![]() Preferring to have routines with predictable outcomes, such as traveling the same way to and from school or work, wearing the same clothes every day, or eating exactly the same food for breakfast.Experiencing the world as an unpredictable and confusing place.Finding it difficult to form friendships.Appearing to behave strangely or in a way thought to be socially inappropriate.Seeking out time alone when overloaded by other people.Difficulty expressing their own emotions.Difficulty recognizing or understanding others’ feelings and intentions.Needing extra time to process information or answer questions.Taking things literally and not understanding abstract concepts.Difficulty interpreting verbal and non-verbal language, such as gestures or tone of voice or sarcasm.If you want to know whether you or an adult you know might be showing some of the signs of autism, look out for some of the following: These can apply to adults who have been diagnosed with autism as well as adults who are beginning to consider whether they might be autistic. Repetitive, restricted or ritualistic behaviors (often called “stimming”), including resistance to changes and/or intense interestsĪutistic adults report a number of different difficulties across many areas of their lives.Social interactions, including verbal and nonverbal communication.Those in this category may have typical speech, language and intellectual skills but difficulties with social/conversation skills, narrowly focused interests, and wordy, pedantic communication, for example.īecause autism is a spectrum condition, the range of difficulties autistic people may experience is broad.Ī formal autism diagnosis requires a person to experience differences in two key areas: High-functioning autism refers to those on the spectrum with little or no support, nor care needs. They may be non-speaking, experience developmental delay, and be more likely to also have other diagnoses, including intellectual disability. Some autistic people have significant support or care needs. The myth that autism is caused by vaccines has been debunked in multiple studies dating back to 1999. Instead, the expansion of diagnostic criteria combined with increased awareness has led to steadily increasing rates. Reports of an “autism epidemic” are unfounded. The evidence has not yet established why autism commonly occurs alongside ADHD, epilepsy, and a range of other conditions. There are many genes involved, and environmental factors may also play a role. Scientists have established that it is mainly genetic. There are thought to be several causes of autism, and these are still being researched. (An autism advocate who is on the spectrum) What causes autism? “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.” How individuals experience characteristics of their autism will be different from person to person. As with any group of people, autistic people have a range of strengths and difficulties that may or may not be shared with other autistic people. What is the autism spectrum?Īutism is a spectrum condition, meaning it affects people in different ways. Other neurodivergent conditions include ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorders ( OCD), dyslexia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, dysnomia, Tourette’s Syndrome, and developmental speech impairments. Instead, autism is viewed as part of neurodiversity: the natural diversity in human thinking, and experience, with varying strengths, differences, and weaknesses. “Disorder” is a term applied by the world of psychiatry that is not always used by those within the autistic community and their advocates. However, those who have received a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome, in particular, may choose to continue referring to their condition by this name. Previous diagnoses, such as Asperger Syndrome or Pervasive Developmental Disorder, are no longer used, and now fall under the umbrella term of autism. These terms acknowledge the broad nature of the diagnosis, although it remains listed as a single diagnosis within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health (DSM-V). Many believe the prevalence of autism may be much higher.Īutism is also referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), or Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC). That’s at least five million people in the US, or 1.5% of the population. Today, autism is known to be a lifelong developmental disability affecting how people communicate and interact with the world.Ĭurrent estimates range between 1-in-44 to 1-in-100 people who are on the autism spectrum. ![]() ![]() The term “autism” was first introduced in 1943 by the psychiatrist Leo Kanner who was studying the behavior of children. ![]()
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