Myth and Reality

page 5

The diagnosis of autism is sometimes steeped in myth. The stereotypes surrounding autism are many. People often believe that those with autism never express emotion or make eye contact, never smile or laugh, never talk, and never display affection. These are myths. The truth is that the person with autism will manifest the disorder in his or her own way. The list of behaviors associated with autism are many, and people with the disorder usually express a particular combination of symptoms. Some people with autism have a lot of trouble communicating, while others exhibit more problems with social interaction. Sometimes autistic people have:

• Aggressive or self-injurious behavioral
• Noticeable extreme underactivity or overactivity (often mistaken as ADHD)
• Repeating words or phrases
• Difficulty engaging in normal conversations
• Uneven gross and/or fine motor skills
• No response to verbal cues (acting as if deaf)
• No apparent fear of dangerous situations

The person with autism often has difficulty understanding what he or she is experiencing. In normal people, the brain interprets and responds to stimuli from the five senses. Some experts maintain that those with autism are unable to integrate the sensory inputs, rendering that person incapable of interpreting and responding to what is happening around him or her.

www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/29544-3.asp

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