Does anyone know what exactly autism tendencies might mean?
406433
hey :) i work with children with severe autism. Autism is a developmental disorder and is the most common developmental disorder in a group called the autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Other ASDs include Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified . \n\nTho each child is individual most people with autism have impairments in social interaction, social communication, and imagination. This is referred to as the triad of impairments. \n\nI dont belive there is any direct research which shows autism is genetic, i think they are unsure about the cause.\n\nThere are lost of usefull websites on autism, and the autism awareness society. \n\nhttp://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer\nhttp://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/autism.cfm\nhttp://www.learningdifficulties.org.au/autism.htm\n\nhope you find them helpful, all the best faerie rainbow dust x x x x x
231387
My son has Aspbergers Syndrome which is very similar to high-functioning autism. I get so frustrated with his lack of communication. If things aren't going his way he stops talking and just grunts or yells. If I try to guide him somewhere and he doesn't want to go, he'll collapse to the floor. He's 5 years old and isn't potty-trained either. We jsut had him going to the bathroom at the beginning of the summer and it lasted for 2 months, but he's relapsed. I keep trying to explain to him that he needs to have this under control by the time kindergarten starts, but I never know what he understands since his lack of communicative social skills leave me guessing and confused. Anyone else in this same boat?\n\nLack of verbal communication, unless in babies;\n\nAsperger Syndrome (AS) or disorder is a neurological disorder characterized by poor social interactions, obsessions, odd speech and mannerisms. The syndrome is considered part of the spectrum of pervasive developmental delay and is sometimes referred to as "high-functioning autism."
905740
When someone says "autism" they can mean one of two things.\n1. The specific term "classic" autism or "autistic disorder."  \n2. The more generally "Autism Spectrum Disorder,"  "Spectrum" being the key word.  \nAsperger's, sometimes referred to as "high functioning autism," is on the spectrum.\n\nSymptoms of Classic Autism include:\n1. severe social disabilities (little or no eye contact, difficulty understanding others think differently than themselves, etc.)\n2. little or no verbal skills, (neither my niece or nephew could talk but my niece understands a lot but my nephew didn't.)\n&  3. repetative movements like rocking & hand flapping.\n\nSymptoms of Asperger's include:\n1. social disabilities (little eye contact, difficulty reading body language & tone of voice, etc.)\n2. odd speech (There may not be delays in speech, but they may have difficulty understanding figures of speech & will often speak monotone.)\n&  3. repetative movements like rocking & hand flapping, but not as severely.  \n\nClassic Autism makes up 12 - 36 % of all the people "on the autism spectrum"\nAspergers makes up 62 - 86% of all the people "on the autism spectrum"\nThe rest (Rett's, CDC, PDD-NOS) make up less than 3%.
1010049
This site states pdd-nos as being in the spectrum,and it's from the Autism Society of America, so they should know! I'd print this out and give it to her! I thought everyone identified it as being such. I'd find a different psychiatrist, or go to a psychologist, they're trained to diagnose autism.\nhttp://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=whatisautism\n\nThis one has a different theory, saying that it presents LIKE autism, but didn't go so far as to call it that. \nhttp://www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe/fs1txt.htm
553534
My step son is 11 and he's autistic... mild and high functioning but he still has a lot of the autistic traits. My step daughter is 6 and we recently had her tested for autism since she was showing traits of autism as well. Come to find out, she's not autistic, she's emulating her brother. \n\nAny 3-year-old is going to pick up traits from those that he is around. If his issue is one merely of delayed speech, then he needs to be working with a speech therapist. I'm rather surprised that he is placed with autistic children as any health care or educational professional worth their salt knows that young children are extremely impressionable. \n\nHowever, if you have concerns of autistic behavior at all...and if your son has not been diagnosed by a psychologist who specializes in autism, then I would highly suggest you bite the bullet and have him evaluated... if nothing else for you peace of mind.
437943
I have a 5-year old with autism.  My wife and I have been successful getting him to talk to us only if it's requesting food or certain play activities.  I'd say about half the time he asks on his own without being prompted.  We expand his vocabulary by offering him more choices or making him make more decisions.  For example, instead of putting in the video he hands us, we'll pick up another and make him point and say the title of the video he wants.  Eventually, he'll ask for the video by name right away.  It's only been the last few months that he's been doing this, so I'm optimistic about how he can grow from this step to more difficult social interactions (even if it takes a few years).
510047
Hello,\nI am not a mother of an Autistic person, but my younger brother is diagnosed with autism. I do not know if this will help, but here is one major expierence of my brother's.  He began to receive symptoms of ASD shortly after his MMR shot.  He began to stop talking and began to backtrack.  I have done some research myself, and this seems to appear quite a bit around.  Look it up, it's interesting. :) Good luck. :-)
1131697
My son is Autistic and I am sorry but you seem as if you're completely fine. If you had Autism they would have diagnosed you a long time ago though Autistics are far more advanced than other's your communication skills are one factor that you are mocking a disease countless people are subjected to deal with and fight to escape!
2181
Very logical answers to a very good question.  After attending several seminars and spending time with Autistic families I've come to believe there are definately genetic issues.  I do believe in some cases the gene is dormant until exposed to a enviromental factor.  Some studies have indicated regions where enviromental pollutants are more severe, there are far more cases of autism in those particular areas.  But again, I agree with the above answers..  we are far more educated about autism so it may be a case of more accurated dx's are being made...  ie, rather than dx's a child with  retardation, the persons behaviors  observed more closely and dx'd as autistim....
1080194
Go to www.autismspeaks.com answers everything...
122832
What do you need to know?\n\nMy niece has "strict" autism, as opposed to "Aspergers".  \n\nShe doesn't talk more than one word at a time, but understand a lot. (It's hard to know how much she understands since she can't tell us)  \n\nShe can't color in the lines, much less write.  I want to get a computer for her & see if I can get her to type.  \n\nShe is unusually affectionate for a child with autism, but it has to be on her terms.  She doesn't want people to come up & give here a great big hug, but she may give you a hug.  You have to give her some space.  She likes holding hands & carresses & seems to respond favorly to "sweet talk", (saying "I Love You" & such)\n\nShe just got potty trained (out of diapers) last year, but still has a bit of a problem with bowel movements.  She is nine years old.\n\nYou can add to your question so if this isn't what you were wanting, please clarify.\n\nSome people might send in links to an autism chat room.  I'd be interested in that, myself.
175226
i have it still and im 23. so it has nothing to do with autism, yet my aunties son is autistic, i think it is a little bit like the same thing, kinda shy to talk and feeling uncomfortable in the presence of other people.\nyou should take him to a psychologist, with me when i was about 14, they used to give me games to play, like football and little puzzles to try to relax me to talk, but it never worked. it might work for your son though, so you should try it.
640960
http://www.gre.ac.uk/~cc217/images/autism.jpg
547650
one of the characteristics of autism is mental retardation (an IQ severely below average), so i guess you could say that it causes it, yeah. it goes hand in hand with it.\n\ni just meant that it COULD be a characteristic, so if someone had autism and was mentally retarded, it could be because of the disease. and i know not all people with autism are. and individuals with aspergers have normal to high IQs even. all i was doing was answering the question 'could austism cause a person to be a retard?' and while poorly worded, yeah it could.
1159608
I have a grandson with high-function autism.  They thought at first that he had Aspergers, but now they don't think he does.  why?
63537
It's kind of like the outbreak of ADD, more people are looking for the signs, thus more kids are being diagnosed with it. But also like ADD, they're reaching out, like you said, to a broader spectrum of kids, having varying degrees of Autism from very little to full blown. Years ago before Autism was understood this much (which it really isn't understood much at all), they would probably only diagnose the kids with the full-blown disorder rather than encompass with that label the kids who only have it slightly, so that attributes mostly. THe more popular reasoning, which is what people use to reason the outbreak of ADD, is that more psychiatrists are more ready to diagnose it, and more parents are ready to accept that disorder as a reason for their children's odd behavior, but which they may not suffer from necessarily. \n\n\nCheck out the DSM IV, I think there's some of it online, it gives the symptoms needed to diagnose every psychological disorder that is diagnosed today.
509495
Every person with autism is an individual, and like all individuals, has a unique personality and combination of characteristics. Some individuals mildly affected may exhibit only slight delays in language and greater challenges with social interactions. The person may have difficulty initiating and/or maintaining a conversation. Communication is often described as talking at others (for example, monologue on a favorite subject that continues despite attempts by others to interject comments).\n\nPeople with autism process and respond to information in unique ways. In some cases, aggressive and/or self-injurious behavior may be present. Persons with autism may also exhibit some of the following traits.\n\nInsistence on sameness; resistance to change \nDifficulty in expressing needs; uses gestures or pointing instead of words \nRepeating words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language \nLaughing, crying, showing distress for reasons not apparent to others \nPrefers to be alone; aloof manner \nTantrums \nDifficulty in mixing with others \nMay not want to cuddle or be cuddled \nLittle or no eye contact \nUnresponsive to normal teaching methods \nSustained odd play \nSpins objects \nInappropriate attachments to objects \nApparent over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain \nNo real fears of danger  \nNoticeable physical over-activity or extreme under-activity \nUneven gross/fine motor skills \nNot responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf although hearing tests in normal range. \nFor most of us, the integration of our senses helps us to understand what we are experiencing. For example, our senses of touch, smell and taste work together in the experience of eating a ripe peach: the feel of the peach fuzz as we pick it up, its sweet smell as we bring it to our mouth, and the juices running down our face as we take a bite. For children with autism, sensory integration problems are common. Their senses may be over-or under-active. The fuzz on the peach may actually be experienced as painful; the smell may make the child gag. Some children with autism are particularly sensitive to sound, finding even the most ordinary daily noises painful. Many professionals feel that some of the typical autism behaviors are actually a result of sensory integration difficulties.\n\nThere are many myths and misconceptions about autism. Contrary to popular belief, many autistic children do make eye contact; it just may be less or different from a non-autistic child. Many children with autism can develop good functional language and others can develop some type of communication skills, such as sign language or use of pictures. Children do not "outgrow" autism but symptoms may lessen as the child develops and receives treatment.\n\nOne of the most devastating myths about autistic children is that they cannot show affection. While sensory stimulation is processed differently in some children with autism, they can and do give affection. But it may require patience on a parent's part to accept and give love in the child's terms.\n\nAs part of a well-baby/well-child visit, your child's doctor should do a "developmental screening" asking specific questions about your baby's progress. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) lists these five behaviors that signal further evaluation is warranted:\n\nDoes not babble or coo by 12 months \nDoes not gesture (point, wave, grasp) by 12 months \nDoes not say single words by 16 months \nDoes not say two-word phrases on his or her own by 24 months \nHas any loss of any language or social skill at any age. \nHaving any of these five "red flags" does not mean your child has autism, but because the characteristics of the disorder vary so much, a child should have further evaluations by a multidisciplinary team that may include a neurologist, psychologist, developmental pediatrician, speech/language therapist, learning consultant, or other p