What is Autism and Asperger Sydrome?
People with autism and Asperger syndrome experience the world differently and find it hard to make sense of people, places and situations.
Spectrum Disorder
Autism is a spectrum disorder which means that people on the autistic spectrum are affected in different ways. The spectrum ranges from the more severe types of autism to the milder forms of autism such as Asperger syndrome.
Lifelong Disability
Autism and Asperger Syndrome are lifelong disabilities. There is no known cure and the cause is unclear, but possibly thought to be genetic.
What is Autism
People living with autism have difficulty with Social Interaction, Communication and Imagination.
Social Interaction
Some people with autism may not speak or they may speak a lot about one particular topic or they may want to interact but be unable to do it appropriately.
Communication
A person living with autism has difficulty understanding all forms of verbal and non-verbal communication. They may not understand body language, tone of voice and will take speech literally. Aphorisms such as 'crying my eyes out' can really upset an autistic person if it is not explained to them that this does not literally mean that the person's eyes will fall out.
Imagination
The lack of imagination characteristic of autism is the inability to put yourself in somebody else's shoes, to empathise, or to get the other person's point of view. They may be quite rigid in their routines and have obsessions or special interests.
Sensory Integration
Sensory sensitivities can be a big feature of life for people living with autism. The senses, touch, taste, sound, sight and smell can be either oversensitive or hyposensitive. A person with a hyposentivity may not feel pain even if they break a bone. Conversely, an autistic person's senses can be oversensitive to the degree that a sudden noise can actually cause them physical pain. Some autistic people have described this feeling as if your head is going to explode.
Asperger Syndrome
People with Asperger syndrome generally have good speech and are often of average, or above average, intelligence. Asperger syndrome may also co-exist with other developmental disabilities such as ADHD.
Autism is a spectrum disorder which means that people on the autistic spectrum are affected in different ways. The spectrum ranges from the more severe types of autism to the milder forms of autism such as Asperger syndrome.
Lifelong Disability
Autism and Asperger Syndrome are lifelong disabilities. There is no known cure and the cause is unclear, but possibly thought to be genetic.
What is Autism
People living with autism have difficulty with Social Interaction, Communication and Imagination.
Social Interaction
Some people with autism may not speak or they may speak a lot about one particular topic or they may want to interact but be unable to do it appropriately.
Communication
A person living with autism has difficulty understanding all forms of verbal and non-verbal communication. They may not understand body language, tone of voice and will take speech literally. Aphorisms such as 'crying my eyes out' can really upset an autistic person if it is not explained to them that this does not literally mean that the person's eyes will fall out.
Imagination
The lack of imagination characteristic of autism is the inability to put yourself in somebody else's shoes, to empathise, or to get the other person's point of view. They may be quite rigid in their routines and have obsessions or special interests.
Sensory Integration
Sensory sensitivities can be a big feature of life for people living with autism. The senses, touch, taste, sound, sight and smell can be either oversensitive or hyposensitive. A person with a hyposentivity may not feel pain even if they break a bone. Conversely, an autistic person's senses can be oversensitive to the degree that a sudden noise can actually cause them physical pain. Some autistic people have described this feeling as if your head is going to explode.
Asperger Syndrome
People with Asperger syndrome generally have good speech and are often of average, or above average, intelligence. Asperger syndrome may also co-exist with other developmental disabilities such as ADHD.