According to the Autism Society of America an estimated 1.5 million Americans and their families are now affected by an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
It is becoming more commonplace for people to talk of autism. Saying, however, that a child is autistic or is on the Autism Spectrum can mean many things. The spectrum ranges from not speaking and severe sensory involvement to communication difficulty and lack of awareness of certain social cues.
Children who may be considered to have more severe autism characteristics may use an alternate means of communication (such as PECS - the Picture Exchange Communication System created by Andrew Bondy). They may be totally engrossed by items that can be dangled. They may become overloaded with certain sensory stimuli (such as bright lights or sounded), demonstrate tactile defensiveness, or they may crave sensory input through brushing, jumping on a trampoline, or swinging.
Children on the “other end” of the spectrum are sometimes referred to as having Asberger’s Syndrome. These children are higher functioning intellectually. Often, they are very bright. Communication can be difficult, however, with what is said often interpreted literally. In addition, these children seem to be unaware of social cues such as facial expression and body language.
The Autism Society of America has additional information on the range of characteristics of children on the Autism Spectrum including information which can be downloaded for free.
Autism awareness ribbons and car magnets remind us that the cause of autism and ways to fully address the sensory, communication, and educational needs of children with autism are still (in many ways) a puzzle. Please join us in sharing ideas that work and questions for discussion.
