What is Autistic Spectrum Disorder?
Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability which can impact an individual’s ability to communicate and engage socially. Additionally, ASD can be associated with significant behavioral challenges (e.g., restricted interests, repetitive non-functional behaviors). ASD affects 1 in 68 children. It is 4 times more prevalent in boys than girls and exists in all races, socioeconomic backgrounds and ethnic groups throughout the world. There are no physical characteristics specific to an individual with ASD. Despite much research in the area, the cause of ASD remains unknown although research does show it runs in families. Autism is a spectrum disorder because it can affect individuals to different degrees across different realms of behavior.
Individuals with autism may manifest a few or several of the following challenges:
- poor eye contact
- inability to empathize with others
- difficultly with perspective taking in social situations
- repetitive motor movements (hand flapping, spinning objects, rocking)
- repetition of words or phrases (echolalia) in replacement of functional language
- toe walking
- lack of joint attention
- inability to express wants or needs
- lack of social awareness
- inability to identify dangerous behaviors
- distractibility
- difficulty processing information
