[vc_row 0=””][vc_column][vc_column_text 0=””]What is autism?
Thanks for asking this question and seeking to deepen your understanding. There are many inaccurate statements and assumptions made about Autism Spectrum Disorder. This can be damaging to individuals and their families.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition affecting the brain’s growth and development. When diagnosing autism clinical experts assess impairments in verbal and non-verbal communication and social interaction along with restricted and repetitive behaviour patterns.
The reality is much more complex and harder to capture in a paragraph, with each person diagnosed with autism impacted in a slightly different way.
At School of the Road we have been greatly influenced by a community of non-verbal autistic people who type to communicate. Autistic authors who have painstakingly learnt how to type blogs and books are demonstrating that the internal and intellectual experience of people with autism is often vastly different to how they are able to express themselves.
In other words, we need to stop assuming a communication impairment in anyway represents a cognitive one.
Here are just a few links of autistic authors to explore:
Ido Kedar http://idoinautismland.com/
Dillan Barmache https://typing4change.com/about/
Carly Fleischmann http://carlysvoice.com/home/aboutcarly/
Naoki Higashida http://thereasonijump.com/
This has helped us form three powerful goals to guide us:
1. Helping individuals on the autism spectrum achieve success and believe in themselves
2. Opening the door to a world of connection, community and possibility for all on the Autism Spectrum
3. Helping society realise the importance of presuming competence
To learn more we suggest visiting these websites:
USA
http://www.autism-society.org/
Australia
http://www.autismawareness.com.au/resources/websites/
Uk
http://www.autism.org.uk/[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][ess_grid alias=”scroll-menu-1″][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
School of the Road 