Season 1 Episode 2 (Blog)

By Bret Thayer

Defining Autism

According to the CDC, autism is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain which can cause significant social, communication, and behavioral challenges (cdc.gov). People with ASD may also have different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention. ASD is  often manifested by repetitive or restrictive behaviors and challenges with social communication and interaction (signs and symptoms).

Autistic Self Advocacy Network, a nonprofit organization run by and for autistic people, defines autism as, “a developmental disability that affects how we live our lives and experience the world around us” (autisticadvocacy.org).

“We are one community: we think differently, we process our senses differently, we move differently, we communicate differently, we socialize differently, we might need help with daily living…There is no right or wrong way to be autistic. All of us experience autism differently, but we all contribute to the world in meaningful ways” (Autisticadvocacy.org).

Autism Includes A Broad Spectrum

It is important to note that there is a broad spectrum when understanding how the medical community approaches autism. The American Psychological Association, for example, describes autism as,

“Any one of a group of disorders…which includes autism, Asperger’s disorder,
childhood disintegrative disorder…are no longer considered distinct diagnoses, and medical or genetic disorders that may be associated with ASD, such as Rett’s syndrome, are identified only as specifiers of the disorder. (APA Dictionary of Psychology)”

So, all of the older terms such as Asperger’s Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD-NOS), autistic disorder, and childhood disintegrative disorder, have been combined under the umbrella of “autism spectrum disorders” or ASD (Slideshow: A Visual Guide to Autism by WebMD).

Dr. Matthew Hoffman of WebMd describes the types of autism ranging from “high functioning” to “low functioning.” He notes that all autistic people have difficulty with social interaction and communication. What he describes as “high functioning autism”, which includes those who have Asperger’s Syndrome, may be very intelligent and hyper focused on topics of interest, but have a harder time in social situations and understanding social cues. These symptoms, or behaviors can manifest in more severe cases of autism as losing significant social, language, and mental skills.

These challenges are also reflected in Autism Speaks, “The ways in which people with autism learn, think, and problem-solve can range from highly skilled to severely challenged. Some people with ASD may require significant support in their daily lives, while others may need less support and, in some cases, live entirely independently” (autismspeaks.org).

However, while acknowledging the wide range of challenges that an autistic person can experience, there is some pushback against a strict clinical view of autism as solely based on a person’s ability to function. The Autistic Self Advocacy Network, for example, sees functioning labels as harmful in that it “…makes it harder for us to get the help that we need, and for us to make the choices we want” (autisticadvocacy.org). Instead, they advocate for a more individualized approach by recognizing the strengths that a person has and the support that they may need.

Autism Diagnosis

There is no lab test for detecting autism, often symptoms are seen by parents, caregivers or family members and reported to the child’s pediatrician, often between eighteen months and four years of age. WebMd describes this as a two step process: well-child visits with a pediatrician and follow-up evaluations from a child psychologist, speech-language pathologist, and in some cases, an occupational therapist (WebMd-diagnosis). To fall within the autism spectrum, children display problems in two categories: challenges with communication AND social interaction and restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. Early detection is key in order to help children with autism get the support they need at home and in school.

Adults who are later diagnosed with autism usually exhibit mild symptoms or were misdiagnosed as a child. They may have a child that has been diagnosed, suggested for testing by their doctor who is treating them for another condition, or may explore on their own to see if their symptoms and habits reflect autism (WebMd-adult diagnosis). Adults with ASD may have become good at managing their own symptoms.

“When you visit your doctor (as an adult) or autism specialist, expect them to observe your behavior and ask a lot of questions. They might use a children’s checklist because many of the symptoms are the same, like repetitive behavior, obsession with daily routine, and difficulty with social interaction” (WebMd).

Challenging Misconceptions of Autism

There are many misconceptions of Autism, often based on social media or movies like Rain Man (1988). Misconceptions and stereotypes about autistic people often range from super aggressive to passive, from super intelligent to unintelligent, from emotionally explosive to non-emotional. As the workplace becomes more diverse, it becomes important to have an understanding of our autistic co-workers. As Christine Condo puts it in her article, “So Your New Coworker is Autistic. Now What?” navigating the world of the neurotypical workplace for a person with ASD is challenging.

“Anyone with an autistic co-worker needs to know that we autistics do not naturally interpret appropriate neurotypical (NT) social behavior. Our autism prevents us from negotiating the subtleties of unspoken meanings on the fly. Instead, we spend years learning them from trial and error. Even the most adept of us must put considerable, conscious effort into what amounts to an elaborate performance, to a degree above and beyond anything a non-autistic person has ever had to make. It’s extremely taxing, in that we must constantly be on guard, and as such, it takes up a lot of mental energy. In demanding or overwhelming situations, we simply don’t have the energy to spare on these social performances. That energy gets diverted away from hiding our autism and towards attending to the task at hand” (Organization For Autism Research).

What often occurs in the workplace is the perception that autistic people are rude or aggressive, when they are actually under stress and have difficulty managing their tone of voice in a way that neurotypical people do. “When your autistic co-worker shifts into a flat or sharp tone, resist the temptation to assume that they are angry at you. Remember it’s not intentional. Instead of withdrawing from them, approach them, if you can, and ask them what they need” ( Organization for Autism Research).

Bret Thayer has been a public school teacher for 27 years in Colorado. He is a parent of an autistic child and is the co-host for the Understanding Autism Podcast.

Join us on Understanding Autism Podcast as we tackle these misperceptions and stereotypes and learn more about people with autism.