AUTISM CONNECTIONS

About Autism:
Some signs of autism spectrum may include:
* Extreme difficulty in learning language.
* Inappropriate response to people. A child with autism may avoid eye contact, resist being picked up or cuddled, and seem to tune out the world.
* Inability or reduced ability to play cooperatively with other children or to make friends.
* Inability to understand other people's feelings.
* Need for a rigid, highly structured routine -- and being very distressed by changes in routines.
* Extreme hyperactivity or unusual passivity.
* Repetitive body movements including pacing, hand flicking, twisting, spinning, rocking or hitting oneself.
* Insensitivity to pain or lack of response to cold or heat.
* Impulsive behavior and no real fear of dangers.
* An unusual attachment to inanimate objects such as toys, strings or spinning objects.
* Frequent crying and tantrums for no apparent reason.
* Peculiar speech patterns. An autistic child may use words without understanding their meanings.
* Abnormal responses to sensations such as light, sound and touch. At times an autistic child may appear deaf. At other times the child may be extremely distressed by everyday noises.
* Some of these symptoms occur in children with other disabilities. Symptoms can change as the child grows older.
Children with autism may have problems with social, emotional, and communication skills. They might repeat certain behaviors and might not want change in their daily activities. Many people with autism also have different ways of learning, paying attention, or reacting to things. Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) begin during early childhood and last throughout a person's life.

Other Autism Spectrum Disorders:

Asperger's Syndrome - (from OASIS) Asperger Syndrome or (Asperger's Disorder) is a neurobiological disorder named for a Viennese physician, Hans Asperger...Individuals with AS can exhibit a variety of characteristics and the disorder can range from mild to severe. Persons with AS show marked deficiencies in social skills, have difficulties with transitions or changes and prefer sameness. They often have obsessive routines and may be preoccupied with a particular subject of interest. They have a great deal of difficulty reading nonverbal cues (body language) and very often the individual with AS has difficulty determining proper body space. Often overly sensitive to sounds, tastes, smells, and sights, the person with AS may prefer soft clothing, certain foods, and be bothered by sounds or lights no one else seems to hear or see. It's important to remember that the person with AS perceives the world very differently. Therefore, many behaviors that seem odd or unusual are due to those neurological differences and not the result of intentional rudeness or bad behavior, and most certainly not the result of "improper parenting". for more info go to:
http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/

Pervasive Developmental Disorder and not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) - The diagnostic category of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) refers to a group of disorders characterized by delays in the development of socialization and communication skills. Parents may note symptoms as early as infancy, although the typical age of onset is before 3 years of age. Symptoms may include problems with using and understanding language; difficulty relating to people, objects, and events; unusual play with toys and other objects; difficulty with changes in routine or familiar surroundings, and repetitive body movements or behavior patterns. Autism (a developmental brain disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication skills, and a limited range of activities and interests) is the most characteristic and best studied PDD. Other types of PDD include Asperger's Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and Rett's Syndrome. Children with PDD vary widely in abilities, intelligence, and behaviors. Some children do not speak at all, others speak in limited phrases or conversations, and some have relatively normal language development. Repetitive play skills and limited social skills are generally evident. Unusual responses to sensory information, such as loud noises and lights, are also common.

High-Functioning Autism - High-functioning autism (HFA) is the condition of individuals who display some symptoms of autism but who are able to function close to or above a normal level in society. HFA is sometimes also known as Asperger syndrome, however this is a misnomer. The difference is that in Asperger syndrome there is no linguistic delay however there is in HFA. In everyday terms, those who are affected by it may be understood as being "eccentrics".

For more information on Autism please go to :
www.firstsigns.org
www.autism-society.org
www.firstsigns.org
www.autismspeaks.org
www.autismlink.com
www.ninds.nih.gov

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