Do you know what autism is?

Question

If yes, what do you know about it?
Can you define it easily?
What are views on autism?
Have you ever met a person with autism?

I especially want to hear from siblings or parents of children with autism spectrum disorders, but I would also like to hear from others who have dealt with this disease. Please share your experiences, if you have any.

This is not for research. I am asking only out of curiosity.

I already know what it is. I want to learn from others what they know of it. And you shouldn't have to take a course in physiology to find out what autism is.

Thanks, but I am not looking for definitions. Please see the above.

Harry, I'm glad that someone finally understood what I was looking for. My brother also has autism, and thankfully, in recent years, his speech has been improving by miles, although he still can't speak his thoughts; he only conveys learned responses.

I wish the best of luck to your brother and family.

I apologize for my use of the word "disease" in describing autism.

Answer 1

My brother had four kids, two with autism.

They moved into town a few years back & since then I have been researching autism. We (my mother & I) went to seminars & workshops to help us know how to work with the kids.

Almost 2 years ago, tragedy struck. The little boy with autism got out of the back yard & found the creek before anyone found him. February would have been his 6th birthday. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Apk0582OrfUGgUMakCCKWsXty6IX?qid=20060909173847AAkcuiB

So we re-doubled our efforts in helping Arianna. She has very few words & is just now learning to use them for more than just identifying pictures on cards. Hence, her frustration level has improved dramaticly!

The difficulty in defining autism is that there is a very broad spectrum. Many suspect Bill Gates is & Einstein was autistic. They would obviously be at the high end of the spectrum. Then there are those at the low end who never get potty trained & never learn to communicate at all. It's not easy to come up with a definition that covers that broad of a spectrum.

I am very skeptical of the notion that autism might be caused by vaccinations, but I don't rule the possibility out completely.

Genetics is a major factor in autism. If my niece had a fraternal twin (different genes), the twin would be no more likely to be autistic than a sibling born at a different time. But if she had an identical twin, the twin would have an 80% chance of being autistic. But the fact that it's not 100% proves genetics aren't the only factor.

The latest theory is that the age of the parents, particularly the father has a significant role in the child's risk for autism. I found theis facinating because my brother was 36 when the first autistic child was born (doubling the risk compared to a father in his 20s) and 40 when his second autistic child was born (5 times the risk). This does not rule out the possibility that other factors are at play. Just that this is a significant factor. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AjDxovZ5HhLIww08M8EELIzty6IX?qid=20070325102538AAml5qB&show=7#profile-info-d9567b0787a20449c968e98b1851d837aa

Answer 2

Autism is a neurological disorder.
though the easiest way i have ever heard autism explained would be that if you think of your brain as a puzzle and each puzzle piece represent something like talking, walking, the ability to read nonverbal speech, etc.... then an autistic persons puzzle is the same picture except his or her pieces are a little bit mixed up. I am 17 and have been working with autistic people since i was 7. Now i am a autism ambassador for my high school and i give speeches to the department of education for the state, at conferences, and college classes. I have many autistic friends and plan to become a special education teacher. I think the most common misconception about autism is that there all the same but in fact there not because there is a wide range of autism. many different disorders fall under the umbrella of autism. I personally know a girl who is autistic and is going to college and made the deans list and i know some young man who will probably were diapers all his life and can't speak. I hope i was helpful and answered all your questions.

Answer 3

I am the mother of a child who has aspergers (a mild form or what is often called high functioning autism) and no there is NO, easy way to define it because autism has so many different kinds or spectrums and different types show different behavior. It is sometimes hard for them to be social. That is not to say that ALL autistics cannot be social. They can be social but they will be different. Some are verbal, some non verbal. I often get a little tired of the 'rainman' stigma, because people think that after watching the movie that is the only 'face' of autism. But it's just one. While it is true that they tend to have different interests, savants are rare. Often some with more severe forms can be more easily diagnosed because of obvious behavior such as repeating words, screaming, humming, hand movements etc. The best thing to do for those individuals as well as their loved ones is to be calm, kind, understanding & not stare. I think the best thing we can ALL do for those with autism is to keep learning and ask questions just as you have. Now, regarding my personal experience, well as a parent... I will not say it has always been easy, (I'd say the first 4 or 5 years after the diagnosis were the toughest.) when it's a struggle, you just pick yourself up and keep on. And you know, where we are right now, truthfully I would NOT change my son even if I could, he is such a happy person, and he has such a positive outlook on his life and furture. He has come a long way. As far as you siblings who have brothers or sisters facing this, my heart goes out to you! I know it can be hard sometimes. If you keep your a sense of humor, you keep your sanity! It's okay to be the autism advocate, but it's perfectly fine to never give up hoping that he'll one day speak to you. I hope I helped somehow... If not, I hope you find real answers, but please don't give up!

Answer 4

My friend has autism he never told me this but i could tell,I know it's considered a developmental disorder,his brain operates differently from mine.Big deal.So do most peoples.His is just a bit greater a distinction.

I dont believe in classification or defining people so I treat him like any other friend though I communicate differently and with some difficulty[!].

I know they consider it a disorder of the brain,but I believe all human beings have variation in the brain [i swear mine is nothing but loose skittles rattling in there] and i think calling anyone neuro-typical is just a load of crap.

I am not an objective/rationalist person at all,more instinctual and empathetic,so in comparsion he can come off unintentionlly as the most uncaring cold/heartless/robotic ***** to ever roam the planet.But I would not like him any other way,he has taught me so much about being more rational and objective /vice versa just by his actions and i hope they never 'cure' Autism because we need those sorts of people in the world.

I think my abrasiveness/bluntness can also mean i dont find autistic people foreign.

Answer 5

In the clinical world, autism is easily defined and just as easily misunderstood. I loved the answer from the high school ambassador who said that autism is a brain disorder of mixed up puzzle pieces. This perception of autism helps us see the individual with autism both in terms of intact potential and unique challenge. Sometimes the puzzle looks whole, and other times it is fragmented. I have been fortunate to meet and work with many individuals with autism spectrum disorders. They view the world from a different perspective and, in so doing, enhance our own myopic experience. If you have not done so already, consider reading either Temple Grandin's own work as she is an individual with both autism and a doctoral degree or read Oliver Sack's work on her as he has known her for years. Reading both authors, you get two perspectives from a gifted individual and from a noted clinician. These offerings may help your own puzzle of understanding come into better completion. I wish you and your family well.

Answer 6

My younger brother is Autistic. It is strange, he can read a book out loud perfectly, but he can not speak his own thoughts. The way I understand it is that an autistic person's brain synapses don't work the way they are supposed to. In my brother's case, his synapses are firing too fast for his mouth to keep up with. So when he tries to speak his mind, all that comes out is a bunch of mumbles.

Answer 7

...this for me has to be one of the most fascinating of discussions.

i have my ideas of what autisms are. and i am quite skeptical to name it a disease or illness whatsoever.

my sense is that illness/disease of it is an exaggeration or social creation in relationship to all mental/emotional/physical susceptibilities/gifts of autistic perceived.

i really should look into this one more. for i am having a great deal of worry about how some of these types are being stigmatized and treated.

but again....i am not a formally trained psychologist and have no experience with this class of symptoms.....at least not that i would have recognized as such.

also very curious....


be welll

Answer 8

its not a disease, its part of their disability and its their personality. there is a broad spectrum of autism lately there are people who are savant austism, genius in a certain field. such as rainman; he can memorize names and numbers. autism inhibits the person to do normal things such as tolerance for sound (either too loud or too soft), cant stand to be touched etc. please check out the link below i hope it helps

Answer 9

"Psychiatry. a pervasive developmental disorder of children, characterized by impaired communication, excessive rigidity, and emotional detachment.
A tendency to view life in terms of one's own needs and desires"

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/autism

Answer 10

you need to study physiology after that you will get the autism well .