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Understanding Autism Resources: Insights, Information, and Support
Autism is a complex and multifaceted condition that affects individuals uniquely, shaping how they experience and interact with the world. Gaining a deeper understanding of autism is the first step toward building empathy, fostering inclusion, and providing effective support. This resource collection is dedicated to exploring the fundamentals of autism. Whether you’re a loved one of an autistic adult, an educator, a therapist, or simply someone looking to learn more, these articles offer valuable insights and perspectives to help you better understand autism and its impact on individuals.
Recent Articles
Is There a Rise in Autism? Understanding the Trends and Implications2
Unraveling Autism Misconceptions: Insights from an Autistic Adult
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that impacts how people communicate, learn and interact with the world. Some autistic traits in adults include having difficulty understanding what others think or feel, taking things literally, avoiding eye contact and having intense, narrow interests known as “special interests.”
Understanding autism is crucial because it promotes accurate recognition of the rich diversity in how autistic people perceive, process and interact with the world, thereby reducing stigma and enabling tailored supports that respect individual strengths and challenges. Further, by dispelling myths and misconceptions, we foster inclusion, improve mental health outcomes and empower autistic individuals to thrive.
Is There a Rise in Autism? Understanding the Trends and Implications
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by communication and social differences, strict adherence to routine and intense, narrow interests. No two autistic individuals are exactly alike, and autistic traits and severity vary from person to person.
Diagnosis of ASD is clinical, based on standardized criteria that require persistent differences in social communication and at least two types of restricted behaviors. No blood test or neurological imaging can detect or diagnose autism. Instead, developmental history and behavioral observations are part of the assessment.
ASD is usually identified in early childhood, but many autistic individuals aren’t diagnosed until adulthood. This doesn’t mean that autistic traits weren’t present during their childhood. Rather, it means they didn’t have access to the appropriate diagnostic care or didn’t fit in with outdated stereotypes of autistic behavior.
As our understanding of autism spectrum disorder changes and deepens, practitioners are getting better at accurately diagnosing those who would’ve previously gone undiagnosed or misdiagnosed in the past. As both knowledge and diagnostic criteria expand, the number of autistic individuals in the world naturally increases.
This increase has led to renewed conversations around autism. What causes it? Why is everyone autistic all of a sudden? How can we prevent it? (Although prevention should never be the goal.)
But, perhaps we’re asking the wrong questions. Maybe we should start here instead: Is there actually a rise in autism?
