WHAT IS AUTISM

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Autism, commonly referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder, is a lifelong neurological disorder that impacts the nervous system. In other words, it is a developmental disorder that affects the way an individual thinks and behaves. Autism can change the way an individual communicates, interacts with others, and how they see the World. 

 Autism can present itself in many different ways. However, from an outsider's perspective, it may be very difficult to recognize an individual diagnosed with autism. Autism does not always present itself in any physical form. Thus, a person may only notice autism if they are informed about the subject. They may look for problems with communication, a difficulty understanding social norms, improper emotional responses, obsessive interests, fidgeting actions, and repetitive behaviors. Even if a person is informed about all the common signs of autism it can still be tricky to identify. Most people with autism learn to mask their symptoms over time, and thus an outside eye can completely overlook someone with the disorder. 

When it comes to autism, most people don’t understand that it is a spectrum. What autism looks like in one individual can greatly differ from how it looks in another. Just because someone with autism is high-functioning, doesn’t mean they are not autistic and someone with a more severe form of autism, would still be regarded as having autism. It is important to know this and notice that the term autism is not singularly defined.