Autism spectrum disorder(ASD) is a something not yet understood by many people globally, whether it’s communities, parents, and medical professionals. So far this is what we know about Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is a form of brain development disorder and ASD is a developmental disability and people with ASD may communicate, interact, behave, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. The learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to severely impaired. Some people with ASD need high support (a lot of help and intensive intervention) while others need low support (less help and less intensive intervention).
ASD is characterized by:
- difficulties in social interaction,
- verbal and nonverbal communication,
- repetitive behaviors and
- differences in sensory perception
- Little awareness of others.
- Self-injurious behavior, e.g. head banging, scratching or biting.
- Imaginative play may be poor. E.g. cannot play with a wooden block as if it is a car.
- Unusual habits such as rocking, hand flapping, the spinning of objects etc.
- The development of speech and language may be atypical, absent or delayed.
- Indifference to, or dislike of being touched, held or cuddled.
- Minimal reaction to verbal input and sometimes acts as though he/she is deaf.
- The sense of touch, taste, sight, hearing and/or smell may be heightened or lowered.
- Changes in routine or the environment may cause distress.
Social TV recently interviewed Vicky Lamb who is the National Educational Facilitator at Autism SA. She said that “ASD is NOT a psychological or emotional disorder, It is NOT the result of bad parenting and children with ASD do NOT choose to misbehave. Misbehavior is often reactions to the environment and is expressions of the difficulties people with ASD experience. What we essentially do is we talk with parents and we give them advice and designate children to our various specialists around the country.”
Autism SA aims to aspire to achieve a society in which persons with ASD enjoy all the rights and opportunities to meet their needs and fulfill their and opportunities to meet their needs and fulfill their potentials, throughout their lives, as loved and valued members of their and communities.
