Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder primarily characterized by four difficulties:
Communication
- Communication with any autistic individual is an ongoing art. While practicing non-verbal communication, they can misinterpret facial expressions. Some can have trouble with pronouncing long words when practicing verbal communication.
Social Interaction
- Having trouble with comprehending people’s opinions leads to difficulty with making friends. It can take more time for autistic individuals to learn the difference between a question and a statement. Even if they have the desire to interact, it is important for them to practice dialogue by knowing when a question or statement is being said.
Repetitive Patterns of Behavior
- It can be comforting for autistic people to flap their hands, jump around, or talk gibberish. It can take their mentors and coaches multiple attempts to get their attention when they get distracted from their tasks.
Intense Focuses
- Generally, autistic people only want to have conversations about things that interest them, such as rocket science, Mario Kart, Star Wars, etc. They usually enjoy activities that will keep them calm. It could be watching movies and TV Shows, or playing video games.
With the autism spectrum being wide with so many variables, every person’s characteristics are different. The key to understanding an autistic individual is observing their behavior, and identifying their areas of interest. All of this plays a role in studying how they fit into the diagram below.
While these characteristics are accurate, sometimes, they are not always helpful. Everyone must acknowledge the fact that every person on the spectrum is unique and always has something to offer. Allowing them to tell us what they are doing to understand the world they are living in will make it much easier for us to help them. One label will not immediately tell you someone’s strengths and weaknesses.
David Sharif 