Autism awareness

Autism Awareness:Starts With YouWya

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Know The Difference

What is Autism?• A spectrum of

neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by deficits in social interaction and communication, and unusual and repetitive behavior. Some, but not all, people with autism are non-verbal.

What is Asperger's syndrome?• Asperger's syndrome, also

known as Asperger disorder or Asperger syndrome, is one of a group of neurodevelopmental disorders that have effects on an individual's behavior, use of language and communication, and pattern of social interactions.

Signs of Autism

• Signs of autism will show up in three different categories:– Social Skills– Language– Behavior

• Autism typically is not diagnosed until the age of six but due to more research, children can sometimes be diagnosed as early as age one.

Effects On Social Skills

• Fails to respond to his or her name• Has poor eye contact• Appears not to hear you at times• Resists cuddling and holding• Appears unaware of others' feelings• Seems to prefer playing alone — retreats into his or

her "own world"

Effects On Language• Starts talking later than age 2, and has other developmental

delays by 30 months• Loses previously acquired ability to say words or sentences• Doesn't make eye contact when making requests• Speaks with an abnormal tone or rhythm — may use a

singsong voice or robot-like speech• Can't start a conversation or keep one going• May repeat words or phrases verbatim, but doesn't

understand how to use them

Effects On Behavior• Performs repetitive movements, such as rocking, spinning or

hand-flapping• Develops specific routines or rituals• Becomes disturbed at the slightest change in routines or

rituals• Moves constantly• May be fascinated by parts of an object, such as the spinning

wheels of a toy car• May be unusually sensitive to light, sound and touch and yet

oblivious to pain

Traits of Autism• No or little speech• Non-speech vocalizations• Delayed development of speech• Echolalia: speech consisting of literally

repeating something heard• Delayed echolalia: repeating something

heard at an earlier time• Confusion between the pronouns "I" and

"You"• Lack of interaction• Lack of eye contact• Lack of response to people• Aggressive behavior due to anxiety and/or

frustration• When picked up, offering no "help" ("feels

like lifting a sack of --potatoes")• Preoccupation with hands• Flapping hands/ this may be accompanied

by jumping up and down with excitement• Spinning

• Balancing, e.g. as if standing on a fence• Walking on tiptoes• Extreme dislike of certain sounds / may

hold hands over ears• Extreme dislike of touching certain

textures• Dislike of being touched / close contact• Either extremely passive behavior or

extremely nervous, active behavior• Extreme dislike of certain foods• Behavior that is aggressive to others• Lack of interest• Desire to follow set patterns of behavior /

interaction• Desire to keep objects in a certain physical

pattern• Repetitive behavior• Self-injurious behavior• Ritualistic behavior

Know Your Facts• Autism now affects 1 in 88 children and 1 in 54 boys• More children will be diagnosed with autism this year

than with AIDS, diabetes & cancer combined• Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental

disability in the U.S.• Autism costs the nation $126 billion per year• Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of

many less prevalent childhood diseases• Boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism• There is no medical detection or cure for autism

Autism Awareness:

• Puzzle pieces are the symbol for Autism Awareness

• “Putting it together one piece at a time”Autism Awareness month is in

April of every year. In April of 2012, the theme was “Lightening It Up Blue for Autism Awareness”