Memory Lane 2

What is Autism?

Autism is a complex and varying array of behavioral excesses and deficits. Autism is a spectrum of behaviors. I knew about autism but never had hands-on experience until the year 2021. From March 2021 till December 2021, I worked in a GA Pre-K Academy. In my class, I had three (3) students with autism. They are lovable, cute, and beautiful children but very difficult to handle. It took me all the patience I could muster to adapt to them and their unusual habits.

 


Autism is a neurological disorder that produces significant impairments and difficulties:

  1. Difficulty with social interaction
  • Nonverbal: eye gaze, facial expression, body postures
  • Peer relationships
  • Joint attention
  • Social/emotional reciprocity
  1. Difficulty with communication
  • Delayed or lack of spoken language
  • Trouble sustaining conversation
  • Stereotyped, repetitive, or idiosyncratic language
  • Lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play
  1. Restricted, repetitive, or stereotyped behaviors, activities, and interests
  • Intense focus on restricted interests
  • Non-functional routines or rituals, (inflexibility)
  • Repetitive motor mannerisms (i.e., hand/finger flapping)
  • Preoccupation with parts of objects

Before the age of 3 years, Children with Autism have delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of these areas:

  • Social interaction
  • Language as used for social communication
  • Symbolic or imaginative play

On Memory Lane 3, I will discuss Asperger’s Syndrome and the difficulties people with autism and Asperger’s syndrome experience.

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