Autism is a condition which affects the way a person responds to the world around them.
The label is given to people who have untypical social interactions, communication and have some restrictive and/or repetitive behaviour. It is called a spectrum condition because the symptoms can vary such a lot from person to person.
Examples of Autism Spectrum Behaviours:
Communication
- Echoing words/phrases without context
- Taking an adult to the biscuit tin rather than asking or pointing
- Taking language too literally
Social Interactions
- Preference to play alone
- Difficulty relating to other people
- Not understanding other’s thoughts and emotions
Repetitive behaviours
- Hand flapping
- Toe walking
- Spinning wheels
- Lining up cars
Restrictive behaviour
- Eating only yellow food
- Insisting on walking the same route
- Only watching Thomas the Tank Engine
Other Characteristics of Autism
People with autism may or may not have the following:
- Exceptional attention to detail
- Sensory differences, this is most noticeable when children are over-sensitive to stimuli e.g. distress at loud noises
- Trouble with co-ordination
- Unusual eating behaviour such as only eating certain foods
- Additional learning disabilities
- A very small percentage have unusual abilities for example with music or memory
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete