What is Autism?

According to Web-MD: “Autism is a complex neurobehavioral condition that includes impairments in social interaction and developmental language and communication skills combined with rigid, repetitive behaviors.”   Wow, that is a lot to take in, and because of the range of symptoms that Autism can present itself with “uneven skill development.”

 

The person with Autism may be able to program a computer by struggle to use “small talk” in nearly every social situation it is now called Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD has a large spectrum of symptoms, skills, and sub-set of skills, and levels of impairment. The range on the Autism spectrum can range in severity of Intellectual Disability in some skills (ID) all the way to the ability to  memorize huge amounts facts, drawing, learn different languages, or hold a job and live independently.

 

Bottom line children and adults who have Autism Spectrum Disorders have trouble communicating in many different social settings because social settings change all this time depending on the different variables: mood, tone of voice, body language, hidden curriculum rules, and thinking about other people’s thinking.  This is what make Autism such a puzzle to figure out, and in my family I have 4 to figure out how to best support and teach.