Explaining autism to friends and family members

Autism Explanation

The best way to explain to a friend that that a close relative, such as a son, has autism, would be to begin by explaining that there are certain traits that such a relative may manifest that are decidedly at variance with others his age. Quite frequently, such differences pertain to various aspects of socialization and education, although these two areas are not mutually exclusive. It would certainly be worthwhile to explain to one's friend that one of the endemic processes of formal, classroom-based education is related to socialization -- knowing how and what to say in appropriate situations, as well as how to work (and play) with others. The friend needs to hear that autistic children learn things and socialize differently than other people do.

Furthermore, it is very important to explain to one's friend that just because one's son is autistic, it does not mean that he is "slow," or mentally incapacitated in any sort of way. Being autistic simply means that one's processing functions are different from those of non-autistic people. Such processing allows for autistic people to be immensely gifted in some areas of cognition, while other areas present challenges that autistic people can be taught to cope with. It should be stressed to the friend that autistic people can and in fact do lead what is generally considered to be "normal" lives, but that doing so usually requires more effort than that of people who are not autistic.

Autism is usually noticeable in children by the time they reach three years of age, and oftentimes, there are very specific symptoms that indicate this condition is prevalent within a child. A really good way of broaching this topic to a friend would be to cite specific behavior on the part of the autistic child and explain it as it is related to autism. The particular symptoms of autism, of course, vary per individual, although there are a number of frequently occurring traits or proclivities that can be manifested in those suffering from this disorder of the brain or from this "learning difference." Some of these include children having difficulty with either verbal or non-verbal communication, a lack of physical coordination, a tendency to not engage in the company of others and to avoid eye contact, as well as unusual sensitivities to varying sensory perceptions related to particular smells, sounds, colors, etce… or a dearth of awareness to such stimuli. Whatever the particular autistic traits one's son exhibits, however, it would be best to explain these to one's friend so that there is a degree of rationality involved in the friend's regard for what otherwise may be considered unusual behavior on the part of the child.