How to Support Someone with High-Functioning Autism

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My younger brother was diagnosed with high-functioning autism at a very young age. I am glad that to any bystander, he just seems like a quirky little kid, but sometimes I wonder about how people will treat him as he grows older, and how he is going to adapt to life as a long-term students (he is currently home schooled). When most people think of a developmental disorder, they imagine something along the lines of gaining some brain damage in your early years of life that puts you in a vegetable state for the rest of your waking days. After learning lots of information on the topic of autism spectrum disorders, I know now that this idea of developmental disorders like autism is entirely outdated and does not do the entire population of people with these disorders any real justice. Autism spectrum disorders, by definition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (or the DSM-IV), are characterized by when a person does not understand social concepts, cannot effectively and efficiently communicate with another person, and/or has a small range of interests or hobbies that may be considered like a fixation or an addiction. (Kids in the Syndrome Mix, page 94) What makes autism really confront the public’s interpretation of a developmental disorder is the spectrum aspect to it. The spectrum makes every autism case completely different from the others. Those one side of the autism spectrum are more severe in the level of impediment than the other, and those in the middle can show qualities of both. (“What is Autism?” Autism Speaks) Most people do not understand that the differences between the behavior of someone on one side of the spectrum versus the other are vast. Matter of fact, there are some pe... ... middle of paper ... ...m Asperger Pub., 2008. Print. Hamilton, Lynn M. Facing Autism: Giving Parents Reasons for Hope and Guidance for Help. Colorado Springs, CO: WaterBrook, 2000. Print. Healy, Melissa. "Oxytocin Boosts Social Acuity in Children with Autism, Study Indicates." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 03 Dec. 2013. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. . Kutscher, Martin L., Tony Attwood, and Robert R. Wolff. Kids in the Syndrome Mix of ADHD, LD, Asperger's, Tourette's, Bipolar, and More!: The One Stop Guide for Parents, Teachers, and Other Professionals. London: Jessica Kingsley, 2005. Print. Winerman, Lea. "Effective Education for Autism." Http://www.apa.org. American Psychological Association, Dec. 2004. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. .

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