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Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder that affects the entire personality of an individual. This means that abnormalities are evident in all significant areas of development, such as language, communication, social skills, emotional, cognitive, and motor development. The first symptoms can be observed even in infants, and a full picture of the disorder is often visible before the age of three. Contrary to popular belief, this disorder does not only occur in childhood, although it is most frequently diagnosed in children.
Every child with autism is unique, and the abnormalities as well as their degree of intensity in various areas are individual matters. Timely therapy focusing on developing the skills of the child, which are not progressing properly, facilitates the child’s integration into peer groups and provides opportunities for independent functioning in daily life.
Research shows that autism and pervasive developmental disorders can become one of the most common causes of disability in children. In Western countries, autism spectrum disorders of varying severity are diagnosed in about 1 in 100 children. This is significantly more than 20 years ago, and experts are talking about a global crisis. Few people realize that this is currently one of the largest health issues in the world.
Early diagnosis of autism is crucial as it allows for the implementation of intensive therapeutic interventions to assist the child.
Individuals with autism face significant difficulties in social interactions and communicating with others. Their speech development does not proceed as it does for typically developing children; delays often occur, and the words used by the child may be applied inappropriately. It is important to emphasize communication development within therapeutic sessions.
Children with autism struggle to learn new skills. Due to these difficulties, they require more support during learning than typically developing children. It is essential to employ various aids during learning, such as visual aids—like daily schedules and activity charts.
The way they process information is different; children with autism often experience hypersensitivity and/or hyposensitivity in relation to their senses, perceiving and experiencing the surrounding world differently. Sensory integration activities aim to optimize the functioning of the child’s nervous system, which impacts their overall functioning.
The therapeutic program should be comprehensive and individually tailored to the needs and capabilities of each child, in order to best support their development.
Asperger's syndrome, like autism, is a pervasive developmental disorder. This disorder is often confused with so-called "high-functioning autism," but the differences are clear. (The term high-functioning autism refers to individuals who, despite their autism, navigate and function well in society.)
Among the characteristic symptoms of this disorder are: difficulties in social relationships, impaired empathy, poor nonverbal communication, pedantic speech, intense specific interests, and clumsiness.
Individuals with Asperger's syndrome struggle to initiate and maintain social contacts and relationships; they find it hard to make new acquaintances and often respond inappropriately to social situations. Additionally, despite the absence of intellectual disability, they tend to be inflexible in their thinking and may have very specific, obsessive interests. Misunderstanding from their surroundings and the resulting failures in daily functioning often lead these individuals to complain about low mood, sometimes heightened levels of anxiety, which can result in frustration and often aggressive behaviors.
This is why a correctly made diagnosis is so crucial, followed by appropriately guided work on social and emotional development.
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Isolating themselves from their surroundings
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Lack of interest in playing with other children
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Absence of typical childhood "creativity" during play
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The impression that the child prefers contact with objects rather than with people
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Avoiding eye contact or breaking it quickly
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The impression that our child seems to look "through a person" rather than at them
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Lack of speech or using words devoid of meaning
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Repeating words or phrases
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Behaviors such as spinning objects, twirling, or rocking
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Hypersensitivity to touch, sound, taste, or smell
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Lack of reaction to pain
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Reluctance to cuddle
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Strong attachment to a specific object or toy
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Lack of response to verbal communication, including their name
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Specific reactions to certain types of stimuli, e.g., specific sounds
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Stereotypical play, such as lining up blocks by color or shape
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Inability to point to what the child wants
Most autistic children experience impaired communication, such as not using gestures to communicate, having difficulties pointing, imitating, and following instructions. Individuals with autism often struggle to form longer, more complex sentences and have trouble starting and maintaining conversations. They may have difficulties understanding abstract concepts. Additionally, they often display behavioral issues, such as rituals or focusing on non-functional properties of objects. Some may also exhibit aggressive or self-aggressive behaviors.
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People with autism do not like to hug.
Many people with autism do hug their parents, therapists, and caregivers.
People with autism do not look into others' eyes.
Some individuals with autism establish good eye contact.
Autism only affects children.
Autism is a disorder affecting individuals of various ages, most commonly diagnosed in children.
All children with autism behave the same way.
Each person is different, so no two individuals with autism are the same. The presentation of the disorder can vary significantly among individuals.
People with autism are aggressive.
Aggressive behaviors may occur in only a portion of individuals.
Autism is caused by a rejecting attitude of the mother (the "cold mother" theory).
Autism is definitely not caused by poor relationships with the mother and rejection. It is a neurodevelopmental disorder influenced by factors beyond familial relationships.
People with autism do not speak.
Many individuals with autism do speak, but the language they use is often "different," and does not always serve communication or the desire to share attention.
"If someone speaks, it means they do not have autism."
Some individuals with Asperger's syndrome or high-functioning autism use language fluently.
People with autism do not interact with others; they avoid people, isolate themselves physically, sit in a corner, and stare blankly.
Many individuals seek contact with others, even approaching people, speaking to them, pulling their hands, and encouraging them to engage in activities, often on their own terms.
"Boys start talking later," "I didn't speak until I was 3, and now I talk too much," etc.
This does not apply to all boys. It is not always related to personal traits. A delay in speech development, especially when linked with other factors, may indicate the risk of autism.
Children with autism are calm and lost in their own world.
Not always true. Autism can often be associated with hyperactivity, emotional distress, and agitation.
Individuals with autism create their own friendly autistic world, isolating themselves from our "bad world."
The withdrawn attitude in individuals with autism arises from distancing themselves from overwhelming stimuli, not from a desire to escape to a "better world." Autism is not a choice.
Children with autism spin various objects, twirl them, or wave them in front of their eyes.
Some children exhibit this behavior as a form of visual stimulation, but it only applies to a specific group. It is not a common or necessary behavior for an autism diagnosis.
People with autism are exceptionally gifted, genius, and misunderstood.
Exceptional and selective talents are very rare. While there are brilliant mathematicians, artists, and musicians among individuals with autism, these abilities are often "island-like" and coexist with significant social functioning deficits.
Autism is incurable.
Autism is not a disease but a lifelong disorder. Early therapeutic intervention can help a child overcome the limitations imposed by the disorder, although it does not guarantee the same effectiveness in every case. However, therapy can significantly improve the child's condition in each instance.
Autism is always associated with intellectual disability.
Not every person with autism has an intellectual disability; some exhibit average or even above-average intelligence. Additionally, intelligence tests may be unreliable if communication with the tested individual is challenging.
Children with autism do not understand what is being said to them.
Parents often report that children retain words and sentences in memory, accurately understanding their meaning, even if they do not express it in a commonly understood manner.
A child will outgrow it; we just need to wait.
A child will never outgrow autism, and without multi-faceted therapy, their functioning will not improve.
The child ,,should be sent to nursery because they will have to talk, conform to rules, and imitate others."
A child with autism does not learn naturally through imitation or social pressure. Attendance in mainstream nursery may exacerbate deficits and frustration. Evidence suggests that a child should be prepared to participate in an inclusive or mainstream group through appropriately tailored therapeutic interventions. Such conditions are provided only by therapeutic institutions, where individualized support can focus on improving deficit areas without overwhelming stimuli.
Autism is a form of schizophrenia, a mental illness.
Autism is not a disease but a disorder. Individuals with autism do not exhibit symptoms like delusions or auditory or visual hallucinations, although they may be hypersensitive to stimuli. Autism can impair cognitive functions and thinking, often presenting as unclear communication styles and unusual interpretations of events. This often stems from a lack of theory of mind and impaired stimulus selection between less and more significant stimuli.People with autism do not have developed traits such as ambition, dignity, desire to compete, or desire for success, etc.
Many individuals with autism possess well-developed personality traits indicating that they are not unfamiliar with social behaviors and aspirations. However, they may not always be able to express this adequately and may experience frustration due to the lack of achievements.
Children with autism are not interested in other children; they do not play together.
Children are often interested in playing, but they usually stand somewhat apart, trying to join in activities that mainly involve running and physical activity. However, they may not be ready to engage in symbolic play without preparation.
People with autism have no interests.
On the contrary, interests can be obsessive (e.g., maps, counting, dinosaurs). These interests may change, but they can be equally intense.
People with autism are sad.
They are often "perpetually smiling" and joyful, demonstrating their belonging to the social world as a form of seeking acceptance.
The speech of people with autism is monotonous, lacking proper intonation, and resembles chanting.
Speech may be atypical in melody, but this does not apply to everyone.
People with autism do not like new places, changes, surprises; they need to have fixed rituals.
Children with autism often exhibit a preference for stability, but this is not a necessary criterion. Over time, many children adapt well to changes and can adjust to new conditions. Personal traits and the severity of the disorder also play a role in this.First and foremost, I am a child. I have autism. I am not solely defined by my autism.
My autism is just one part of who I am. It does not define me as a person. Are you someone who has thoughts, feelings, and various talents, or are you merely defined by a single characteristic? Do you have a weight issue, wear glasses, or perhaps you are a bit clumsy or not very athletic? These might be the first things I notice when I meet you, but they do not fully capture who you are.
My sensory perception is different.
This means that sounds, smells, tastes, and touches that you might overlook can be extremely painful for me. Many environments I encounter feel hostile. I may appear to be an aggressive or withdrawn child, but I am simply protecting myself from the overwhelming influx of information that surrounds me. Because of this, some everyday tasks can be very challenging for me.
My hearing can be overly sensitive.
The noise of multiple people speaking at once, the ringing of cash registers, the grinding of coffee machines, squeaky carts, and flashing lights can be overwhelming. My brain struggles to filter these stimuli, and I feel that it becomes too much to handle. Unfortunately, I often find it difficult to express this in a way that others can understand.
My sense of smell may be heightened.
The fish at the market may not smell fresh, someone nearby might not have bathed, and the child in the stroller may have a dirty diaper. The lady next to me is cleaning the floor after spilling cucumbers using ammonia-based cleaner. I cannot separate or ignore all these smells. Additionally, this can make me feel nauseous.
My sense of sight gets overstimulated quickly.
Fluorescent lights are not only too bright but also buzz and hum. The room may seem to pulsate and can be painful for my eyes. There are often too many distractions for me to focus completely. This can make it hard for me to even understand where my body is in relation to my surroundings.
I may also respond differently – finding fascination in certain smells, sounds (especially those I produce myself), or flickering lights, sharp edges, or simply my own hands.
This makes it very difficult to predict how I will react...
Please remember to differentiate between “I don’t want to” and “I can’t.”
It’s not that I’m ignoring instructions. I might feel unable to understand you. When you call me from across the room, all I hear is “&%^$#%$, table. @!#%^&&**.” Instead, please come closer and speak directly to me using simple words, like “Put the book on the table. It’s time to eat.” Clear messages let me know what you expect from me and what will happen next. This makes it much easier for me to meet the demands of my environment.
I think in concrete terms.
This means I interpret language literally. It can be confusing when you say, “Hold your horses, cowboy,” when you actually mean “stop.” Don’t say, “It’s a piece of cake” when there’s nothing to eat in sight, and you really mean that something is simple or easy to do. Idioms, puns, nuances, conclusions, metaphors, illusions, and sarcasm are often unclear to me.
Please be patient with my limited vocabulary.
It can be challenging for me to express how I feel when I lack the words to do so. I might be hungry, anxious, scared, or lost, but in those moments, those words may be beyond my ability to articulate. Pay attention to my body language, such as signs of agitation, anxiety, or other signals indicating that something is happening with me.
I might speak like a little professor or a movie star, overwhelming you with words or complete sentences that exceed my developmental level.
These are pieces of information I’ve picked up from my surroundings, compensating for my language challenges. I use them because I know you expect a response when you talk to me. They might come from books, TV shows, or conversations with others. This is known as “echolalia.” I don’t fully understand why I use them, nor do I always grasp their context or meaning. I just feel the need to repeat them.
Because language can be so challenging for me, I often rely on my gaze.
Please don’t just tell me how to do something; it’s more helpful if you show me instead. However, be prepared to demonstrate things multiple times. Repeating actions helps me learn.
A visual schedule is extremely beneficial for my daily activities.
It serves a similar purpose as your calendar, where you jot down all the important events. My schedule helps me avoid anxiety about what comes next. Additionally, it allows me to transition to subsequent activities throughout the day smoothly and without stress.
Focus on building up things I can do well rather than highlighting my limitations.
Like everyone else, I struggle to learn in an environment where I am constantly reminded of my shortcomings and the need for improvement. I cannot attempt new behaviors when I am subjected to ongoing criticism.
Pay attention to my strengths.
You are sure to find them. There are many ways to excel. For instance, I could be an expert on hydrants, fountains, or unique screws.Assist me with social interactions.
It may seem as if I don’t want to play with other children, but sometimes I just don’t know how to initiate play or conversation. If you can arrange interactions with other kids, I would appreciate it.
Activities with a clear beginning and end work best for me.
I may struggle to interpret facial expressions, body language, or the emotions of others. I would be grateful if you could teach me social skills (even those that are completely obvious to you) because there are times when I am unsure of how to behave.
Try to understand the triggers of my meltdowns.
Crisis situations, outbursts of anger, tantrums, or whatever you choose to call them are often more frightening for me than for you. They occur due to sensory overload from one or more of my senses. If you can help identify why these outbursts occur, you can help prevent them. Take note of the time, activities, people, and events when they happen. You might find recurring patterns.
Remember that every behavior is a form of communication and serves a purpose.
While my words may not convey it, my behavior can tell you how I perceive what is happening around me.
Parents, keep in mind that persistent, repetitive behaviors may have a medical basis:
food allergies, hypersensitivity, sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal issues – all of these can contribute to what may seem like “strange” behavior.
If you are my family, please love me unconditionally.
Avoid letting thoughts like “If only he could…” or “Why can’t he…” take hold. You didn’t fulfill all the expectations your parents had for you either, and you wouldn’t want to be constantly reminded of that. I didn’t choose my autism. Remember that this happened to me, not to you.Without your support, my chances of coping in adult life are slim. However, with your help and knowledge, my chances are better than you think. I promise you – I am worth it.
Everything I have achieved would not have been possible without you. Consider all the rules you have, and if they do not make sense to me, do not dwell on them. Be my advocate, my friend, and together we will see how far I can go.
Developed by Kamila Kuprowska based on the book: “10 Things a Child with Autism Wishes to Tell You.”