Misnomers and misconceptions concerning Autism
Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, is “a spectrum of complex disorders of brain development,” said Life Skills teacher Allison Harris.
Autism is not a mental illness or an intelligence disability, according to Psychology and sociology teacher Roberta Chunko.
“It's important to look at the different aspects in connection with a person who happens to be autistic,” said Chunko.
Symptoms of ASD can vary greatly between those affected, according to Harris.
“All individuals with autism are very different,” said Harris
It is characterized by socialization and communication difficulties and repetitive behaviors, according to Harris.
“In addition, people with ASD may be highly sensitive to changes in their environment, or intensely focused on inappropriate items,” said counselor Art Earl.
Autism can affect a student in many different ways, according to Earl.
“Socially, [autistic students] may not be able to maintain friendships. Their repetitive behaviors can make them stand out from the crowd,” said Harris. “Also autism can affect how people learn, making school difficult.”
Autism can also affect the way a student communicates with teachers and fellow students, according to Earl.
However, Franklin Regional accommodates for the needs of autistic students, according to Harris.
“Accommodations for students with autism vary on a case by case basis,” said Earl.
Some autistic students require more support than others, and Franklin Regional takes each individual’s needs into consideration, according to Earl.
“Some general difficulties I see are lack of eye contact, trouble understanding personal space, asking for help, engaging in conversations outside or the student’s specific interest, asking questions of peers and refraining from repetitive moment during conversation,” said Harris.
In addition, autistic students often have specific sensory difficulties.
“Many people with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulty processing everyday sensory information such as sounds, sights and smells,” said the National Autistic Society, or NAS. “This is usually called having sensory integration difficulties, or sensory sensitivity. It can have a profound effect on a person's life.”
This can make a person stressed or anxious, and may even cause a person physical pain, according to the NAS.
In recent years, many have linked vaccinations to the development of autism.
However, studies have shown that there is no connection between vaccinations and autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC.
“The results showed that the total amount of [substances in vaccines that cause the body’s immune system to produce disease-fighting antibodies] from vaccines received was the same between children with ASD and those that did not have ASD,” said CDC.
Scientists are still looking into what causes autism, according to Chunko.
Many possible causes include heredity, genetics and medical problems, according to the Autism Society.
Regardless of the cause of autism, neurotypical students, or students without an autism spectrum disorder, should be more accepting of autistic students, according to Harris.
One way to do so is to “Treat them like everyone else,” said Harris. “If they are engaging in a behavior or a repetitive movement, just remind yourself that they aren't doing this to annoy you. All people have quirks and people with autism just have different quirks.”
Also, students should attempt to learn more about autism, according to Earl.
One way to do so is to find organizations that support autistic people.
Also, both the Psychology and Sociology classes allow students to learn more about autism, according to Chunko.
“When people are educated then they are able to be more understanding,” said Harris.
