Autism, many people know what it is...but most only know basics. There are so many stereotypes that surround this Developmental Disorder, it's literally clouded people from learning what it REALLY is. I'm writing this blog in hopes to help people on this site solve some of those issues. I will state a stereotype & then I will counter it with the TRUTH. At the end, I will post a youtube video called "Stuff people say to Autistics" (it's not called that EXACTLY, but of course, I'm not going to put a swear word in this, use your imagination, it's not exactly the word STUFF if you get my drift).


Stereotype #1: Autism is a form of Mental Retardation.
TRUTH #1: People who have Autism or a form of Autism usually have average, or above average intelligance. The diagnostic criteria for Autism is communication issues, difficulty in social situations, & repetitive (repeated) behavior patterns. Never does Mental Retardation become a point of interest when it comes to Autism. Those who are found with Autism & Mental Retardation are found that the 2 have NOTHING to do with each other.

Stereotype #2: Autistic people cannot form healthy relationships.
TRUTH #2: One of the indicators of Autism or one of it's disorders is difficulty in social situations & difficulty forming social connections. They avoid interaction & eye contact, appear apathetic (un caring) toward others. Some occasionally even prefer being alone & dislike physical interaction even from loved ones like parents. They also struggle when it comes to reading body language & non-verbal cues like facial expressions. Because of this, they DO have a HARDER time then those without Autism forming friendships & other social connections. BUT, just because it's harder for them, doesn't mean it's impossible or that they don't want it. Most DO want healthy social relationships, they just aren't sure how to go about it. People need to be patient, loving, & understanding. Help them out.

Stereotype #3: Most people with Autism aren't very verbal.
TRUTH #3: Because Autism is considered a Spectrum Disorder symptoms & severity are differnet with each individual. Many rarely, if ever, make noise as infants. Those who do, quit soon after. Later in life, they might develop erratic verbal tics or repetition of certain words or phrases. Others will mimic the words of people around them. Realistically: only the most severe cases remain mute & completely non-verbal for the rest of their lives.

Stereotype #4: "Autistic" is another word for "Savant"
TRUTH #4: Many people with Autism excel in one creative or academic area & do poorly in others. This leads people who are unfamiliar with the condition to lable them as "savants" This is wrong for 2 reasons. 1, the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual 4th Edition does NOT recognize Savant Syndrome, becuase of this, a person can't receive a diagnosis of Savant Syndrome making it an unqualified comparison to Autism or any of it's disorders.
Another reason it's wrong is because it only defines 1 possibilty of Autism so the 2 terms therefore can NOT be used interchangeably. If anything, Savant is a possible SYMPTOM of Autism, & nothing more.

Stereotype #5: All Autistic people are alike.
TRUTH #5: As with ALL Developmental Disorders, there are different symptoms & differnet levels of severity. Because of these differences, Different psychologists consider Autism a Spectrum Disorder (meaning it has different levels of severity & differnet symptoms that vary from person to person). Some patients might need constant care when it comes to daily life. Other's might need the bare minimum. Some patients might experience all the symptoms with quite a severe effect on them. Other's might not have as many symptoms & might display a milder severity to the ones they do have. There are different types of Autistic disorders listed in the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual 4th Edition, including: Autistic Disroder, Aspergers Syndrome, Rett's Disorder (which only effects females), Childhood Disintigrative Disorder (which is very rare &. quite literally causes the infant to experience dementia). Most have already heard of Aspergers & Autism, as they are the most commonly diagnosed. All this being said, it proves that people with Autism, or one of it's disorders are very differnet.

Stereotype #6: Autistic people lack empathy & other feelings.
TRUTH #6: One of the symptoms of Autism is difficulty reading or understanding emotions. This doesn't mean they can't FEEL them. People with Autism & it's disorders are perfectly able to feel emotions & forming connections, but as said in TRUTH #2, they just need help. An actual lack of Empathy or Emotion suggests Sociopathic Behavior or Narcisitic Personality Disorder

Stereotype #7/u] Autism & it's disorders are Mental Illnesses.
TRUTH #7: Although Autism & it's disorders are included in the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual, it's not classified as a Mental Disorder. It's actually classified as a Neurodevelopmental Disorder because of the disruption in their cognitive abilities, behavior, & growth. Though it's no secret that Psychotherepy DOES help greatly in helping Autism sufferers overcome their difficulty & connect with people arround them better. It's not a Mental Illness, but a combination of couselors, pychologists, & psychiatrists can better guide Autism sufferers in learning how to work with emotions, social interactions, & the other various difficulties associated with the disorder.

Stereotype #8: People with Autism lack social skills & have no desire to interact with others.
TRUTH #8: Autistic peple DO face difficulty in processing social situations, but again, this doesn't mean they don't WANT to be in them. These difficulties, after all, are one of the main diagnostic criteria for the disorder. Many Autism suffers want more then ANYTHING to interact normally like you & I do. With proper therapy & people around them to help & that care, they can learn to do so.

Stereotype #9: Autism is caused by poor parenting.

TRUTH #9: Because Autism is considered a NeuroDevelopmental Disorder, many people assume it's poor parenting that causes the child's disruptive growth. Psychologists are still debating at what causes Autism, but at NO point does parenting skills, or lack-there-of come into question as to if it causes it or not. Most likely, the cause of Autism is biologic & genetic...both factors the parents have absolutely NO control over.

Stereotype #10: Autism & it's disorders just get worse over time.
TRUTH #10: Actually, it's quite the opposite. With therapy & medication, children & adults with autism can actually IMPROVE their functionality & learn to communicate & form bonds with family & friends. Though there are some forms, such as Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, that involve regression (getting worse, until the child is in a vegetative state). As a whole, Autism, with proper treatment, leaves only room for improvement. As a matter of fact, some patients, with the right combo of meds & therapy have been known to get rid of the symptoms all together. This "cure" usually occurs in transition from childhood to adulthood, but they still have the disorder for life.

video is on youtube & only works on computer.
As I promised, here's the youtube video of "Stuff" people say to Autistics