Description of Autism
Autism is described by the Autism Society of America as a spectrum disorder. The symptoms and characteristics of autism can present themselves as a wide variety of combinations, from mild to severe. Although autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors, children and adults can exhibit any combination of the behaviors in any degree of severity. Two children, both with the same diagnosis, can act very differently from one another and have varying skills.
Every person with autism is an individual, and like all individuals, has a unique personality and combination of characteristics. some individuals mildly affected may exhibit only slight delays in language and greater challenges with social interactions. The person may have difficulty initiating and or maintaining a conversation. Communication is often described as talking at others (for example, monologue on a a favorite subject that continues despite attempts by others to interject comments).
People with autism process and respond to information in unique ways. In some cases, aggression and/or self injurious behavior may be present. Persons with autism may also exhibit some of the following traits:
• insistence on sameness; resistance to change• difficulty in expressing needs; uses gestures or pointing instead of words
• repeating words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language
• laughing crying, showing distress for reasons not apparent to others
• prefers to be alone; aloof manner
• tantrums
• difficulty in mixing with others
• may not want to cuddle or be cuddled.
• little or no eye contact
• unresponsive to normal teaching methods
• sustained odd play
• inappropriate attachments to objects
• spins objects
• apparent over-sensitivity or under sensitivity too pain
• no real rears of danger
• noticeable physical over-activity or extreme under activity
• uneven grosslfine motor skills
Facts About Autism
Autism has been declared an epidemic.
Autism is the fastest growing disorder in children. In five to ten years, it will surpass downs syndrome, which currently number one. Over the last decade, autism has increased 634% in the state of California.
New research indicates that some experts believe ADD and ADHD are on the autism spectrum. If that were the case, the numbers would far exceed 634% in California.
- 90% of parents of children with autism get divorced.
- 75% of children with autism believe their child became autistic after their final MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) shot
- 20% of families in the United States lose their autistic child to the state in order to secure adequate help for their child.
The United States stands alone in the world as the only country that does not provide financial support to a parent that wishes to stay home to care for their disabled child. They will, however, provide financial help to pay someone other than a parent to care for the child.
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