3. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) What is ASD? Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. It is one of the three autism spectrum disorders. The two others being Asperger’s Syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)
4. Signs and symptoms The signs and symptoms are usually quite obvious and immerge within the first 3 years of life. Examples would be; Often begins to develop language then loses it, or doesn't acquire language at all May appear deaf, respond unevenly or not at all to sounds Difficulty consoling during transitions (tantrums) Difficulty sleeping / wakes at night Does not "point and look" Failure to bond (e.g. child is indifferent to parents' presence) Reaction to vaccines Self restricted/selected diet Limited imaginative play Not interested in playing with other children Chronic gastrointestinal problems Repeated infections
5. Myths Myth Autistic people are dangerous Autism is a mental illness Autism can be cured Autism is a result of bad parenting and cold parents Fact Although people with autism and Asperger’s syndrome have at time been accused of burglary and, rarely, murder, the statistics are small and only happen on rare occasions. Autism is a developmental and biological disorder. Some parents may put their child on special diets and medications in hopes that it will cure the child. It cannot be cured. Eventually the child can learn how to function, but unfortunately, there is no known cure. It has been suggested that cold parents especially mothers have a part in the diagnosis of ASD. It has since been proven that parenting whether good or bad have absolutely no part in the diagnosis.
6. Stereotypes They are stupid: Many people believe that those with ASD are stupid. Little do they know, there is such a thing as savant syndrome. Savant syndrome is defined as someone with a developmental disorder acquire or are born with extraordinary abilities.
7. Stereotypes They are crazy: Contrary to popular belief, people with ASD and Asperger’s syndrome are not “crazy”. They do not have a mental illness, in fact they have a developmental disorder. This is a biological disorder that does not have anything to do with mental instability nor could it be acquired through trauma.
8. Stereotypes They will never be able to have a family: Autism taken by case. Some people suffer more greatly than others. The person may find it easier to cope with their disorder as they grow older. This also means that their social interactions and language skills may return to some degree. This makes it possible for a person to have a wife or a husband and have children eventually.
10. Rainbow Life You may think I'm differentThe way I think and playBut wouldn't life be boringIf all was the same waySee I will change this worldA little bit by bitAnd when my life is overThis will be my giftI'll leave the world a thinkingA mix of logic and my dreamsAnd there will be no limitsNothing will seem extremeThink of it like ice creamSome are just vanillaI'm a rainbow swirlAll colours a shimmer
11. Conclusion What can we do to stop the stigma?Just like any disorder of the mind, be it a mental illness or a developmental disorder, we find ourselves judging and assuming. It is very difficult for a person with ASD to try to get out of the isolation when the world will not educate themselves about the condition. So what can we do? I believe that we must learn. We must interact with the people who suffer from this condition, and we must become more tolerant to things that we may not see everyday. As the video said people will automatically shy away from those who do not conform to the social norms put in place. I believe that we must throw away this need for everything to be the same and embrace the differences that we all possess. What do you think we should do and what WILL you do?
12. Bibliography Websites: Youtube.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL1xLBOQhMo&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=activeYoutube.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz9JBylmfjQ&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active Wikipedia.orghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AutismAutism Canada.orghttp://www.autismcanada.org/index.html Personal experience:Myself. Alexia Bond
