What is Autism/ASD?

   Autism is a very common disorder of childhood.

   Autism is a life-long developmental disability.

      Autism is really a spectrum disorder, hence the term “Autism Spectrum Disorders” (ASD).

   There is a wide variation in how autism takes form.

   On one extreme, it includes children who are totally withdrawn and cannot talk. This is the 'classic' form of autism and is usually referred to as autistic disorder.

   On the other end of the spectrum, there are those children who speak, but have great difficulties in holding a meaningful conversation

   Many people with ASD do hold responsible jobs and live independently. Others have the intellectual abilities to do the same jobs but are held back by their inability to adapt socially to the stresses of everyday life.