Autism Is A Complex Neurodevelopmental Condition
It is characterised by differences in social skills, communication and behaviour.
This means that people with Autism experience differences in the way they communicate and interact socially, and their behaviour may be repetitive or highly focussed (the term ‘restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour’ is often used to describe this). People with Autism also tend to experience differences with their senses that can affect the way they feel about and respond to their surroundings. Autism is not a disease or illness.
Autism is also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ‘Spectrum’ refers to the wide range of characteristics, skills and abilities that different people with Autism have. No two people are affected by Autism in exactly the same way. Every person experiences Autism differently and has different support needs. Although the core characteristics of Autism can cause a range of challenges, it is important to recognise that they can also result in unique skills and capabilities.
While Autism is a life-long condition, with appropriate and tailored support, children and Adults with Autism can make significant progress and live fulfilling lives. Consequently, it is imperative that people with Autism have access to specialist services that understand their needs and are experienced in developing their skills and strengths.Â
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Signs to watch for in a baby’s first two years relate to their social communication development and include a lack of social behaviours like showing interest in others, smiling, eye contact and using gestures. It is important to remember that children all develop at different rates. Some children will have many early signs while others may only have a few. Some signs also change over time and may become more obvious as children get older. Some early signs of Autism in the first two years may include:
- Not following moving objects with his / her eyes
- Not showing interest in new faces
- Not turning toward a sound, or becoming very unsettled by sounds
- Not attending to or smiling at familiar people
- Inconsistent response to own name
- Not babbling or imitating sounds or words
- Not using eye contact to get someone’s attention (like looking at you, then at a snack and then back at you to show you they want it)
- Not pointing to or holding up objects to show people things or share experiences
- Not using social gestures on their own (like waving bye-bye)
- Not imitating what they see others do
- Not expressing affection openly or avoiding contact with others
- Not initiating social games like peek-a-boo or pat-a-cake
- Not understanding simple instructions
- Not showing interest in other children
- Playing with toys in the same way every time or in an unusual way (like only spinning the wheels of a toy car rather than putting it on the track).
- Not engaging in basic pretend play (like feeding the teddy)
- Becoming easily upset or unsettled when there are changes to routine
- Having very specific or unusual interests
- Repeating body movements or moving in an unusual way (like stretching or stiffening, flapping hands or walking on their toes)
- Avoiding or seeking certain sensations (like covering ears to muffle a sound or sniffing things)
Everything is easier with a little help
People diagnosed with one of the autism spectrum disorders will face many challenges in almost all areas of life. With a little help from assistive technology, we can simplify responses to the demands of the environment, mitigate undesirable behaviors and contribute to a healthier, happier and better life for your children.
The right tools, used in the right way, are an invaluable ally in raising the quality of life, such as inclusion in family and community life, acquiring and nurturing friendly and social ties, expressing one's own desires and needs, and developing knowledge and skills.
Communicators, software for assisted communication and devices that facilitate access to the computer are just some of the tools that can help you overcome communication difficulties, and facilitate the search for quality educational, but also entertaining materials for development and learning for children and adults.
Unwanted behavior
Children with autism are often characterized by undesirable behaviors that may be a product of the inability to express emotions and needs. Such behaviors can be a sign that your child is trying to tell you something important. A child, for example, may start to misbehave in an attempt to escape from a noisy or unpleasant environment.
In this case, one should try to make the cause of the problem known and teach the child skills that will replace the problematic behavior with socially acceptable communication or skills.
Social interaction
Some people with autism seem not interested in or able to perceive and interpret communication and other signals in social interaction. One of the most difficult aspects of autism can be watching a beloved child, sister, brother or grandchild having difficulty establishing and maintaining relationships with others.
Telling stories, creating dialogue or imitating social situations can help people with autism connect with their family and their environment.
Communication needs and desires
Not every child with autism has problems with language-speech expression, although some children are non-verbal. However, most children with autism have problems communicating effectively, especially with other people.
There are many ways to improve communication skills, and the most effective are those that are adapted to the child's age and interests. It is extremely important to start with them early, in preschool age.
Reading and writing
With a child with autism, it is never too early to plan how you will teach them to read and write. Some children diagnosed with autism learn letters with ease and may need to focus on other literacy skills.
By learning to write and read from an early age through daily activities and daily routine, children will understand the purpose of literacy in everyday life.
Assistive technology as an aid in communication
From our rich range of products for assisted communication, we present you several devices that respond to communication problems, but also offer help in learning and developing new skills.
Simple communicators are communicators that can help people with language and speech difficulties express their emotions and needs and achieve successful communication. Simple communicators are the ideal tool for the first encounter with assistive technology and the initial introduction to assisted communication.
Communicator 5 is a software package for augmentative and alternative communication that helps people with communication difficulties to achieve more efficient communication. It converts texts and symbols into intelligible speech, and also enables the use of computers.
Devices of the I+ series enable speech generation with the help of built-in eye control. It is a complete solution that includes a communicator, use with a computer, phone, control of household appliances or infrared-controlled toys, and much more. From simple images and symbols to complex messages and text input in multiple ways – it can be fully adapted to the user and his abilities, so it can be used by people who are just beginners in augmentative and alternative communication, as well as advanced users, caregivers and caregivers.
