AUTISM

What is Autism? Autism is a disorder of neural development that is characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and restricted and repetitive (and stereotyped) behavior. Autism affects the brain’s ability to process information by altering how nerve cells and their synapses connect and organize, it is not well understood how this occurs.

Who Does Autism Affect? Autism affects people from all walks of life. Autism is usually detected before the age of three, but there is no treatment per say. Autism does not discriminate. It is estimated that six children out of every 1,000 will be diagnosed with ASD.

Signs and Behaviors One of the main signs of autism is impaired social interaction. As early as infancy, a baby with ASD may not respond to people or focus on one item for long periods of time. A child with ASD may appear to develop normally and then withdraw from others, or not care much for social interaction. Children with ASD may fail to respond to their names and will often avoid contact with others. They often have difficulty interpreting what others are thinking or feeling because they can’t understand social cues, such as tone of voice or facial expressions, and don’t watch other people’s face for clues.

Signs and Behaviors Cont. Many children with an ASD have repetitive movements such as rocking twirling, and hand flapping, or in self-abusive behavior such as biting or head-banging. They also tend to start speaking later than other children and may refer to themselves by name instead of “I” or “me.”

Causes linked to Autism Diagnosis Scientists are not sure what causes ASD, but it is believe that both genetics and environment play a role. Researchers have identified a number of genes that have been associated with the disorder.

Is There a Cure for Autism? For many children, symptoms can improve with treatment and as the child gets older. During adolescence, some children with ASD may become depressed or experience behavioral problems, and their treatment may need to be modified. People with ASD can usually go on to live normal, productive lives, but may need services and supports as they get older. There is no cure for ASD. Therapies and behavioral interventions are designed to help with specific symptoms and can bring about some improvement. The ideal treatment plan involves therapies and interventions that meet the specific needs of individual children. Most health care professionals agree that the earlier the intervention, the better.

What Can We As Teachers Do? I think that it is important for us to become educated on autism (and various disabilities and disorders) so that we can educate our students. It is important to treat all students equal and ensure that they are getting just as good an education as any other students.

Ways in Which to Show Our Support! Autism Awareness month is in April! There are various ways to be active and show our support for those with Autism, and also the parents. We sometimes forget about the parents, they are also heroes. I am a big supporter of Autism, I purchase the ribbons and license plates.

Famous People with Autism (Those with Autism are not Alone) This proves that people who have Autism go on to be very successful. I have seen it happen, and these are a few famous names we may know and love: Albert Einstein Jenny McCarthy PGA Golfer Ernie Ells John Travolta and Kelly Preston Holly Robinson Sylvester Stallone Toni Braxton (son) Dan Marino Doug Flutie

The End!