What is Autism?
Autism is a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain. There are no medical tests for autism. It is a diagnosis based on a child’s behaviours. Often it is evident before the child turns three years old. It is a spectrum disorder, which means there is a wide variation in what autism can look like. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) includes Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome Rett’s Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). The ‘classic’ form of autism is referred to as Autistic Disorder. These individuals are often very withdrawn and cannot talk. This with other ASD’s may speak but have great difficulties in holding a meaningful conversation. Some people with ASD have below average or above average intelligence. One of the hallmarks of ASD is that a person’s abilities will be very uneven. For example, capable of doing a puzzle above their age level but unable to discriminate colours.
Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities. Autism is a spectrum disorder and it affects each individual differently and at varying degrees.
• Autism is a spectrum of chronic developmental disorders. • The main characteristics of autism are difficulties in social interaction, communication, and restrictive and repetitive interests and activities. • Autism may be noted initially in infancy as impaired attachment, but autism is most often first identified in toddlers, mostly boys, from 18 to 30 months of age. • Although there is no cure, autism is treatable. Symptoms associated with autism often improve as children start to acquire language and learn how to communicate their needs.
Autism is a condition that affects people by impairing to varying degrees, their social skills and understandings. Their brains process information differently to others and they often find it difficult to relate to people in a meaningful way. They are not physically disabled in any way which often creates difficulty in awareness and understanding of the condition.
