Autism
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This page has general information about autism under the following headings:
Autism awareness card
Print some copies of our Autism awareness card to keep in your wallet. They help in those situations where people just don't know why your child is in meltdown. 
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Click on the button to find out about famous people who have or are are believed to have had autism.
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What is autism?
Calling on assistance from ACN members from different cultural backgrounds, we have created a brief language-based explanation on what autism is and how the reader can support parents raising children on the spectrum.. These may be especially helpful in educating grandparents who cannot easily access English material on the subject. If you can help us create an information sheet in a language which does not appear here please write to us at info@autismcommunity.org.au
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The term Autism refers to a group of developmental disorders that generally come under the term Autism Spectrum Disorders. Autism affects people in different ways. Some children at the high functioning end may have good eye contact and want to be social, while others may have no eye contact, no speech, and whose entire interaction with the world is rocking back and forth and appear indifferent to people. Most children are diagnosed around the age of three, and Early Intervention is the best way to help teach them the skills these children need and which that don't come naturally to them.
As a child grows, different parts of the brain develop to build abilities to take each next step in their development. But in autism, these pathways often don't form naturally. Things that a neurotypical (non-autistic) child might find easy, like understanding facial expressions or tones in speech, a child with autism may not. They can often still be taught the skills they lack, but they need to be done 'manually' through the right therapies.
If you see a child in the supermarket seemingly having a tantrum, it doesn't necessarily mean they are being naughty; nor that their parent has lost control. Children with autism can find it hard to cope in different situations and their difficult behaviour is often their only way of communicating this. Life for parents of a child with autism can be very stressful. Breakdown of relationships is very high in such families as is stress and depression. For most families, the need for greater services is paramount, as is the hope for greater understanding from other people. They especially need the support of their families and close friends to not judge them and to accept that they know best what they need to be doing for their child.
Depending on whom you ask one in every 100 children born in Australia has Autism. That means that in the future, 1% of our population may very well comprise of people with autism disorders. That is a disturbing reality. Yet not enough is being done to support these children or their families.
Unlike a child who may be blind, or in a wheelchair, a child with autism doesn't have any physical signs of their disability - this just adds to the lack of understanding in the community and the judgement they and their families often experience. We need more funding, more support, and more awareness from our family, our friends and our community.
We invite you to learn more about the subject in the hope that knowledge and understanding will help shed more light on this lifetime condition, and offer greater support to these families.
The term Autism Spectrum Disorders refers to a group of developmental disorders that are apparent before the age of three years and in which there is a unique combination of abnormalities in reciprocal social interaction, patterns of communication and restricted and stereotyped interests and activities.
Children vary a great deal in their presentation, however it is the lateness in talking that often alarms parents first. Many children have associated developmental delay in general skills such as in play and personal self help. Another way to understand the Autism Spectrum is that children with these disorders process information from people around them and the environment in very disordered and unusual ways.
We expect children with ASD to develop and change over time and there is a general trend toward improvement with passing of the years though this may be slow. We expect children to go to school and learn. We expect them to grow up and to contribute to society. Early intervention helps and services that deliver this in Partnership with Parents and respect the goals of families are generally more successful in supporting people than services that do not.
As a child grows, different parts of the brain develop to build abilities to take each next step in their development. But in autism, these pathways often don't form naturally. Things that a neurotypical (non-autistic) child might find easy, like understanding facial expressions or tones in speech, a child with autism may not. They can often still be taught the skills they lack, but they need to be done 'manually' through the right therapies.
If you see a child in the supermarket seemingly having a tantrum, it doesn't necessarily mean they are being naughty; nor that their parent has lost control. Children with autism can find it hard to cope in different situations and their difficult behaviour is often their only way of communicating this. Life for parents of a child with autism can be very stressful. Breakdown of relationships is very high in such families as is stress and depression. For most families, the need for greater services is paramount, as is the hope for greater understanding from other people. They especially need the support of their families and close friends to not judge them and to accept that they know best what they need to be doing for their child.
Depending on whom you ask one in every 100 children born in Australia has Autism. That means that in the future, 1% of our population may very well comprise of people with autism disorders. That is a disturbing reality. Yet not enough is being done to support these children or their families.
Unlike a child who may be blind, or in a wheelchair, a child with autism doesn't have any physical signs of their disability - this just adds to the lack of understanding in the community and the judgement they and their families often experience. We need more funding, more support, and more awareness from our family, our friends and our community.
We invite you to learn more about the subject in the hope that knowledge and understanding will help shed more light on this lifetime condition, and offer greater support to these families.
The term Autism Spectrum Disorders refers to a group of developmental disorders that are apparent before the age of three years and in which there is a unique combination of abnormalities in reciprocal social interaction, patterns of communication and restricted and stereotyped interests and activities.
Children vary a great deal in their presentation, however it is the lateness in talking that often alarms parents first. Many children have associated developmental delay in general skills such as in play and personal self help. Another way to understand the Autism Spectrum is that children with these disorders process information from people around them and the environment in very disordered and unusual ways.
We expect children with ASD to develop and change over time and there is a general trend toward improvement with passing of the years though this may be slow. We expect children to go to school and learn. We expect them to grow up and to contribute to society. Early intervention helps and services that deliver this in Partnership with Parents and respect the goals of families are generally more successful in supporting people than services that do not.
Characteristics
These descriptions give a guide to many of the behaviours observed in children, teenagers and adults with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. It is important to remember that everyone is different and very few children or adults will show all of these characteristics. The three lists show a typical progression through childhood into adulthood.
Preschool Years
Primary School Years
Adolescence to Adulthood
Preschool Years
- Food problems. The child can be resistant to solid foods or may not accept a variety of foods in their diet.
- Unusual responses to other people. A child may show no desire to be cuddled, have a strong preference for familiar people and may appear to treat people as objects rather than a source of comfort.
- The child tends not to look directly at other people in a social way. This is sometimes referred to as a lack of eye contact.
- There may be constant crying or there may be an unusual absence of crying.
- The child often has marked repetitive movements, such as hand-shaking or flapping, prolonged rocking or spinning of objects.
- Many children develop an obsessive interest in certain toys or objects whilst ignoring other things.
- The child may have extreme resistance to change in routines and/or their environment.
- The child may appear to avoid social situations, preferring to be alone.
- There is limited development of play activities, particularly imaginative play.
- The child may have sleeping problems.
- There may be an absence of speech, or unusual speech patterns such as repeating words and phrases (echolalia), failure to use 'I', 'me', and 'you', or reversal of these pronouns.
- There are often difficulties with toilet training.
- The child generally does not point to or share observations or experiences with others.
- The child may be extremely distressed by certain noises and/or busy public places such as shopping centres.
- There is no evidence of disability in the child's physical appearance - many children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder are very attractive in appearance.
Primary School Years
- Parents may notice that much of the distressing behaviour of the preschool years decreases.
- There can be a period of relative calm and adjustment, but resistance to the demands of others remains.
- There can be an increase in social interest; they better tolerate playing beside other children and may begin to show attachments to certain people (often adults or younger children).
- Echolalic speech, if present, decreases and spontaneous speech emerges. About half of the children who are non-verbal in the preschool years will acquire some speech.
- School behaviour problems can occur, often because the child finds it difficult to make social judgements about other children.
- Ritualistic and compulsive behaviour patterns are very common.
- Hyperactivity and a poor attention span are often observed, usually because the child has trouble understanding instructions from the teacher and classroom 'rules'.
- The child's difficulty in understanding other people and interpreting what is going on around them leads to significant levels of anxiety.
- Many children will show a lack of motivation or desire to please others.
- These children have difficulty transferring skills learned in one setting to another setting, eg, school to home.
Adolescence to Adulthood
- The behaviour disturbance and mood imbalance so typical of teenagers seems to be exaggerated for those with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. It may start a little later, and continue into late teens and early twenties but eventually there is a resumption of calmer behaviour. A few adolescents show marked improvement in their behaviour and skills and some may show serious behaviour regression - but all survive adolescence!
- Sexual development and interest varies with physical development but in general is delayed.
- The commencement of menstruation and sexual drive are usually tolerated calmly but exhibitionism and masturbation are sometimes problems. This behaviour can usually be redirected using behaviour modification techniques. The video Autism The Teen Years addresses this issue very well.
- The presence of a disability seems to become more obvious in the physical appearance of the older person, especially if they also have an intellectual disability.
- Epilepsy or seizures may develop in a number of adolescents with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
- Increased levels of anxiety and the development of depressive symptoms often occur and carers need to be alert to this and seek professional help. Medication may be prescribed to help 'take the edge' off their anxiety levels.
- Adults with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, if they have received specialist intervention, are able to partly overcome their difficulties but continue to require sensitive and sustained support, usually from their families.
Definitions
We thought it might be useful to add some 'dictionary' definitions of some of the more common terms in the world of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Many definitions we have listed below are sourced through The Autism Encyclopedia by John T. Neisworth & Pamela S.Wolfe, which I have found a fantastic resource for parents navigating the world of autism. We have either quoted directly or paraphrased to provide a brief description. Others are sourced from various sites online.- Steve
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Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA)
An applied science that develops methods of changing behaviour and is a profession that provides services to meet diverse behavioural needs. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) A disorder characterised by patterns of inattentive and / or hyperactive-impulsive behaviour that is not typical for the average person at the developmental level.... Anxiety Tension or nervousness felt prior to the occurrence of a real or imagined event. At high levels, anxiety can interfere with normal functioning and can be highly unpleasant. Individuals with autism may experience extreme anxieties and show associated psychological signs. Asperger Syndrome (AS) One of the conditions considered a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). AS is characterised by marked and sustained social and behavioural impairement but no significant cognitive or language delays. Individuals with AS have difficulties with transitions or changes and a desire to maintain sameness. Thye often have obsessive routines and may be preoccupied with a particular subject of interest. Autism A developmental disorder characterisedby marked difficulty in communication and social relations and by the presence of atypical behaviours such as unusual responses to sensation, repetitive movements, and insistence on routine or sameness. Autism is evidenced between 18 and 36 months, although it is sometimes not formally diagnosed until 5 years of age.Diagnosis is based on behavioural rather than medical , anatomic, or genetic markers. SEE MORE BELOW Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Term used to refer to any disorder in the array of pervasive developmental disorders. This includes Autism, Aspergers, Rhett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD), or Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). Casein Casein is a protein that is found in milk and used independently in many foods as a binding agent. It is sometimes related to allergic reactions. Casein allergy is different to lactose intolerance. Most people who have difficulty digesting milk are lactose intolerancet. A casein allergy can manifest as a breathing difficulty, hives and rashes, or serious pain in the gut and may lead to inability to get nourishment from food and dangerous weight loss. Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD) Formally called disintegrative psychosis or Heller syndrome. Children with CCD develop symptoms resembling autism but do so after a period of normal development - minimally 2 years - with an age of onset prior to 10 years. Typically, onset is between ages 3 - 4 years and may be gradual or abrupt. Communication disorders Many children have speech or language disorders—including stuttering, inability to articulate certain words, and auditory processing problems. Early intervention is the key to successful treatment. Communication disorders include problems related to speech, language and auditory processing. Com-munication disorders may range from simple sound repetitions such as stuttering to occasional misarticu-lation of words to complete inability to use speech and language for communications (aphasia). Deep Pressure and Proprioceptive Technique Based on the theory of Sensory Integration, the DPPT uses a prescriptive method of providing stimulation to help the mind-brain-body self-organize. Training is absolutely necessary before attempting to use this technique in practice. Some of the benefits of the DPPT may include: An improved ability to transition between various daily activities An improvement in the ability to pay attention A decreased fear and discomfort of being touched (tactile defensiveness) An increase in the ability of the central nervous system to use information from the peripheral nervous system more effectively, resulting in enhanced movement coordination, functional communication, sen-sory modulation, and hence, self-regulation. Developmental delay Developmental delay is the term used when a young child is slower to reach milestones than other children. Delay may occur in the way a child moves, communicates, thinks and learns, or behaves with others. Diagnosis A procedure to identify a relevant label for a set of characteristics, symptoms, or markers to determine treatment. A diagnosis is generally required for eligibility for services for individuals with autism. Diet therapy Diet therapy is a broad term for the practical application of nutrition as a preventative or corrective treatment of disease. This usually involves the modification of an existing dietary lifestyle to promote optimum health. However, in some cases, an alternative dietary lifestyle plan may be developed for the purpose of eliminating certain foods in order to reclaim health. For example, the latter kind of diet therapy is often recommended for those who suffer from allergies, including those that are not food-related. Elimination diet therapy is often found to be helpful in improving symptoms associated with attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity in children. Early intervention Services and supports provided to children younger than 3 years of age and their families that are designed to preempt or minimise developmental difficulties of the young children. Echolalia The repetition of someone's words, intonation, accent, or other sounds heard from the speech of others. Common in children with autism.... Executive function Higher-order cognitive abilities such as planning with regard to long-term consequences, choosing and initiating goal-directed behaviours, sustaining and dividing attention, correcting and modifying behaviours in response to environmental changes. Face blindness Prosopagnosia, also called face blindness, is an impairment in the recognition of faces. It is often accompanied by other types of recognition impairments (place recognition, car recognition, facial expression of emotion, etc.) though sometimes it appears to be restricted to facial identity. Not surprisingly, prosopagnosia can create serious social problems. Prosopagnosics often have difficulty recognizing family members, close friends, and even themselves. They often use alternative routes to recognition, but these routes are not as effective as recognition via the face. Fine motor skills Movements that require the use of small muscles necessary for dexterity in tasks requiring precision such as grasping and manipulating small items (e.g. holding a pencil, using scissors etc) or other tasks of daily living. Floortime An approach originally designed to build effective relationships between caregivers and children who have multisystem developmental disorder, which consists of communication and/or social difficulties like those found in autism. Food intolerance Adverse effects attributed to foods that are not caused by immune system mechanisms. By convention, food intolerance is distinguished from food allergy, a term which is restricted to adverse reactions to foods mediated solely by immune system components, such as antibodies. Fragile X Autism and Fragile X syndrome Fragile X syndrome can cause a child to have autism or an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) though not all children with fragile X syndrome have autism or an ASD. For between 2% and 6% of all children diagnosed with autism, the cause is the Fragile X gene mutation. Approximately one-third of all children diagnosed with fragile X syndrome also have some degree of autism. Fragile X syndrome is the most common known single gene cause of autism. Gluten free Pertaining to food products that do not contain gluten, or proteins found in wheat. A person who is allergic to gluten may experience upset stomach, rash, hay fever, asthma, and even anaphylaxis after eating products with gluten. Gross motor skills Movements that require the use of large muscles, including such skills as crawling, walking, running, jumping and climbing. |
Hight Functioning Autism (HFA)
A form of autism in which the individual's intellectual functioning is at least within the average range (IQ greater than 85). Hyperlexia A significant discrepancy between an individual's word recognition skills and their reading comprehension or cognitive ability, with the former being superior. Impairment Any loss or abnormality, psychological , or anatomical structure or function. For an individual with autism, impairment refers to personal challenges that relate to the diagnosis and includes qualitative impairments in social and communication development. Individualised Education Plan (IEP) If you have a child with autism in the public schools, chances are you'll be creating an Individualized Education Plan, otherwise known as an IEP. The IEP, a legal document, is the cornerstone of your child's experience at school Mainstreaming The practice of enrolling and providing educational services to children with disabilities in general education classrooms alongside children without disabilities. Mercury A metallic element that has no known biological function. Exposure to mercury in infancy or early childhood is hypothesised to contribute to autism. Music therapy Music therapy is an allied health profession and one of the expressive therapies, consisting of an interpersonal process in which a trained music therapist uses music and all of its facets—physical, emotional, mental, social, aesthetic, and spiritual—to help clients to improve or maintain their health. music therapists primarily help clients improve their health across various domains (e.g., cognitive functioning, motor skills, emotional and affective development, behavior and social skills, and quality of life) by using music experiences Neurologist A board certified physician who specializes in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of nervous system disorders, including diseases of the brain, spinal cord, nerves and muscles. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Recurrent obsessions and/or compulsions that are time consuming and that cause an individual marked distress and/or significant impairment in social and occupational functioning. Occupational therapy Treatment consists of purposeful activities to promote higher function ... as they relate to carrying out activities of daily living (self-help skills), leisure, and perceptual, fine motor and oral-motor skills. Oral sensitivity Rejection of certain food textures and liquid consistencies, choking, and/or gagging on foods and liquids, chewing of non food items, teeth grinding and drooling. Pedantic speech Speech that is marked by the avoidance of slang words or other informal speech. It is characterised by the use of technical, precise, bookish language. Person-first language Language referring to an individual with a disability in which the person is put before the disability (e.g. child with autism rather than autistic child). Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD NOS) To be diagnosed with autism or Asperger’s disorder, a child must have a certain number of characteristics relating to their social and communication skills, and also show some repetitive behaviour. When a child has only some of these characteristics, they might be diagnosed with PDD–NOS. A diagnosis of PDD-NOS still means children will need support and early intervention services. Sometimes a PDD–NOS diagnosis is followed by an autism diagnosis a few years later. This possibility of a ‘temporary diagnosis’ of PDD–NOS, though not always the case, is a good reason to explore options for services and interventions. Like children with autism or Asperger’s disorder, children with PDD–NOS will find social interaction hard, or show repetitive behaviours. Although these difficulties are noted, social skills are generally less impaired than with autism or Asperger’s disorder. Phobias Intense fears, often viewed as excessive and unreasonable. Physical therapy Physical therapy (or physiotherapy), often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention and rehabilitation. This encompasses physical, psychological, emotional, and social well being. Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) A picture system used by people with autism to initiate communication, using images and symbols. Prompting Actions by a teacher, trainer or caregiver that accompany an instruction and make the desired response more likely to occur. Psychiatrist A medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of problems of thinking, emotion, and behaviour. Unlike psychologists, they can also prescribe medications. Psychologist A professional who engages in the study of the human mind and behaviour. Psychologists may provide services related to either groups or individuals and may specialise in a number of areas, including counselling, clinical, social on others. Psychometrics The study and measurement of psychological characteristics such as intelligence, personality stress, and adjustment. Psychosocial The study of the effects of medications on thinking, emotions, and behaviour, as well as side effects. Receptive language The comprehension of the language of others. Receptive language generally precedes expressive language. Regression A loss of established skills and retur to more primitive/immature skills. Respite care Patient care provided in the home or an institution intermittently in order to provide temporary relief to the caregiver. Restricted interest Preoccupation with a limited range of activities and objectives. Often there is an insistence of sameness or inflexible routines. Rhett disorder A progressive and degenerative pervasive developmental disorder characterised by the occurence of multiple developmental impairements following a time of normal functioning after birth. Until approx 5 months of age, head circumference and growth are normal, as are motor skills and social interactions. Between 5 months and 2 years, head growth slows in children with Rhett disorder. There is also a loss of previously acquired purposeful hand movements and a development of repetitive behaviours. Furthermore, all language skills are lost. ... Speech pathology The treatment of disorders in language and communication development and speech. Common problems treated are stuttering, articulation disorders, and language delay. Theory of mind The process of attributing a mental state to another in order to predict or understand behaviour. PrevalenceThe Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) provides information about prevalence rates in autism collected in their SDAC 2012 study.
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