Prepared by:Maria Angelica D. CamaraoMarjorie A.Tumanguil

Autismis a lifelong developmental disability. It is part of the autism spectrum and is sometimes referred to as an autism spectrum disorder, or an ASD.

The word 'spectrum' is used because, while all people with autism share three main areas of difficulty, their condition will affect them in very different ways. Some are able to live relatively 'everyday' lives; others will require a lifetime of specialist support.

Three main areas of difficulty/ symptoms

Three main areas of difficultydifficulty with social communication

difficulty with social interaction

difficulty with social imagination

Difficulty with social communication

People with autism have difficulties with both verbal and non-verbal language.

Unusual Language, including repetition of certain phrases and pronoun reversal.

In children who do speak, significant trouble in initiating and maintaining conversations.

Difficulty with social interactionPeople with autism often have

difficulty recognizing or understanding other people's emotions and feelings, and expressing their own, which can make it more difficult for them to fit in socially.

Failure to develop peer relationships as other children do.

Little reciprocity in social interactions.

Difficulty with social imaginationPeople with autism have

difficulty to understand and interpret other people's thoughts, feelings and actions.

Engage in imaginative play and activities: children with autism may enjoy some imaginative play but prefer to act out the same scenes each time.

Other forms of Autism

Asperger’s DisorderDifficulty in social interactions

and in activities, but not in language or basic cognitive skills.

Rett’s DisorderApparently normal development

through the first 5 months of life and normal head circumference at birth but then deceleration of head growth between 5 and 48 months, loss of motor and social skills already learned, and poor development of motor skills and language.