While much knowledge has been gained about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in recent years, there’s still a lot we don’t know about the neurodevelopmental disorder. One continuing challenge for parents and mental and physical health practitioners is that autism isn’t so straightforward to diagnose. That’s because autism cannot be diagnosed using a simple blood test […]
A large part of communication are the nonverbal cues that people give. This includes body language and facial expressions. A lot can be read through these nonverbal cues, such as what a person is really thinking or feeling. Decoding facial expressions, for instance, is important in understanding whether someone is being serious or sarcastic. Unfortunately, […]
Research has shown that the earlier an autism diagnosis can be made, the better outcomes a child can have. That’s because early intervention treatments are crucial to helping children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) build the communication, social and daily life skills with which they commonly struggle. Much research has been done into ASD in […]
A lot of research in recent years has shed new light on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and how it affects people. This research has led to more awareness and knowledge about some of the most common signs and symptoms of the neurodevelopmental disorder. Autism is classified by having challenges and/or deficits with social interactions and […]
There are a lot of nuances to communication beyond just the works that are spoken. Many nonverbal cues go into effective communication, including hand gestures, body positioning, facial expressions and tone of voice. One nuanced aspect of communication is sarcasm, and it’s important for people to understand this — and all other nonverbal cues — if they […]
People who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face many challenges in life. Just like the name of the neurodevelopmental disorder suggests, the signs and symptoms as well as severity certainly spans a wide spectrum, with people affected in significantly different ways. Some of the most common challenges that people on the autism spectrum face are […]
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects people for their entire lifetime. There is no cure for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), only ways to treat the symptoms. Since autism is not a disease or illness, there is no medication that will get rid of it or prevent it from occurring. There are also no blood […]
Our understanding of what autism is has changed dramatically in the last 20 years. In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association coined a new term called autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In doing so, the organization essentially wrapped five disorders that were previously separate under one umbrella. These disorders, including Asperger’s syndrome and autism, shared a lot […]
People with autism commonly struggle with sensory sensitivities. These could manifest themselves in multiple ways, such as being hyposensitive or hypersensitive to certain stimuli, including touch, sound, smell, taste and light. Some people who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) might struggle with strong odors, bright lights or certain textures. Conversely, some people with ASD might […]
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face many challenges that neurotypical individuals often do not. This may include trouble with communication, social interaction or even some daily life tasks. In addition, children who have autism may experience sensory sensitivities that might be considered outside the norm. This could include having trouble with certain sensory inputs […]
