What Do You Call A Person With Autism

How To Pronounce ‘asperger’

Getting The Right Environment

Environment is important to quality of life for autistic people. There are ways you can adapt and improve your environment to make it as comfortable and supportive as possible for you or your child.

The social model of disability is a way of looking at the world that treats the difficulties people with disabilities have as being caused by barriers in society, rather than just the disabilities themselves. These barriers can be physical for example, buildings not having accessible toilets. Barriers can also be caused by peoples attitudes for example, many people will assume someone is lying because they dont make eye contact while talking.

The social model of disability can be a helpful way of considering the difficulties someone faces, and how to adapt their environment so it works for them.

Common changes to an environment that can help autistic people include:

• sensory changes for example, being given a quiet space to work, being able to use sensory toys like fidget spinners, or being allowed to make noises while working
• communication changes for example, using email or apps to communicate, using very clear language, allowing additional time to ask questions, or using visual communication such as photos or pictures as well as written words
• routine keeping to a regular routine and giving warning of any changes as far in advance as possible

• infections

Getting An Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis

The road to an ASD diagnosis can be difficult and time-consuming. In fact, it is often two to three years after the first symptoms of ASD are noticed before an official diagnosis is made. This is due in large part to concerns about labeling or incorrectly diagnosing the child. However, an ASD diagnosis can also be delayed if the doctor doesnt take a parents concerns seriously or if the family isnt referred to health care professionals who specialize in developmental disorders.

If youre worried that your child has ASD, its important to seek out a clinical diagnosis. But dont wait for that diagnosis to get your child into treatment. Early intervention during the preschool years will improve your childs chances for overcoming their developmental delays. So look into treatment options and try not to worry if youre still waiting on a definitive diagnosis. Putting a potential label on your kids problem is far less important than treating the symptoms.

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Why We Shouldnt Use People First Language:

When looking at why we shouldnt use people first language, its impossible not to mention Jim Sinclair , as it is largely his writings in 1999 which have spearheaded the anti-people first language movement.

In his article: why I dislike people first language a subtly titled summary of why the man with the great name, hates people first language, Jim Sinclair gives three highly detailed reasons for why we should stop saying person with autism:

In the 19 years since these words were written, many have built on Sinclairs points, and now it seems the modern day argument against using person first language surrounds the idea that its not about how we see ourselves, but how we want others to see us.

Simply put, many people who are against people first language now believe that there is a fourth reason for using the opposite: if we put our diagnosis before anything else, we show that the person and the condition are inseparable. This helps to raise awareness of how autism looks and, as a result, progresses general attitudes during a time when autism is being hotly discussed.

What Are The Levels Of Asd

ASD is divided into three levels:

• Level 1. People at this level may have symptoms that dont interfere too much with their work, school, or relationships. This is what most people are referring to when they use the terms high-functioning autism or Aspergers syndrome.
• Level 2. People at this level require some outside support on a daily basis. Examples of outside support include speech therapy and social skills training.
• Level 3. People at this level require substantial outside support on a daily basis. In some cases, support may include full-time aides or intensive therapy.

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How Is Autism Diagnosed

Fortunately, the way autism is diagnosed has changed and improved over the last 80 years.

We now recognise a wider range of signs and characteristics as forming part of the autism spectrum.

As awareness increases, parents and professionals are getting better at identifying early signs of autism and are more likely to seek an autism assessment.

This explains why people think autism is more prevalent today than it was ten or twenty years ago.

Asperger Therapies And Services

Find the following services near you using the Autism Speaks Resource Guide.

Cognitive behavioral therapy can help address anxiety and other personal challenges.

Social skills training classes can help with conversational skills and understanding social cues.

Speech therapy can help with voice control.

Physical and occupational therapy can improve coordination.

Psychoactive medicines can help manage associated anxiety, depression and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder .

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What Is The History Of Autism

The understanding of autism has developed over a number of decades. While the term autism was defined by Kanner, there is varying evidence that other professionals, including Grunya Efimovna Sukhareva and Paul Bleuler, had recognised the unique presentation of symptoms much earlier than this. Since the 1940s the diagnostic criteria has evolved and shifted as we learn more but now autism is widely understood as a spectrum of conditions with wide-ranging degrees of impairment

Causes And Risk Factors

We do not know all of the causes of ASD. However, we have learned that there are likely many causes for multiple types of ASD. There may be many different factors that make a child more likely to have an ASD, including environmental, biologic and genetic factors.

• Most scientists agree that genes are one of the risk factors that can make a person more likely to develop ASD.4, 19
• Children who have a sibling with ASD are at a higher risk of also having ASD. 5-10
• Individuals with certain genetic or chromosomal conditions, such as fragile X syndrome or tuberous sclerosis, can have a greater chance of having ASD. 11-14, 20
• When taken during pregnancy, the prescription drugs valproic acid and thalidomide have been linked with a higher risk of ASD.15-16
• There is some evidence that the critical period for developing ASD occurs before, during, and immediately after birth. 17
• Children born to older parents are at greater risk for having ASD. 18

ASD continues to be an important public health concern. Like the many families living with ASD, CDC wants to find out what causes the disorder. Understanding the factors that make a person more likely to develop ASD will help us learn more about the causes. We are currently working on one of the largest U.S. studies to date, called Study to Explore Early Development . SEED is looking at many possible risk factors for ASD, including genetic, environmental, pregnancy, and behavioral factors.

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How Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Play

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder tend to be less spontaneous than other kids. Unlike a typical curious little kid pointing to things that catch their eye, children with ASD often appear disinterested or unaware of whats going on around them. They also show differences in the way they play. They may have trouble with functional play, or using toys that have a basic intended use, such as toy tools or cooking set. They usually dont play make-believe, engage in group games, imitate others, collaborate, or use their toys in creative ways.

Autistic People May Act In A Different Way To Other People

Autistic people may:

• find it hard to communicate and interact with other people
• find it hard to understand how other people think or feel
• find things like bright lights or loud noises overwhelming, stressful or uncomfortable
• get anxious or upset about unfamiliar situations and social events
• take longer to understand information
• do or think the same things over and over

If you think you or your child may be autistic, get advice about the signs of autism.

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Signs And Symptoms Of Autism

You can often observe signs and symptoms of autism in very young children. But sometimes they are not very noticeable, and they might not be recognized until school age or even adulthood. Signs and symptoms my change as the person gets older, but there will always be challenges with communication, social skills, and behaviors.

Why The Term Aspergers Is No Longer Used

The term Asperger syndrome, commonly shortened to Aspergers, has not officially been used by clinical psychologists since 2013, when it was replaced in the DSM-5 by the term autism spectrum disorder. Asperger syndrome was previously used to refer to a form of autism that had less severe symptoms and much lower impairment of language. While not in official use anymore, this term may still be used outside of medical diagnoses.

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Autisticperson Vs Person With Autism

Before we get to specific terms, though, we want to provide some context on an ongoing and important debate about labels: whether or not a person who has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder should be referred to as autistic or aperson with autism. Commonly, these two approaches are referred to as identity-first language and person-first language, respectively.

Identity-first supporters, which often include many people on the autism spectrum, argue that autism is an inherent part of a persons identity and you cannot nor should you separate a person from their disorder, which impacts every part of their life. Identity-first advocates argue that using people with autism suggests autism is a disease that affects the person negatively instead of a part of a persons identity.

Person-first supporters, however, argue that person with autism emphasizes the person and doesnt define them by their disorder. This language, they argue, draws attention to the fact that a persons humanity should be the focus and they shouldnt be solely identified or stereotyped based on their condition.

Carry On The Conversation:

What is your experience of people using autism as an insult? Let me know in the comments below. And, if you want to explore further how autistic people can become the target of discrimination, then click this similar article I created titled: Autism Exploitation: How to Spot It and How to Make It Stop.

As always, I can be found on Twitter and via my email: AutisticandUnapologetic@gmail.com.

f you like what you have seen on the site today, then show your support by liking the . Also, dont forget to sign up to the Autistic & Unapologetic newsletter where I share weekly updates as well as a fascinating fact I have found throughout the week.

Thank you for reading and I will see you next week for more thoughts from across the spectrum.

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When In Doubt Ask

Brown and Dudley agree that its the members of a particular community who should control their preference for identifying language.

Different communities of actually-disabled people or people with disabilities have different preferences, Brown said. But as with any group, especially any group of marginalized people, its the people who were talking about who should be dictating what theyre called. The same word thats empowering for some people might be retraumatizing for others.

Brown offers three rules of thumb for people unsure of which language to use.

If you dont know the preference of the person and dont have a chance to ask them, go with the majority opinion of the community, because thats a safe bet, Brown said. If you do have a chance to ask, ask and use that. And if youre referring to a group of people who have different preferences, use the language of the majority of the group.

For Brown, the worst thing a person can do is willfully ignore a person or groups preference for Dudley, its to say language doesnt matter.

At the heart of this debate and others like it is a sincere effort to respect people, Dudley said. Everyone gets passionate about this because, at the core, people want these communities to be respected. The problem is that we just dont all agree on how, yet.

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Sensitivity In Terms We Use To Describe People With Autism

Do any of these scenarios sound familiar to you?

Parents in a support group are introducing themselves and sharing a bit about their child with autism. One parent begins with this, I have a high-functioning child he isnt retarded, and goes on to describe the very challenging behaviors that are impeding his sons activities of daily living at home and school.

At a social gathering for parents of kids on the spectrum, one parent of a boy is observing a girl with autism. She says to the girls mom, I heard that girls with autism are much lower-functioning than boys. Is that true?

A therapist is reporting to the parents of an eight year old the recent results of testing. She tells the parents that she is functioning at the level of a two year old.

A couple is sitting in the feedback session following the diagnostic evaluation of their three year old child. The provider reports that their son does indeed meet criteria for autism and that he is severely autistic.

On a listserv for parents of children with autism, one parent new to the diagnosis writes of her concern that her child will be placed in her schools contained learning center where nonverbal kids with bad behavior will negatively influence her child.

If you are not the parent of a child with autism, none of these scenarios may ring a bell and you may not have any feelings about them one way or another. These are simply terms used to describe kids with autism, right?

Full Disclosure

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What Research Is Being Conducted To Improve Communication In Children With Asd

The federal governments Autism CARES Act of 2014 brought attention to the need to expand research and improve coordination among all of the components of the National Institutes of Health that fund ASD research. These include the National Institute of Mental Health , along with the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders , the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development , the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences , the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke , the National Institute of Nursing Research , and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health .

Together, five institutes within the NIH support the Autism Centers of Excellence , a program of research centers and networks at universities across the country. Here, scientists study a broad range of topics, from basic science investigations that explore the molecular and genetic components of ASD to translational research studies that test new types of behavioral therapies. Some of these studies involve children with ASD who have limited speech and language skills, and could lead to testing new treatments or therapies. You can visit the NIH Clinical Trials website and enter the search term autism for information about current trials, their locations, and who may participate.

What Does Babbling Mean In An Otherwise Nonverbal Person With Autism Does It Indicate That The Person Is Trying To Express Something Does It Suggest A Potential For Developing Speech

Thanks for your question. Babbling, in and of itself, doesnt represent meaningful words.

In infants, babbling is motor “practice” for speech. We observe babies practicing movements such as opening and closing their mouths, moving their tongues from high to low and front to back. Researchers have found that when typically developing infants babble, they also make repetitive, rhythmic movements with their hands and limbs. They will bang and shake objects and swing their arms as they babble in cadence. We know that these coordinated rhythmic activities are important to the early development of language.

I dont know the age of the person you are asking about. If he or she is already diagnosed with autism, Im assuming at least 2 years old, perhaps even a nonverbal adult.

Babbling versus “jargon”

Sometimes people with autism produce long strings of nonsensical speech sounds. We call this jargon. It can sound like the person is trying to express something because jargon is often produced with an adult-like intonation pattern. However, jargon is not easily interpretable. Many nonverbal individuals with autism produce jargon as a repetitive, self-stimulatory behavior. Typically, this type of jargon is not directed toward another person.

Encouraging socially directed babbling

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