AUTISM AWARENESS

Nelly Garibay

WHAT IS AUTISM?

Autism is defined as a developmental disorder and is found within the first 3 years of a child's life.

It affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills.

It varies in character and severity.

Males are four times more likely to have Autism than females.

WHAT IS AUTISM CON’T “6 children out of every 1,000 will

have Autism”

Autism or classical ASD is the most severe form of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Milder autism is known as Asperger syndrome- Hans Asperger

COMMON SIGNS OF AUTISM

They fail to respond to their name Often avoid eye contact with other

people Difficulty interpreting what others are

thinking or feeling Lack of empathy Engage in repetitive movements such as

rocking and twirling Start talking later than other children Refer to themselves by name, rather

than “I” or “me”

COMMON SIGNS OF AUTISM CON’T Don’t know how to play interactively

with other children Self-abusive behavior such as biting or

head-banging Reduced sensitivity to pain Abnormally sensitive to sound, touch, or

other sensory stimulation Unusual reactions may contribute to

behavioral symptoms such as a resistance to being cuddled or hugged

LEVELS OF AUTISM There are different levels of autism

from mild to very severe

Mild cases such as Asperger’s syndrome, classic autism and PDD-NOS include individuals with a high functioning level and good verbal skills

LEVELS OF AUTISM Severe cases include not being able to :-Wash their face-Brush their teeth-Put deodorant on Repetitive or atypical behaviors If forced to deal with a change in routine,

an individual may become very angry Individuals get frustrated and may cause

harm to themselves when not being able to communicate with others

DIAGNOSIS It takes multiple observations and

behavioral tests to officially diagnose a child with autism

Nowadays, it has become more easy, accessible, and faster to diagnose children

There is no laboratory or medical test for detecting autism

After careful observation and certain assessment,s psychiatrist can determine if a child has autism

SYMPTOMS OF AUTISM Noticed first by parents and other

caregivers sometime during the child's first 3 years

Does not like to be held Child not interested in playing certain

games, such as peek-a-boo Also doesn’t begin to talk Younger children with autism often focus

on parts of toys, such as the wheels on a car, rather than playing with the entire toy

SYMPTOMS CON’T Appears not to hear you at times May be unusually sensitive to light,

sound and touch

HOW DOES IT AFFECT PEOPLE WITH AUTISM? Children with autism may excel in a

certain subject.

A child with autism has obsessions with certain objects and those things become a great importance to them as they grow.

HOW IT AFFECTS FAMILIES? Autism affects many American families

because more children are being diagnosed with autism every year.

Most parents can tell when something is wrong with their child because children with autism usually do not respond to name or calls.

Families that have children with autism have to learn to cope with the fact that their lifestyle will never be the same.

TREATMENTS Treatment for autism varies with each

patient depending on age, background, and how severe their case may be.

Age- all ages Background- all ethnicities

MEDICATIONS Medications can help calm some

children with autism. It all depends on the severity of the case. All medications are determined by the doctor.

In most cases medication is not for young children. In extreme cases, medication is highly necessary.

(Search Medications)

“THE FACE OF AUTISM”

HOW I RAISED AWARENESS… I increased awareness by having a

carwash to raise money I raised $500 for the Autism Speaks

Foundation

SPREADING AWARENESS April 2nd was World Autism awareness

Day..

PROJECT

ANY QUESTIONS?