It is said that if you have met one person with autism... that is it! You have only met one person with autism. Autism presents itself differently in every case, which is why it is considered a spectrum disorder. However, here is guide to what you can maybe expect if someone you know has been diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder).
The video linked is a brief overview of what is going to be more thoroughly discussed in the article below:
Amazing Things Happen Video
Symptoms
Signs of autism in young children can look like non-responsiveness to their name, avoidance of eye contact, no reciprocation of emotions (not smiling back when you smile at them), and sensitivity to certain tastes, smells or sounds. There are also some things, known as stims or "stimming" where a child may perform repetitive motions such as arm or hand flapping, body rocking, and finger flicking, this is usually done to get their body/emotions back to homeostasis when they are feeling overwhelmed or excited. Autism may also look like repetitive phrases or not talking as much or as diversely as other kids their age.
In older children or adults, autism can look like lack of empathy or understanding of emotions, this is not only with their own emotions but with everybody else's as well. Those with autism may like a very strict schedule and/or daily routine and may get very upset if it changes. Some people also may have a very particular and very strong interest in certain subjects or activities. Irritability is also common in this stage, for example, if you ask them to do something- this could be a trigger. Older children/adults with autism may find it hard to make friends or even just prefer to be on their own and tend to take things very literally. For example, it may not be appropriate to tell someone with autism to "break a leg" as they may not understand and take offense to it.
Disability Impacts Development
Those with autism might develop skills at different rates from typically developing children. They might also develop skills in a different order from other children- some of these stated in the paragraph above. It is also well documented that co-morbid medical conditions are common in a person with autism, and these can affect mental and physical development in many different ways. Conditions include allergies, asthma, epilepsy, digestive disorders, feeding disorders, sleeping disorders, sensory integration dysfunction, and cognitive impairments (Senployjobsite, 2021). However, this varies from person to person, and these health issues may appear suddenly and then later disappear as the child grows up.
Disability Impacts Cognitive Skills
Executive functioning skills are cognitive skills that help us regulate, control, and manage our thoughts and behavior. It’s common for children with autism to have difficulty planning, paying attention, initiating a task, being flexible, and controlling emotions and behaviors. It’s common for autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), to affect a child’s cognitive skills in different ways and to different degrees. Cognitive strengths can include attention to detail, or memorizing vast amounts of information about a certain subject (Autism & Cognitive Development, 2019).
Disability Impacts Emotions
Autistic children and teenagers experience a range of emotions, but they might need support to recognize, understand and manage their emotions. Similarly, they may need support to recognize, understand and manage
other peoples emotions. Those with ASD may lack empathy and be cognitively unable to "put themselves in someone elses shoes" or even understand that other people have feelings similarly to them. Emotions can also look different and be triggered by different things in those with autism. For example, if a child is disliking of a taste or a smell- this could lead to things such as them banging their head off of the floor or wall or even attacking the person closest to them. This is where they may need that support in recognizing and managing. ABA therapy is often sought out to help with these emotional and behavioral deficits.
References:
Amazing Things Happen. (2017). YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/RbwRrVw-CRo.
Autism & Cognitive Development. BabySparks. (2019, August 30). Retrieved from https://babysparks.com/2019/08/30/autism-cognitive-development/
NHS. (2019, April). Signs of Autism. NHS choices. Retrieved from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/autism/signs/children/
Senployjobsite. (2021, April 19). The impact of autism in learning and development. Go to services. Retrieved September 6, 2022, from https://www.senploy.co.uk/blog/2021/4/19/the-impact-of-autism-in-learning-and-development
Maria,
ReplyDeleteYour blog on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was amazing. I loved your first statement when you described meeting only “one” person with autism as it is so different in every single person with a diagnosis. People do not realize that autism is a spectrum and every single case is different. The video you provided also showed a great simulation of how a person with autism lives in the world. Things in the environment that may seem so easy to others become a challenge to a person with ASD.
When you discuss the symptoms of ASD, stimming is a main one that comes to my mind as a classic sign of autism. I thought it was important when stated that stimming can be caused by feelings of excitement or overwhelmness. Upon further research on stimming, children with autism stim to cope in situations and help manage sensory information to reduce sensory overload (Raising Children Network, 2022). As you mentioned a person with ASD also has impacts on their development, cognitive skills, and emotions. I thought it was important that you discussed some treatment options that can help improve these delays such as ABA therapy.
References:
Stimming: Autistic children and teenagers. Raising Children Network. (2022, August 25). https://raisingchildren.net.au/autism/behaviour/common-concerns/stimming-asd