An Overview of Autism

In an effort to create awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD; hereafter, “autism”), I am writing this post from the perspective of someone who lives with a child who has autism. I do not have any medical credentials that certify the opinions on this page; what I am sharing with you is what I have learned through the School of Hard Knocks as well as my own personal research to better understand how to make life easier for my child.

What is autism?

Autism is a neurological affliction wherein an individual has trouble interacting with others, verbally communicating, and/or understanding abstract concepts. “Autism” refers to a spectrum of severity, meaning that some are severely autistic, others moderately so, and others only slightly so. The previously known Aspberger’s syndrome is now termed to be on the autism spectrum. People diagnosed with Asperger’s are typically considered to be on the low end of the spectrum, meaning that they are the least severe.

Why is it called autism?

The word “autism” shares its root with the Greek prefix “auto.” In this case, it means “someone who is unable to interact with others.” In Chinese and Japanese, autism is translated as 自閉症, which literally means “closing off oneself illness.”

How prevalent is autism?

Rates of autism have skyrocketed in recent years. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1 in 150 children who were born in 1992 are afflicted by autism. But prevalence doubled among children born just 10 years later, where the rate is 1 in 68. It is likely even higher among children born in the past five years. Prevalence is nearly 5 times more frequent among boys than girls.

What causes autism?

No one really knows. And if they tell you they know, then they’re either lying to you, or they are basing their opinions on incomplete and/or imperfect research.

The most likely answer is “part nature, part nurture.” In other words, at least some of autism is genetically inherited. But some is brought about by environmental factors, potentially caused by events occurring during pregnancy, delivery, or very early childhood.

What is truly unknown is if some cases of autism are completely genetically determined, and other cases are completely environmentally determined; or if all cases of autism are determined by a combination of the two.

Anecdotal evidence from my own life and the lives of others I know is consistent with a “part nature, part nurture” story.

The quest to find a cure for autism has led to a number of “bad science” findings. If you ever hear about a study that has claimed to find a cause or cure for autism, make sure you examine it closely before sharing with others.

What are the main symptoms of autism?

There are a number of behaviors that autistic individuals exhibit. However, it is also important to understand that no two are the same, and no two exhibit the exact same behaviors. This is another reason why it is called a “spectrum.”

The most common symptoms are listed below. Severity of an autism case is typically determined by how many of these symptoms an individual is dealing with.

• Inability or lack of desire to make eye contact with others and/or follow other social norms
• Speech disabilities
• Eating disorders
• Gastrointestinal disorders
• Sleeping disorders
• Delay in developing fine and gross motor skills
• Sensitivity to sensory stimulation (e.g. light, sound, smell)
• Self-stimulation (“stimming”) and repetitive behaviors, including fixation on objects/activities for abnormally long periods.
• A need for ordering of objects such as toys or household furniture. Disruption to the ordering causes immediate meltdown.

Aside from the above symptoms, there appears to be a high correlation between autism incidence and the incidence of other conditions:

• seizures
• sensory processing disorders
• pica
• many others

Is there a cure for autism?

This is a politically charged question. Perhaps a better question is, “Should we attempt to cure autism?” Some people believe that autism is an inherent personality trait, and so it is unethical to attempt to treat it. Other people believe that autism should be treated in the same way as other neurological disorders such as epilepsy or Parkinson’s disease.

My own view is that individuals with autism should be educated on what socially acceptable behavior is, should be encouraged to follow social norms, and should be allowed to choose for themselves whether or not they want to follow those norms.

The most common way to treat autism is by therapy. There are two primary schools of thought: Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM). The latter is becoming more and more popular because it has recently been shown via a randomized control trial to have positive effects.

The basic idea in treating autism via therapy is to gradually and repeatedly expose the individual to socially acceptable behaviors. For example, a therapist or parent might withhold something the child wants until the child performs a socially acceptable task such as looking another person in the eye, verbally communicating, or playing with a toy appropriately.

Some individuals “grow out” of autism, but for most, the condition stays with them throughout their life.

Everyone who has autism is a genius like Rain Man, right?

Wrong. I have met many autistic children who have below-average IQ. I have also met many autistic children who have above-average IQ and even savant-type abilities like those of the titular character in Rain Man. I am not aware of any data on this, so I can’t make firm conclusions. But my suspicion is that the IQ distribution among the autistic population has both higher mean and higher variance than the IQ distribution of the neurotypical population. Naturally, the most publicized cases of autism are those from the upper tail of the distribution.

What are the costs of autism?

Privately, autism is very expensive because it requires both time and money. Frequent therapy can quickly become prohibitively expensive, especially in US states where insurance companies are not required to honor claims related to mental health disorders (this is known as “mental health parity”). Parents of autistic children are also often asked to support therapy, or are financially constrained and find it easier to provide the therapy themselves. Thus, they become de facto therapists, which imposes heavy non-monetary costs.

Socially, autism is expensive to the extent that special requests need to be granted to autistic individuals. Furthermore, as autistic children age into adulthood, they may desire to integrate more fully with society. This can cause friction between neurotypical individuals and autistic individuals to the extent that neurotypical individuals are not equipped with the understanding or skills necessary to successfully interact with autistic individuals.

Are there any benefits of autism?

If you believe that diversity is a good thing, then autism is a good thing for society. Interacting with autistic individuals tends to teach neurotypical individuals patience, which is another social good. Finally, there are a number of autistic individuals throughout history who have made dramatic improvements to society. These individuals include:

• Albert Eintsein (debated)
• Nikola Tesla
• Sir Isaac Newton (debated)
• Mozart (debated)
• Alan Turing
• Many others

What can I do if I meet someone with autism?

The best advice I can give is to treat them like you would anyone else. Be patient and recognize that they perceive the world much differently than you do. Cut them some slack, and don’t be afraid to get to know them!

Where else can I learn about autism?

I have found the following websites helpful in my own research on the topic:

• autismspeaks.org
• In a Different Key is a book that details the history of autism in the 20th and early 21st centuries.