing at them or making fun of them. It may be that they don’t make that connection that is was a joke.
People with autism may act in unusual ways. Examples here are hand flapping, repeating words over and over, and temper tantrums. One might think a child is being bad when they are having a tantrum but in all reality, it might come down to they aren’t making a connection or aren’t able to express themselves in appropriate ways.
Here is a very short video describing what is autism
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It seems that more and more kids have autism. I wonder why.
@bluejacky@xanga – Yup! Sent one in this morning. One was already published last week, sent a second one in today. Thanks!
@RobinzRantz@xanga – Have you submitted a post yet? I’d love to see more from you, your detail is wonderful.
There are just too many generalizations here. Autism is a spectrum of symptoms and degrees, a very broad scale. People on the “high-functioning” end of that scale (Asperger’s syndrome) may have completely different issues. Words, for example. I rely almost entirely on words in ordinary communication, and I use them with deliberate precision. It’s the non-verbal cues I don’t “get.”
Some autistic kids are hypsensitive and use “stimming” to keep their senses active. Others like me are hypER sensitive to certain sounds and ranges of light or color. Examples:
Two people are talking at once. I cannot understand a word either of them is saying. One of them has to stop so I can understand the other. Black letters on white pages, under old style (and very loud) floresecent light, rise from the page and throw shadows on the paper, and vibrate at 60Hz, in keeping with the flicker – unnoticed by most people I guess – of those cursed noisy flourescent lights.
I have learned some coping mechanisms just by trial and error… like simply asking one person to stop so I can hear the other (music lessons have helped me with auditory stuff too), or using reddish-colored sunglasses to minimize the chaos of trying to read under those old florescent lights. “Aspies” like me can learn to overcome many of our sensory and behavioral issues. Research should concentrate on helping autistic kids develop coping skills instead of just giving them pills or isolating them.
Oh, and I almost forgot: I can express myself in dance and song now as well as with just words! Getting into the arts has been very liberating for me, and I know several of my friends with AS are very much into the arts as well, some with gifts that amaze and delight their friends and families.
good info.
i watched true life: i have autism and i learned from there that people living with autism can be extremely intelligent. they had that artistic savant on the show and he was a really great artist.
@JakobO – Even today, I hate when my routine is disturbed in any way.
And as an adult, I still throw tantrums.
Autism causes kids to act in unusual ways. They might flap their hands,
say certain words over and over, have temper tantrums, or play only
with one particular toy. Most kids with autism don’t like changes in
routines. They like to stay on a schedule that is always the same. They
also may insist that their toys or other objects be arranged a certain
way and get upset if these items are moved or disturbed. So what the
autistic needs is a family with a mother and father under the DOMA that
will guide them.
People are so glued to the idea that autism is something you’re stuck with and it defines the person. Everyone has to leave this idea behind.
I am a behavioural therapist and children with autism can show traits that you have discussed, but it is also important to acknowledge that these are extremely intelligent and able kids. They learn differently than mainstream children but can still develop all the necessary skills. Stims (such as hand-flapping) can be addressed and, with the right teacher, can be stopped.
I am currently teaching a four year old girl who has come such a long way in just a year. At three, she had no language and screamed when she wanted something or was told to do something. She was completely non responsive and wouldn’t co-operate with others. She often flapped her hands in different situations.
I do VB and after working with her for a year, she has made remarkable progress. She now asks questions, can answer many and has spontaneous talk. She loves playing with me and children and often wants hugs. She follows instructions and knows all the letters. She has even started writing. Her hand-flapping has stopped.
She will always be autistic and that is a blessing. She is an amazing little girl that has a quirky personality and a great chance at life. Children with autism are able. People with no or low expectations DISable them.
huh… i used to do all of that stuff as a child.
Interesting info. good to know the facts.