Autism is a developmental disorder with a wide range of conditions that can have different effects on each person. People who are diagnosed with autism may have challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication. Autism can be referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). People with ASD have different ways of learning which can have a challenging impact on one's life.
About one in 44 children has been diagnosed with ASD, according to the CDC. Autism is most commonly diagnosed at about the age of three in the United States but can be diagnosed earlier. According to healthychildren.org some early signs of ASD are lack of eye contact, less likely to point at things to show a need for something, may be sensitive or not sensitive to certain smells, sounds, textures, lights, or touch.
“Individuals on the spectrum often have sensory processing disorder. For instance, lights may feel brighter, sounds may be louder, smells are stronger, and touch is more intense. All of these things can happen at once and make things difficult to process,” Jill Lines said.
Sophomore Victoria Wilson has twin brothers who are diagnosed with autism which has played a big part in her life. Finding ways to communicate with them and learning their ways of communication has been a learning experience for her.
“It is definitely hard having siblings that are autistic, they definitely did not understand sarcasm until recently and sometimes they still take it very seriously. In the beginning, they had delayed language and didn't speak for their first four years,” Wilson said.
It’s good to always be patient and clear with what you're saying when communicating with someone with ASD, because it may be challenging for them to understand. When interacting with someone with ASD it might be hard for them to hold a conversation or even start one, as well as reading facial expressions.
“It's important to be honest and direct with your requests when speaking to individuals on the spectrum. If something is said that makes you feel uncomfortable, they should be told how it made you feel and why so that they can understand. Setting clear boundaries and being patient are important as well,” Lines said.
It’s always very good to be inclusive, educated, and surround yourself with a diverse group of people and getting involved can help with that. There’s a variety of events and activities that one can participate in to educate themselves.
“The best way to educate yourself about autism is to be around different individuals on the spectrum. Joining extracurriculars such as Best Buddies, and Unified sports is a good way to get involved. You can always research events and topics online if you want more information such as Easterseals.org and autismsociety.org,” Lines said.
There are many common misconceptions people have about people on the spectrum. Autism affects individuals in many different ways, and some may be unnoticeable, which is why everyone needs to be aware of what they are saying.
“The most common misconceptions I've encountered about people with autism is that autistic people ‘look’ a certain way and that autistic people are unintelligent. In reality, autistic people have no ‘certain look’ and people on the spectrum can actually be some of the smartest people you know. Just because someone misses social cues or doesn't do well in large settings doesn't mean they're any less of a person than you,” Wilson said.