Who is an autist - the most famous autistic personalities. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Autism means that a person develops differently and has problems communicating and interacting with other people, and unusual species behaviors such as repetitive movements or involvement in very specialized interests. However, this is only a clinical definition and is not the most important thing to know about autism.

So...what should you know about autism? a common person? There are a huge number of misconceptions important facts, which people are not even aware of, and a few universal truths that are always ignored if we're talking about about disability. So let's list them.

1. Autism is diverse. Very, very diverse. Ever heard the saying, “If you know one autistic person, then you know... only one autistic person”? This is true. We like completely different things, we behave differently, we have different talents, different interests and different skills. Get a group of autistic people together and look at them. You will find that these people are just as different from each other as neurotypical people. Perhaps autistic people are even more different from each other. Every autistic person is different, and you can't make any assumptions about them based on their diagnosis other than, "This person probably has problems with communication and social interaction." And, you see, this is a very general statement.

2. Autism does not define a person's personality... but it is still a fundamental part of who we are. Someone kindly reminded me of the missing second item on this list, so I just added it! I miss something every now and then... especially if it's something like "If it says it's a list of ten items, then there must be ten items." The thing is that I have a hard time seeing the big picture, and instead I find myself constantly focusing on details like, “Did I make a spelling mistake?” If I didn't already have a pervasive developmental disorder, I would have been diagnosed with an attention disorder like ADHD - it's not just autism in my head. In reality, autism is just one of many things, and most of them are not diagnoses. I am autistic, but I also have enormous problems with organizing my actions and switching to a new task, which people with ADHD usually have. I am excellent at reading, but have serious problems with arithmetic, but not with counting. I am an altruist, an introvert, I have own opinion on any issue, and I am a moderate in politics. I am a Christian, a student, a scientist... So many things go into identity! However, autism colors it all a little, as if you are looking at something through stained glass. So if you think that I would be the same person without my autism, then you are definitely mistaken! Because how can you remain the same person if your mind starts thinking differently, learning differently, and you have a completely different view of the world? Autism is not just some additive. This is the very basis for the development of the personality of an autistic person. I only have one brain, and "autism" is just a label that describes the way that brain works.

3. Having autism does not make your life meaningless. Having a disability in general does not mean that your life is meaningless, and in this respect autism is no different from any other disability. Limitations in communication and social interaction, coupled with learning difficulties and sensory issues that are common to us, do not mean that life for an autistic person worse than life neurotypical person. Sometimes people assume that if you have a disability then your life is inherently worse, but I think they are just too inclined to see things from their own point of view. People who have been neurotypical their entire lives begin to think about how they would feel if they suddenly lost their skills... when in reality they should imagine that they never had these skills, or that they have developed different skills and a different view of the world. Disability itself is a neutral fact, not a tragedy. In relation to autism, the tragedy is not autism itself, but the prejudices associated with it. No matter what limitations a person has, autism does not prevent them from being part of their family, part of their community, and a person whose life has inherent value.

4. Autistic people are just as capable of love as any other person. Loving other people doesn't depend on your ability to speak fluently, understand other people's facial expressions, or remember that when you're trying to make friends with someone, it's best not to talk about wild cats for an hour and a half non-stop. We may not be able to copy other people's emotions, but we are capable of the same compassion as everyone else. We just express it differently. Neurotypicals usually try to express empathy, autistics (at least those who look like me, as I said before - we are very different) try to fix the problem that upset the person in the first place. I see no reason to believe that one approach is better than the other... Oh, and one more thing: although I myself am asexual, I am in the minority among people on the autism spectrum. Autistic adults, with any form of autism, can fall in love, get married and have families. Several autistic people I know are married or dating.

5. Having autism does not prevent a person from learning. Doesn't really bother me. We grow and we learn throughout our lives, just like any other person. Sometimes I hear people say that their autistic children have "recovered." However, in reality they are only describing how their children grow, develop and learn in suitable environment. They actually devalue the efforts and achievements of their own children, chalking them up to the latest drug or other treatment. I've come a long way from the two-year-old girl who cried her eyes out almost 24 hours a day, constantly ran in circles and threw violent tantrums at the touch of woolen fabric. Now I'm in college and I'm almost independent. ( Wool fabric I still can’t stand it, though.) In a good environment, with good teachers, learning will be almost inevitable. This is what autism research should focus on: how best to teach us what we need to know about a world that is not designed for us.

6. The origin of autism is almost entirely genetic. The hereditary component of autism is about 90%, which means that almost every case of autism can be traced back to some combination of genes, whether it's the "nerd genes" that were passed down from your parents or new mutations that just arose in your generation. Autism has nothing to do with the vaccines you received, and it has nothing to do with what you eat. Ironically, despite the arguments of anti-vaxxers, the only proven non-genetic cause of autism is congenital rubella syndrome, which occurs when a pregnant (usually unvaccinated) woman gets rubella. People, get all the necessary vaccinations. They save lives - the millions of people who die every year from vaccine-preventable diseases would agree.

7. Autistic people are not sociopaths. I know you probably don't think so, but it still bears repeating. “Autism” is often associated with the image of a person who absolutely does not care about the existence of other people, when in reality, it is simply a problem of communication. We don't care about other people. Moreover, I know several autistic people who are so terrified of accidentally saying “something wrong” and hurting other people’s feelings that as a result they are constantly embarrassed and nervous. Even nonverbal autistic children show the same affection for their parents as non-autistic children. In reality, autistic adults commit crimes much less often than neurotypical adults. (However, I don’t think that this is due to our innate virtue. After all, very often crime is a social activity).

8. There is no "autism epidemic." In other words: the number of people diagnosed with autism is growing, but the total number of autistic people remains the same. Studies of adults show that the rate of autism among them is the same as among children. What are all these new cases related to? Just because diagnoses are now being made for milder forms of autism, including the recognition that Asperger's syndrome is autism without a speech delay (previously there was no diagnosis if you could speak). In addition, they began to include people with mental retardation (as it turned out, in addition to mental retardation, they very often also have autism). As a result, the number of diagnoses of "mental retardation" has decreased, and the number of diagnoses of "autism" has correspondingly increased. However, the “autism epidemic” rhetoric has also had a positive effect: it has taught us about the true prevalence of autism, and we know that it is not necessarily severe, and we know exactly how it manifests itself, which allows children to get the support they need from the early age.

9. Autistic people can be happy without healing. And we are not talking about some second-rate happiness according to the principle “something is better than nothing.” Most neurotypicals (unless they are artists or children) will never notice the beauty in the arrangement of cracks in the asphalt of the pavement, or how beautifully the colors play on spilled gasoline after the rain. They will probably never know what it's like to commit completely to a certain topic and learn everything they can about it. They will never know
the beauty of the facts that were brought into a certain system. They'll probably never know what it's like to wave your hands in happiness, or what it's like to forget everything because of the feel of a cat's fur. There are wonderful aspects to the lives of autistic people, just as there are likely to be wonderful aspects to the lives of neurotypicals. No, don't get me wrong: it's a hard life. The world is not designed for autistic people, and autistic people and their families face the prejudices of others every day. However, happiness in autism is not a matter of “courage” or “overcoming.” It's just happiness. You don't have to be normal to be happy.

10. Autistic people want to be part of this world. We really want it... just on our own terms. We want to be accepted. We want to go to school. We want to work. We want to be listened to and heard. We have hopes and dreams for our future and the future of this world. We want to contribute. Many of us want to start a family. We are different from the norm, but it is diversity that makes this world stronger, not weaker. The more ways of thinking there are, the more ways will be found to solve a particular problem. A diverse society means that when a problem arises, we will have different minds on hand and one of them will come up with a solution.

Autism is a diagnosis that many parents perceive as a kind of death sentence. Research into what autism is and what kind of disease it is has been going on for a very long time, and yet childhood autism remains the most mysterious mental illness. Autism syndrome manifests itself most clearly in childhood, which leads to the isolation of the baby from family and society.

Autism - what is it?

Autism in Wikipedia and other encyclopedias is defined as a general developmental disorder in which there is a maximum deficit in emotions and communication. Actually, the name of the disease determines its essence and how the disease manifests itself: the meaning of the word “autism” is within oneself. A person suffering from this disease never directs his gestures and speech to the outside world. There is no social meaning in his actions.

At what age does this disease appear? This diagnosis is most often made in children aged 3-5 years and is called RDA , Kanner's syndrome . In adolescence and adulthood, the disease manifests itself and, accordingly, is rarely detected.

Autism is expressed differently in adults. Symptoms and treatment of this disease in adulthood depend on the form of the disease. There are external and internal signs of autism in adults. Characteristic symptoms are expressed in facial expressions, gestures, emotions, volume of speech, etc. It is believed that types of autism are both genetic and acquired.

Causes of autism

The causes of this disease are associated with other diseases, psychiatrists say.

Typically, autistic children have good physical health, they also have no external flaws. The brain of sick babies has a normal structure. When talking about how to recognize autistic children, many note that such babies are very attractive in appearance.

Mothers of such children proceeds normally. However, the development of autism is still in some cases associated with the manifestation of other diseases:

• cerebral palsy ;
• infection mothers during pregnancy;
• tuberous sclerosis ;
• disturbed fat metabolism (the risk of having a baby with autism is greater in women suffering from).

All of these conditions can have a negative impact on the brain and, as a result, provoke symptoms of autism. There is evidence that genetic disposition plays a role: signs of autism are more likely to appear in people who already have autism in their family. However, what autism is and what the causes of its manifestation are are still not completely clear.

An autistic child's perception of the world

Autism in children manifests itself with certain signs. It is generally accepted that this syndrome leads to the fact that the baby cannot combine all the details into a single image.

The disease manifests itself in the fact that the child perceives a person as a “set” of unrelated body parts. The patient hardly distinguishes inanimate objects from animate ones. All external influences - touch, light, sound - provoke an uncomfortable state. The child tries to withdraw inside himself from the world that surrounds him.

Symptoms of Autism

Autism in children manifests itself with certain signs. Early childhood autism is a condition that can manifest itself in children at a very early age - both at 1 year and at 2 years old. What is autism in a child, and whether this disease exists, is determined by a specialist. But you can independently figure out what kind of illness a child has and suspect him based on information about the signs of such a condition.

This syndrome is characterized by 4 main signs. In children with this disease, they can be determined to varying degrees.

Signs of autism in children are:

• impaired social interaction;
• impaired communication;
• stereotypical behavior;
• early symptoms of childhood autism in children under 3 years of age.

Disturbed social interaction

The first signs of autistic children may appear as early as 2 years of age. Symptoms can range from mild when eye-to-eye contact is impaired to more severe when it is completely absent.

The child cannot perceive as a whole the image of the person who is trying to communicate with him. Even in photos and videos, you can recognize that such a baby’s facial expressions do not correspond to the current situation. He does not smile when someone tries to cheer him up, but he can laugh when the reason for this is not clear to anyone close to him. The face of such a baby is mask-like; grimaces appear on it from time to time.

The baby uses gestures only to indicate needs. As a rule, even children under one year of age sharply show interest if they see an interesting object - the baby laughs, points, and demonstrates joyful behavior. The first signs in children under 1 year of age can be suspected if the child does not behave this way. Symptoms of autism in children under one year of age are manifested by the fact that they use a certain gesture, wanting to get something, but do not strive to capture the attention of their parents by including them in their play.

An autistic person cannot understand other people's emotions. How this symptom manifests itself in a child can be tracked already at an early age. If ordinary children's brains are designed in such a way that they can easily determine when looking at other people whether they are upset, happy or scared, then an autistic person is not capable of this.

The child is not interested in peers. Already at the age of 2, ordinary children strive for company - to play, to meet peers. Signs of autism in 2-year-old children are expressed by the fact that such a child does not participate in games, but is immersed in his own world. Those who want to know how to recognize a child 2 years old and older should simply take a closer look at the company of children: an autistic person is always alone and does not pay attention to others or perceives them as inanimate objects.

The child finds it difficult to play using imagination and social roles. Children 3 years old and even younger play, imagining and inventing role-playing games. For autistic people, symptoms at 3 years old may include not understanding what the social role is in play and not perceiving toys as whole objects. For example, signs of autism in a 3-year-old child may be expressed by the child spinning a car wheel for hours or repeating other actions.

The child does not respond to emotions and communication from the parents. Previously, it was generally accepted that such children did not become emotionally attached to their parents at all. But now scientists have proven that when the mother leaves, such a child at 4 years old and even earlier shows anxiety. If family members are nearby, he seems less obsessive. However, with autism, signs in children 4 years old are expressed by a lack of reaction to the fact that parents are absent. The autistic person exhibits anxiety, but he does not try to get his parents back.

Broken communication

In children under 5 years of age and later, speech delay or her complete absence (mutism ). With this disease, the signs in children 5 years old in speech development are already clearly expressed. Further development speech determines the types of autism in children: if a severe form of the disease is observed, the child may not master speech at all. To indicate his needs, he uses only some words in one form: sleep, eat, etc. The speech that appears is, as a rule, incoherent, not aimed at understanding other people. Such a child can say the same phrase for several hours, which has no meaning. Autistic people talk about themselves in the third person. How to treat such manifestations, and whether their correction is possible, depends on the degree of the disease.

Abnormal speech . When answering a question, such children repeat either the entire phrase or part of it. They may speak too quietly or loudly, or intonate incorrectly. Such a baby does not react if he is called by name.

No “age issues” . Autistic people do not ask their parents many questions about the world around them. If questions do arise, they are monotonous, practical significance Dont Have.

Stereotypical behavior

Gets fixated on one activity. Among the signs of how to identify autism in a child, one should note obsession. A child can spend many hours sorting cubes by color and making a tower. Moreover, it is difficult to return him from this state.

Performs rituals every day. Wikipedia shows that such children feel comfortable only if the environment remains familiar to them. Any changes - a rearrangement in the room, a change in the route for a walk, a different menu - can provoke aggression or pronounced withdrawal.

Repeating meaningless movements many times (manifestation of stereotypy) . Autistic people tend to self-stimulate. This is a repetition of the movements that the child uses in an unusual environment. For example, he can snap his fingers, shake his head, clap his hands.

Development of fears and obsessions. If the situation is unusual for the child, he may develop seizures aggression , and self-injury .

Early onset of autism

As a rule, autism manifests itself very early - parents can recognize it before the age of 1 year. In the first months, such children are less mobile, react inadequately to external stimuli, and have poor facial expressions.

Why children are born with autism is still not clearly known. Despite the fact that the causes of autism in children have not yet been clearly identified, and in each specific case the reasons may be individual, it is important to immediately report your suspicions to a specialist. Is it possible to cure autism, and is it curable at all? These questions can only be answered individually, after conducting an appropriate test and prescribing treatment.

What do parents of healthy children need to remember?

Those who do not know what autism is and how it manifests itself should still remember that such children are found among your children's peers. So, if someone's toddler is having a tantrum, it could be an autistic child or a toddler suffering from other mental disorders. You need to behave tactfully and not condemn such behavior.

• encourage parents and offer your help;
• do not criticize the baby or his parents, thinking that he is simply spoiled;
• try to remove all dangerous objects located near the baby;
• don't look at it too closely;
• be as calm as possible and let your parents know that you perceive everything correctly;
• Do not draw attention to this scene and do not make noise.

Intelligence in autism

Autistic traits also appear in a child's intellectual development. What it is depends on the characteristics of the disease. As a rule, such children have a moderate or mild form of mental retardation . Patients suffering from this disease have difficulty learning due to the presence of brain defects .

If autism is combined with chromosome abnormalities , microcephaly , then it can develop profound mental retardation . But if it has easy place form of autism, and at the same time the child develops speech dynamically, then intellectual development may be normal or even above average.

The main feature of the disease is selective intelligence . Such children may demonstrate excellent results in mathematics, drawing, music, but fall far behind in other subjects. Savantism is a phenomenon where an autistic person is very clearly gifted in one specific area. Some autistic people are able to play a melody accurately after hearing it only once, or calculate it in their head the most complex examples. Famous autists of the world - Albert Einstein, Andy Kaufman, Woody Allen, Andy Warhole and many others.

There are certain types of autistic disorders, including: Asperger's syndrome . It is generally accepted that this is a mild form of autism, the first signs of which appear at a later age - after about 7 years. This diagnosis requires the following features:

• normal or high level intelligence;
• normal speech skills;
• problems with speech volume and intonation are noted;
• fixation on some activity or study of a phenomenon;
• lack of coordination of movements: strange postures, awkward walking;
• self-centeredness, lack of ability to compromise.

Such people behave relatively normal life: study in educational institutions and at the same time they can make progress and create families. But all this happens on the condition that they are created the right conditions, there is adequate education and support.

Rett syndrome

This is a serious illness nervous system, the causes of its occurrence are associated with disorders in the X chromosome. Only girls suffer from it, since with such disorders the male fetus dies in the womb. The frequency of this disease is 1:10,000 girls. When a child has this particular syndrome, the following signs are noted:

• deep autism, isolating the child from the outside world;
• normal development of the baby in the first 0.5-1.5 years;
• slow head growth after this age;
• loss of purposeful hand movements and skills;
• hand movements - such as shaking hands or washing;
• loss of speech skills;
• poor coordination and poor motor activity.

How to determine Rett syndrome - this is a question for a specialist. But this condition is slightly different from classic autism. So, with this syndrome, doctors determine epileptic activity and underdevelopment of the brain. The prognosis for this disease is poor. IN in this case any correction methods are ineffective.

How is autism diagnosed?

It is impossible to identify such symptoms in newborns externally. However, scientists have been working for a long time to identify signs of autism in newborns as early as possible.

Most often, parents notice the first signs of this condition in children. Especially early autistic behavior is determined by those parents whose family already has small children. Those who have autism in their family should take into account that this is a disease that should be tried to be diagnosed as early as possible. After all, the earlier autism is identified, the greater the chances for such a child to feel adequately in society and live normally.

Test with special questionnaires

If childhood autism is suspected, diagnosis is carried out through interviews with parents, as well as studying how the child behaves in his usual environment. The following tests are used:

• Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale (ADOS)
• Autism Diagnostic Questionnaire (ADI-R)
• Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS)
• Autism Behavioral Questionnaire (ABC)
• Autism Evaluation Checklist (ATEC)
• Checklist for Autism in Young Children (CHAT)

Instrumental research

The following methods are used:

• performing an ultrasound of the brain - for the purpose of exclusion brain damage , provoking symptoms;
• EEG – for the purpose of identifying seizures epilepsy (sometimes these manifestations are accompanied by autism);
• child hearing test – to exclude delayed speech development due to hearing loss .

It is important for parents to correctly perceive the behavior of a child who suffers from autism.

Treatment of autism

Whether this condition can be treated or not is of most interest to the parents of such children. Unfortunately, the answer to the question " Is autism curable?" unambiguous: " No, there is no treatment».

But, despite the fact that the disease cannot be cured, the situation can be improved. The best “treatment” in this case is regular classes every day And creating the most favorable environment for autistic people .

Such actions are actually very difficult for both parents and teachers. But with such means one can achieve great success.

How to raise an autistic child

• Realize who an autistic person is and that autism is a way of being. That is, such a baby is able to think, look, hear, feel differently than most people.
• To provide the most favorable environment for someone with autism so that they can develop and learn. An unfavorable environment and changes in routine have a bad effect on an autistic person and force him to withdraw even deeper into himself.
• Consult with specialists - psychiatrist, psychologist, speech therapist and others.

How to treat autism, stages

• Build the skills needed for learning. If the child does not make contact, gradually establish it, not forgetting who they are - autistic people. Gradually you need to develop at least the rudiments of speech.
• Eliminate forms of behavior that are unconstructive: aggression, self-injury, fears, withdrawal, etc.
• Learn to observe, imitate.
• Teach social games and roles.
• Learn to make emotional contact.

Behavioral therapy for autism

The most common treatment for autism is practiced according to the principles behaviorism (behavioral psychology).

One of the subtypes of such therapy is ABA therapy . The basis of this treatment is to observe what the baby's reactions and behavior look like. After all the features have been studied, stimuli are selected for a particular autistic person. For some children this is their favorite dish, for others it is musical motives. Further, all desired reactions are reinforced with such encouragement. That is, if the baby did everything as needed, then he will receive encouragement. This is how contact develops, skills are consolidated and signs of destructive behavior disappear.

Speech therapy practice

Despite the degree of autism, these children experience certain difficulties with speech development, which interferes with normal communication with people. If your child regularly works with a speech therapist, his intonation and pronunciation will improve.

Developing self-service and socialization skills

Autistic people lack the motivation to play and do everyday things. They find it difficult to adapt to maintaining personal hygiene and daily routine. To consolidate the desired skill, they use cards on which the order of performing such actions is drawn or written.

Medication therapy

It is permissible to treat autism with medications only if the destructive behavior of a young patient interferes with its development. However, parents need to remember that any reaction of an autistic person - crying, screaming, stereotypy - is a kind of contact with the outside world. It’s worse if the child withdraws into himself for whole days.

Therefore, any sedative and psychotropic medications can only be used according to strict indications.

There are some opinions that are more popular than scientific. For example, data on what helps to cure an autistic person has not been scientifically confirmed.

Some methods are not only not beneficial, but can also be dangerous for the patient. It's about application glycine , stem cells , micropolarization etc. Such methods can be very harmful for autistic people.

Conditions that mimic autism

SPD with autistic traits

The symptoms of this disease are associated with delayed psycho-speech development. They are in many ways similar to the signs of autism. Starting from a very early age, the baby does not develop in terms of speech in the way that existing norms suggest. In the first months of life he does not babble, then he does not learn to speak simple words. At 2-3 years old lexicon very scarce. Such children are often poorly developed physically and sometimes hyperactive. The final diagnosis is made by the doctor. It is important to visit a psychiatrist or speech therapist with your child.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

This condition is also often mistaken for autism. Children with attention deficit are restless and have difficulty learning at school. Problems arise with concentrating; such children are very active. Even in adulthood, echoes of this condition remain, because such people find it difficult to remember information and make decisions. You should try to diagnose this condition as early as possible, practice treatment with psychostimulants and sedatives, and also visit a psychologist.

Hearing loss

These are a variety of hearing impairments, congenital and acquired. Children who are hard of hearing also experience speech delay. Therefore, such children do not respond well to their names, fulfill requests, and may seem disobedient. In this case, parents may suspect autism in their children. But a professional psychiatrist will definitely refer the baby for an examination of auditory function. A hearing aid can help solve problems.

Schizophrenia

Previously, autism was considered one of the manifestations in children. However, it is now clear that these are two completely various diseases. Schizophrenia in children begins later - at 5-7 years. The symptoms of this disease appear gradually. Such children have obsessive fears, talk to themselves, and later develop delusions and... This condition is treated with medication.

It is important to understand that autism is not a death sentence. After all, provided proper care, the earliest correction of autism and support from specialists and parents, such a child can fully live, learn and find happiness as an adult.

Psychologies:

How old was your son when he was diagnosed with autism?

Dina Gassner:

A little over three. He was also diagnosed with mental retardation (now in the USA we say “intellectual disability”). In fact, he was always smarter than the tests showed, it was just that the experts could not establish contact with him. The specialist who was the first to receive positive results IQ test with my son, at first I discussed video games with him for two meetings in a row. They sat on the floor of his office, and the psychologist showed Patrick how to get to the next level of one game. It was just some kind of magic - my son believed that this uncle wanted him to succeed, and his results turned out to be quite good.

What was your first reaction to your son's diagnosis?

You know, probably, the fact that I myself am autistic was more of an advantage than a problem. I didn’t fall into depression, but immediately began to act. I know that many neurotypical (that is, ordinary, without autistic traits. - Ed.) parents immerse themselves in the Internet, intimidate themselves, spend days and months mourning their child. I didn't have anything like that.

Now, if you were to ask me about my emotions not in relation to the diagnosis, but in relation to the education system that we had to fight, it would be a completely different story. I've been told that Patrick requires "too many" resources and that he is not "promising" enough for those resources to be spent on him. This is where I really cried for hours.

In Russia, they sometimes believe that in the United States everything is simply perfect regarding autism. It turns out that this is not true?

My husband and I were married for 22 years. When my daughter, our eldest child, left for college and my son was 10 years old, I left my husband. Only to find better services for my son. Over the course of five years, Patrick and I moved from city to city four times to find the help he needed.

There is knowledge about autism in the United States, there are resources, but they are distributed very unevenly. Parents who are lucky prefer to keep quiet about it so that everyone doesn't move into their school

In the USA, the education system as a whole recognizes that it should provide support to children with autism, but in Russia, as I understand it, the state does not believe that it is worth spending money from the budget on autism. But everything here is far from ideal.

Sometimes schools simply say they don't have the money to provide additional services for children with autism. But this is also a matter of priorities: if you have enough money for a baseball field, then you have the financial means to provide an education for every child. It's just that the field is more important to you. So there is knowledge about autism in the United States, there are resources, but they are distributed very unevenly. Parents who are lucky prefer to remain silent about what services their children receive.

What kind of help is this? Does it include applied behavior analysis?

It's not always the same. If Asperger's syndrome is diagnosed at two or three years old, then the child most likely will not be treated with applied behavior analysis. Well, if a child has severe manifestations of autism, there is no speech at all, if he has many unwanted behaviors, his parents will seek an intensive behavioral therapy program (40 hours a week). Not every educational complex can offer something similar, so, as a rule, such parents either begin to fight the system or are forced to move.

Your son studied at secondary school or in correctional?

From the very beginning, we believed that our son needed full inclusion, which means a regular school. But Patrick needed more help. Someone had to take notes for him, take dictation for him, and adapt work materials.

The school where my son studies has adapted educational materials, provided him with a mentor. He even played on the school's hockey team, and I became the team's manager.

For example, instead of detailed answers in tests, he had to do a test with a choice from various options answer or make sentences from ready-made words. As soon as we achieved such an assessment system, his abilities immediately began to manifest themselves in a new way. But they still wanted to transfer him to a correctional school. One school simply changed his curriculum from general education to remedial and stated that he would not be allowed to take the matriculation exams. We turned to lawyers to overturn this decision.

What is it like for a child at school in such a conflict situation?

I am still amazed that, despite all the chaos I was trying to sort through, Patrick calmly attended every lesson every day and continued to study, as if he had some kind of “protective bubble”. He never realized that his experience at school was very different from other children's. I believe that it was this factor that protected him from low self-esteem and low results.

Moreover, the last five years at school (he was given extra year to study in high school) he had excellent academic performance. Because this school adapted the teaching materials and provided him with tutor (mentor) support. He even played on the school's hockey team, and I became the team's manager. He made friends and still communicates on Facebook with former classmates.

What happened after school?

At first he was in a special program at a local college, and the next year we enrolled him in Marshall University in West Virginia. It is the university with the oldest program to support students with autism in the country. It is very difficult to get there, they only accept 10-11 students every year.

One student may require near-constant social support but can easily navigate the academic curriculum, while another student may have trouble sleeping and will be forced to miss classes.

In total there are about 40 guys in this program. Individual services are provided there. One student will need near-constant social support but can easily navigate the academic curriculum, while another student may have trouble sleeping and will be forced to miss classes.

My son, for example, will never miss a lecture, but if he needs to ask the teacher about his scores or find out the details of an assignment, someone needs to go with him; he cannot do it alone. At first, Patrick was unable to ask the teachers even the most basic questions.

Did he live on campus on his own or did you live with him?

For the first two years, I moved to live next to his dorm, he sometimes came home on weekends, but gradually he learned to live on his own, began to wash his own things and the like. He had three levels of support. Firstly, a special program for students with autism, which helped him understand the structure of the university and communicate with teachers and fellow students.

Secondly, there is a service for helping students with disabilities (every university has one), which, for example, takes care of note-taking. Finally, there is a third level of support provided by the state - rehabilitation. It includes, in particular, additional classes with a tutor and a laptop with software, which reads texts aloud.

Patrick is scheduled to receive his bachelor's degree in December 2017. When he comes to visit me next week for the holidays, we will be attending some kind of interview “rehearsal”, that is, learning how to do job interviews. If you had asked me when he was three years old if I expected him to get a high school diploma, I probably would have answered, “No.” And for him to go to college - I couldn’t imagine that at all.

We dreamed that by the age of forty he would be able to live alone if a housekeeper would come to him and his sister would take care of his accounts. And now he is 28 - and he can already live completely independently.

What does his life consist of?

He handled the college dorm life so well that I moved back to New York and went to graduate school. And Patrick moved from the dorm to a tiny one-room apartment, does the shopping himself, walks around the city, goes to bookstores, cinemas, and restaurants.

Recently one of the most amazing changes took place in my son's life thanks to computer program, which “reads” the text for him. It highlights each word so that he simultaneously sees and hears each word individually

Recently, one of the most amazing changes in his life took place - thanks to a computer program that “reads” text for him. It highlights each word so that he simultaneously sees and hears each word individually, without losing where he left off. And for the first time he had a desire to read for his own pleasure, without a computer!

Neurotypical children can read at this level at about 9 years old, but for him this is a giant improvement. It is believed that if a child has not learned to read by a certain age, then he will never learn it again, but my son refuted this myth.

You mentioned that you are also diagnosed with autism. Looking at your son, did you find similarities with yourself in him and decided, as they say, to “get tested”?

The fact is that the manifestations of autism in my son were practically nothing like mine. Everything was exactly the opposite! As a child, I had hyperlexia, which means I learned to read on my own very early. I was very smart, I dreamed of becoming a scientist, although I was doing very poorly in mathematics.

When I was eight years old, my younger sister died in a car accident. I was sexually abused by a family member in middle school and then abused in church. These were severe injuries, but whether this is related to autism is difficult to judge.

My son's symptoms of autism were almost nothing like mine. Everything was exactly the opposite! As a child, I had hyperlexia, which means I learned to read on my own very early.

A huge role in my life was played by my meeting with Liane Holliday Willey, who wrote the book “Pretending to be Normal.” Our experiences had a lot in common! For the first time, I began to think that I, too, might have autism spectrum disorder.

And at the age of 38, I was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, although previously they had diagnosed bipolar affective disorder. As a result, I had to come off a ton of medications that I was taking, and it was very difficult. There were also losses. For example, despite my problems with mathematics, I had the ability to memorize long and complex numbers without difficulty and in large quantities. I can't do that anymore. But maybe it's age. I'm 58 years old.

Has your life changed because of your own diagnosis?

It is important to recognize your limitations and not consider them character flaws. I have good example. I'm studying statistics in graduate school. At the same time, in childhood, violence was committed against me by a person who also studied mathematics with me. It wasn't until I was 50 that I was able to walk into a math class without experiencing panic attack. And then it dawned on me: I didn’t understand the equations because of that mental trauma!

And then I realized who and what I could ask to achieve success. I began to conduct quantitative statistical studies, corrected them with the teacher, then did them again. In the summer I studied with a tutor - in a word, I worked more than anyone else. I really wanted to pass the math exam! And I passed it along with others.

How did you get the idea to write and talk about people with autism?

In college, I performed in amateur productions, and then worked as a sales manager and conducted training for salespeople. So I was never afraid of a large audience. In doing so, I also had the unique opportunity to understand what goes on in the mind of a person with autism.

Our goal is to get our son a job at the museum. My daughter invites me to live with her in Kentucky, but that state doesn't have the social support Patrick needs. And if we move there, I'll have to become his "social program" again.

I began speaking at hearings on autism issues both in Washington and in my home state. But then there was no time for that, I completely occupied myself with my son. And only when the situation more or less returned to normal, I again began to take an active part in social work. On the other hand, I never stopped writing articles, pursuing my personal development and learning.

What are the next plans for you and Patrick?

I need to pass the remaining subjects in doctoral studies, then write a dissertation. If everything works out, I will stay in New York, and my son will move here, he wants to live in this city. I so hope he can find a job!

Our goal is his work in the museum. My daughter invites me to live with her and my grandson in Kentucky, but that state doesn't have the social support Patrick needs. And if we move there, then I will have to become his “social program” again, and this will be with a huge step back for both of us. In addition, he now has navigation skills and is excellent at using public transport, so he will have an easy time in New York. By the way, I think he will like it in Moscow. I hope that someday I will be able to come to Russia again, this time with him.

The publication was prepared jointly with the Exit Foundation.

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About the expert

Social worker, creator and program director of the Center for Understanding (USA). Specializes in supporting adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities and autism. Member of the board of trustees of the Autism Society of America and the national organization for people with intellectual disabilities. She has given presentations at the National Autism Society of Scotland, the UN headquarters in Geneva, and Cambridge University and the University of Birmingham.

Every year, April 2 is dedicated to autism on the medical calendar. Uninformed people often classify autistic people as mentally retarded and try to avoid communicating with them. “A completely disabled person,” “a yoke around the parents’ neck,” “a village fool” are perhaps the mildest descriptions given in society to those diagnosed with autism. But we are talking about a problem that affects many families, if not directly, then indirectly.

What's wrong with autistic people? Can they study in the same class with healthy children? Who is to blame for a child being born autistic, and how to help him? I'll try to answer these questions with facts:

1. According to various sources, up to 1% of the population globe suffers from autism spectrum disorder(autism and related conditions). This does not depend on race and nationality, and is not determined by economic and social living conditions and the level of medicine in a particular country. We only know that autism is 4 times more common in boys than in girls.

2. Symptoms of autism can be noticed in a child from the first months of life., to finally decide on a diagnosis - by 2–3 years.

3. Autism is rooted in communication and socialization problems.: such a kid looks like an alien who can’t find a common language with the outside world and lives by his own rules. At the same time, contrary to the stereotype, autistic people do not at all strive for loneliness, they just have difficulty finding new friends and are very conservative in their surroundings.

4. Autistic people are also characterized by narrow interests(for example, fixation on one toy) and tendency to repeat the same movements- waving hands, clapping, turning, etc. About a third of autistic people occasionally show aggression towards themselves or others. This is primarily due to a lack of mutual understanding with people and an attempt to attract attention to oneself.

5., but may have a large vocabulary, which is revealed when writing or in other situations. Many people with this diagnosis have reduced intelligence, but there are also extremely talented autists. True, autism should not be confused with Asperger's syndrome and savantism, which often accompany geniuses.

6. Autism is NOT a consequence of birth trauma, vaccine administration, improper upbringing, or parental illness. This condition has a multifactorial nature and, apparently, is determined simultaneously by mutations in genes, dysfunction immune system and factors external environment

7. - toxic substances that affect the body of a pregnant woman. Autism must be diagnosed by a child neurologist and a child psychiatrist.

8. , based on external examination data and the child’s behavior. However, at present, methods for detecting autism using blood tests are gradually being introduced into clinical practice (which makes it possible to reliably distinguish autistic people from people with other neuropsychiatric disorders). There are no medications that can eliminate the symptoms of autism.

9. Pharmaceutical drugs are used in the treatment of autism only to eliminate certain emotional disturbances. Overuse of medications, on the other hand, can worsen the condition of an autistic person and reduce his chances of intellectual growth. An autistic person is, in principle, able to adapt to society.

10. Some even start families. But progress in development, life prospects and the level of happiness of such people depend on environmental conditions, the attention of loved ones, the use of training programs and the help of others, which can facilitate the socialization of an autistic person. Therefore, it is so important that autistic people, if their mental state allows it, go to school together with ordinary children, and society learns to accept them for who they are. Almost 50% of people with this diagnosis are able to find a job

, if you create conditions for them and help organize a comfortable working environment. Autistic people are quite capable of bringing real benefits to society. They can be very effective in the exact sciences. But it is important to understand: if children with autism are not helped in any way, then they most often grow into severe mental disabilities...

Olga Kashubina

There is no known cause for autism spectrum disorder, but the scientific community generally believes that it is caused by abnormalities in the structure and function of the brain. This has been found in studies that illustrate differences in the shape and structure of the brains of autistic children compared to typical children. There is also ample evidence to support the theory that some children are born with a predisposition to autism, but scientists still cannot determine what causes " trigger" This is why researchers have suggested that irregular segments of the genetic code may be the main causes of autism.

Is it possible to determine the causes of autism?

IN last years However, information has emerged that was not even considered before. Although the causes of autism are not fully identified, and it is likely that scientists will never find the main one, researchers suggest that autism may be a result of modern human life. There are a number of significant studies that should ring alarm bells in the scientific and medical communities.

It should be noted that autism represents a wide range of disorders, but they should not be perceived as a disability. Some may appear due to developmental defects at a critical stage. Others may be caused by a minor evolutionary leap. It is important to understand that the spectrum is truly vast, and many children diagnosed with autism have not had a brain scan. Their diagnosis was made after observations and taking into account social trends.

Toxins in the environment

Because autism is highly correlated with developmental defects during critical stages, especially during embryonic development, scientists have found that some of the strongest predictors of autism are environmental. At all stages of pregnancy, the fetus is extremely vulnerable to any toxins that affect the mother, such as prescription drugs or pesticides. environment.

So Andrei Rzhetsky, professor of genetic medicine and human genetics at the University of Chicago, points out that some substances significantly alter normal development. Several years ago, he published research showing that autism and intellectual disabilities are linked to fetal exposure to environmental hazards during development. Lead, drugs, and a huge number of other synthetic substances (pesticides, mercury, aluminum) have been found to have a negative effect on the fetus. These substances have also been associated with birth defects development of male genital organs, which is highly correlated with autism.

This is just one of many important studies that should be a wake-up call to the scientific and medical community. It shows that preventive measures may be critical in the fight against autism. Parents who want to reduce the risk of having a child with autism should be aware of this risk.

Is it a genetic or environmental problem?

It should be clear that autism goes far beyond genetic problems. There are many toxins in our environment that affect the development of the nervous system and brain. Polychlorinated biphenyls, lead, mercury, aluminum, brominated pyrines, pesticides are just a few of many examples. Cases of autism have increased significantly over recent decades. So it's time to take a look at our environment.

If we focus on even one of the many dozens of toxins we are exposed to every day, it is easy enough to understand why the risk of having a child diagnosed with autism is constantly increasing. Add in dozens of other toxins that are equally problematic, and the picture becomes clearer.

Exposure to pesticides

Let's look at pesticides, because billions of tons of these substances end up in our food supply and environment every year. It is important to understand that all pesticides are very complex mixtures of active ingredients. These components are designed to increase the economic benefit of the product. However, information about the composition of these components is not always publicly available.

A University of California study found that pregnant women who live close to land and farms where chemical pesticides are used have a two-thirds increased risk of having a child with autism or another developmental disorder.

The study examines the link between pesticides, including organophosphates, that were used during study participants' pregnancies and later diagnoses of autism in children.

Thus, phosphates affect the course of pregnancy and increase the risk of developing autism. Exposure to pesticides for people who live in agricultural regions can be problematic, especially during pregnancy, since the developing brain of the fetus is more vulnerable to such substances than that of an adult.

Effect of other toxins

As can be seen, pesticides in the environment are a major concern. But we only talked about those that end up in food products. But there are also air fresheners, prescription drugs, fluoride, and a host of other pollutants that contribute to autism. This is probably why scientists still cannot determine main reason this disease. Considering the number of toxins we are exposed to every day, it is clear that we are dealing with several factors that, when combined, present a serious cause for concern.

Vaccine?

There is a theory that vaccination may also be responsible for the rise in autism cases in recent years. Of course, we cannot say that we have discovered one direct cause of autism, but it remains important to identify the multiple factors that work together to make the disorder so common.

Despite skepticism, there are many doctors who believe that attitudes towards vaccination should be reconsidered.

There are many studies that have determined the dangers of vaccine ingredients. For example, aluminum, which is also used in vaccines, may cause large quantity neurodegenerative disorders, one of which is autism.

The issue of vaccine safety becomes even more pressing given that there are no adequate clinical trials has not been conducted to determine the safety of all its components.