Autism is an umbrella term for many different kinds of neurodevelopmental disorders. But autism is not a disease. It does affect people’s lives but a lot of people cope really well. People with autism may be hypersensitive about certain sounds, images or tastes. This may lead one or more senses to get overstimulated. Many people might find daily experiences slightly overwhelming or confusing. Younger children with autism may start speaking words later than other children, some may not react when people are speaking to them, some find it hard to make eye contact and some are seen to be lining up toys or other objects excessively. Younger children may also object to being hugged or cuddled and a lot of them don’t particularly like playing with others or made-up games. Older children or teens may find it hard to communicate with other people around them. Sometimes they use repetitive or unusual language not used by many people and they can get extremely uncomfortable if there’s a change in their routine. Teens with autism are usually very passionate about certain objects or topics that interest them. For autistic people, very loud environments or a break in their routines can be very overwhelming.Situations like these can cause them to throw tantrums or do things that other people wrongly consider “bad” behavior.
Some people with autism show signs of the savant syndrome where a person is exceptionally good at particular fields like music or a certain subject. However, people with autism have a higher risk of conditions like depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety, sleep disorders, seizures and more.
By Shriyadita Sengupta
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