Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that affects social skills and communication. Children with ASD have difficulty forming relationships, communicating their needs and feelings, understanding other people’s emotions, and developing appropriate behaviors.

Scientists have long believed that people with ASD live in their own world away from the rest of humanity. But today we know that this isn’t true—people with ASD can just as easily succeed as neurotypical peers if given early intervention programs to help them learn how to cope better with the world around them!

 

What Scientists Believe About People with ASD

For a long time, scientists believed that people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) lived in their own world, away from the rest of humanity.

They were thought to be aliens who didn’t understand what was going on around them or how to interact with others. But this is not true—the reality is much more complicated than that.

Autism spectrum disorder affects 1 out of every 100 children in the U.S., making it one of the most common developmental disabilities today despite being relatively new as an idea in the medical literature (it was first described by Leo Kanner in 1943).

It’s also estimated that about 4% of adults have some form of ASD; this number grows significantly when you consider those who don’t seek treatment for their condition and may not even realize they have it until later on down life’s road!

 

Famous People with ASD

Today, we know that people with ASD, such as Albert Einstein, Jane Austen, and Andy Warhol, have just as much to contribute to society.

In fact, some of the most successful and influential minds in history have been diagnosed with the autism spectrum.

This includes business magnate Bill Gates and singer Michael Jackson who both struggled with learning disabilities that made it difficult for them to integrate into mainstream classrooms – but they did it anyway!

Read also: Special Need Kids: Types, Overview, and Definitions

 

All individuals are on the autism spectrum to some degree

“We are all individuals on the autism spectrum to some degree,” says Paul Wang, MD, Head of Medical Research at Autism Speaks. “We all have different strengths and weaknesses.”

This is why we need to be tolerant of each other’s differences. To find out more about this topic, check out my previous article on tolerance in an earlier blog post!

 

How to teach them to better cope with a neurotypical world

But when it comes to those with symptoms severe enough to impair social communication and daily living, their particular needs are best met by teaching them how to better cope with a neurotypical world.

For example, if you’re a teenager whose ASD manifests itself through obsessive tendencies or aggression toward others (such as hitting or biting), then you might want to try out some behavioral therapy.

This can help release some of the anxiety that makes it difficult for you to interact with other people in social situations—and it could even help reduce certain behaviors altogether.

In addition, there are medications available that may be able to improve your ability to navigate social situations without causing harm.

 

At least one trait of ASD is found in nearly 40% of the general population.

Although autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex and unpredictable condition, it’s important to know that at least one trait of ASD can be found in nearly 40% of the general population.

For example, some people may have symptoms such as difficulty with social interactions or repetitive behaviors, while others may not show these traits at all.

In fact, some people may even be unsure if they have any symptoms of ASD at all!

 

What Are The Symptoms?

The symptoms vary from person to person; however, there are two broad categories for describing them: communication-based impairments and social interaction-based impairments.

Communication-based impairments include speech delay or loss followed by delayed language development; echolalia (repeating words after hearing them); impaired imitation skills; repetitive behaviors such as spinning objects around their fingers or lining up toys on shelves by color instead of function.

 

Who’s more likely to have ASD

On average, males are almost five times more likely than females to develop ASD.

Females are more likely to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Asperger’s syndrome and PDD-NOS.

Males are more likely to be diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome and PDD-NOS, while females tend to have better language skills than boys.

Read also: Does Autism Really Affect People’s Daily Lives?

 

A child doesn’t outgrow Autism Spectrum Disorder

Early behavioral interventions can help children with autism spectrum disorder develop key social skills.

These interventions are different from drug therapy and focus more on teaching people how to interact with others.

The most effective early behavioral interventions are those that start soon after the onset of symptoms when the brain is still forming connections between different parts of itself (called “neuroplasticity”).

This means that if you wait until your child has grown up enough to have had some bad experiences before trying an intervention, it may be too late for them to benefit from it.

In most cases wherein children outgrow the diagnosis of autism, the diagnosis changes to one of “social communication disorder” and these patients still carry a diagnosis of an ASD-related disorder.

 

How Is the Brain Affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder

ASD is not a mental illness. It’s a neurodevelopmental disorder that causes differences in how your brain functions (or fails to function).

ASD affects how you communicate with others, think about yourself and the world around you, make decisions about what behaviors are appropriate for yourself or others, and much more.

These differences may be caused by genes—which means they can run in families—but they can also be caused by environmental factors such as

• Vaccines are given during pregnancy or after birth
• Medications taken by parents
• Infections contracted during infancy such as measles
• Exposure to harmful chemicals like lead or mercury poisoning from pesticides

 

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition that affects people differently. While some have few symptoms and lead relatively normal lives, others struggle with social skills and communication.

According to Dr. Wang, this means that “while their symptoms [of autism] may no longer meet the full criteria for ASD, they still have difficulties in communicating verbally and nonverbally.”

This can lead to frustration for parents who want their children to speak more clearly or interact more appropriately with other people around them; it also makes it difficult for them to follow through on plans made by others because they’re not able to respond appropriately when asked questions about where someone has gone or what time something will happen.”