AUTISM

Autism is a

developmental

Autism

disorder that

that appears in the first 3 years of life,

appears in the first

3 years of life, and
affects the brain's
normal
development of

is a developmental disorder

and affects the brain's normal

development of social and
communication skills.

social and
communication
skills.

DEFINITION

A U T I S M A F F E C T S B O Y S 3 - 4 T I M E S

MORE OFTEN THAN GIRLS.

A U T I S M A F F E C T S A B O U T 1 I N E V E R Y
150 KIDS
GENETIC FACTORS SEEM TO BE
IMPORTANT

TYPES

A S P E R G E R S Y N D R O M E
R E T T S Y N D R O M E
C H I L D H O O D D I S I N T E G R A T I V E D I S O R D E R

SYMPTOMS

FACTORS
A NUMBER OF OTHER POSSIBLE CAUSES
HAVE BEEN SUSPECTED, BUT NOT PROVEN.
THEY INVOLVE:
D I E T
D I G E S T I V E T R A C T C H A N G E S
M E R C U R Y P O I S O N I N G
T H E B O D Y ' S I N A B I L I T Y T O P R O P E R L Y U S E
VITAMINS AND MINERALS
V A C C I N E S E N S I T I V I T Y

SIGNS AND TESTS

THIS IS PARTICULARLY TRUE IF A CHILD FAILS TO MEET
ANY OF THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE MILESTONES:
B A B B L I N G B Y 1 2 M O N T H S
G E S T U R I N G ( P O I N T I N G , W A V I N G B Y E - B Y E ) B Y 1 2

MONTHS
S A Y I N G S I N G L E W O R D S B Y 1 6 M O N T H S

S A Y I N G T W O - W O R D S P O N T A N E O U S P H R A S E S B Y 2 4

MONTHS (NOT JUST ECHOING)

L O S I N G A N Y L A N G U A G E O R S O C I A L S K I L L S A T A N Y A G E

TREATMENTS
A VARIETY OF THERAPIES ARE AVAILABLE,
INCLUDING:
A P P L I E D B E H A V I O R A N A L Y S I S ( A B A )
M E D I C A T I O N S
O C C U P A T I O N A L T H E R A P Y
P H Y S I C A L T H E R A P Y
S P E E C H - L A N G U A G E T H E R A P Y

Amazing Autistic Famous

People

Albert Einstein
ASPERGER'S SYNDROME FROM A YOUNG AGE.
LACK SOCIAL SKILLS
ARE OBSESSED WITH COMPLEX TOPICS
HAVE PROBLEMS COMMUNICATING.
AS A CHILD, HE WAS A LONER AND OFTEN

REPEATED SENTENCES OBSESSIVELY UNTIL HE

WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD.
A L S O A N O T O R I O U S L Y C O N F U S I N G L E C T U R E R .

Isaac Newton
H E H A R D L Y S P O K E
WAS SO ENGROSSED IN HIS WORK THAT HE OFTEN

FORGOT TO EAT
WAS LUKEWARM OR BAD-TEMPERED WITH THE FEW

FRIENDS HE HAD.
I F N O O N E T U R N E D U P T O H I S L E C T U R E S , H E G A V E

THEM ANYWAY, TALKING TO AN EMPTY ROOM.

H E H A D A N E R V O U S B R E A K D O W N A T 5 0 , B R O U G H T O N

BY DEPRESSION AND PARANOIA.

Bill Gates
HE HAS POOR SOCIAL SKILLS AND IS SHY.
H E U S E S A T R A M P O L I N E , R O C K S , A N D H A S O T H E R

"STIMMING"
I T I S A L L E G E D O N T H E I N T E R N E T M O V I E D A T A B A S E ' S T R I V I A

PAGE FOR BILL GATES THAT HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH

ASPERGER'S.
A S A C H I L D , H E W A S E C C E N T R I C A N D C U R I O U S .
H E I S L E F T - H A N D E D

CONCLUSION
AUTISM DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A DARK AND

LONELY EXISTENCE.
SOME AUTISTIC CHILDREN ARE VERY BRIGHT,

AND THEY HAVE A PERSONALITY TO MATCH.

NO ONE WITH A DISABILITY SHOULD BE

UNDERESTIMATED, AND THIS GOES FOR THOSE

WITH AUTISM AS MUCH AS FOR ANYONE WITH ANY
OTHER CONDITION.