What is Autism?

Since my boys have autism, I frequently get asked "So, what do they do?  What is so unusual about them?".  It's a difficult question to answer in a few short sentences, and honestly I feel like telling you a few things such as, "they have issues with sleep" or "they can't handle transitions" will only lead you to either (A) think that many kids are autistic, or (B) think I'm crazy and my kids are fine because "all kids do that".  The reality is that autism is a syndrome, which means it's a collection of a huge list of symptoms.  The severity of the symptoms are what determine where they are on the spectrum.  Low functioning is more severe, high functioning is less severe.  My boys are on the higher end of the spectrum, but my oldest used to be more severe. 

It's important for everyone to be aware of the signs and symptoms of autism, so that not only can you be aware of your own child's development and understand a bit what special needs families are going through, but also because most pediatricians don't screen for autism.  They spend only a few minutes at a time with your child, and unless you ask the right questions, autism can easily go undiagnosed.  Not catching this disorder early takes away the option for early intervention, and early intervention is often the only way to rescue these children from a lifetime of debilitating problems.  Go here to read more about why getting a diagnosis is so important.

So what are some red flags to be aware of?  How do you know when to worry and when to relax?  It's a very difficult thing to answer, because all autism does not look the same.  My three boys manifest in completely different ways.  I've heard the saying before "if you meet one person with autism, then you've met one person with autism".  So how do we know what to look for?  There are common traits that are seen among autistic children, below are three main areas to take a look at:

Social and Communication Symptoms
Most of the time, autism is suspected in a child or adult because of deficits or stereotyped differences in social and communication skills. Some examples of these differences include:

    * Delayed or unusual speech patterns (many autistic children, for example, memorize video scripts and repeat them word for word with the precise intonation as the TV characters)
    * High pitched or flat intonation
    * Lack of slang or "kidspeak"
    * Difficulty understanding tone of voice and body language as a way of expressing sarcasm, humor, irony, etc.
    * Lack of eye contact
    * Inability to take another's perspective (to imagine oneself in someone else's shoes)

While many autistic people have terrific language skills, there are many who have no language at all. In between, are people whose verbal skills are idiosyncratic: They may be perfectly able to talk, but have a difficult time with conversation, small talk, and slang.

Sensory and Motor Symptoms
A majority of autistic people are either hyper or hypo sensitive to light, sound, crowds and other external stimulation. Some have both hyper and hypo sensitivities. This often results in autistic people covering their ears, avoiding or reacting negatively to brightly lit areas, or — on the other hand — crashing hard into sofas and craving strong bear hugs.

While it's unusual to find an autistic person who is obviously physically disabled as a result of the disorder, most autistic people do have some level of fine and gross motor difficulty. This often manifests itself in poor handwriting, difficulty with athletic coordination, etc. As a result, when autistic people get involved with sports, it's usually in individual, endurance sports such as running and swimming.

Personality Differences
While autistic people do differ from one another radically, it is fairly typical for people on the spectrum to:

    * Engage in repetitive behaviors and ritualized activities, ranging from lining up items to following a rigid routine,
    * Have one or a few passionate interests,
    * Have difficulty in making and keeping multiple friends,
    * Prefer activities that require relatively little verbal interaction.

Many other physical symptoms are observed in autistic children, anywhere from seizures to gastrointestinal problems.  At the end of the day, I believe a parent's intuition about their child is the first sign that something may be wrong.  We all worry about our kids, but when the worry does not go away, it's time to dig deeper.  Great places to start researching are Talk About Curing Autism and Autism Facts.  You can also go here to download a checklist that you can mail in and have scored.  Don't be afraid to ask your doctor the tough questions, and if his/her answers are not making that worry go away, continue to seek a specialists opinion until you get the answers that you, and the child, deserve.

Read more from Arianne at her personal blog To Think Is To Create and subscribe to her blog here.

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