You ’ve heard lots of thoughts and ideas about autism and Myths about it, but we want to make sure you know what is true and what is false. We have put together about Autism and the 11 myths about it to help put an end to any misconceptions.
Here are some of Autism and the 11 Myths about it:
1. Myth: People with autism don’t want friends. Truth: If someone in your class has autism, they struggle with social skills. It may make it difficult to interact with peers. They might seem shy or not friendly. But that’s because he or she is unable to communicate their desire for relationships the same way you do.
2. Myth: People with autism can’t feel or express any emotion—happy or sad. Truth: Autism doesn’t make an individual unable to feel the emotions you feel. It makes the person communicate emotions (and perceive your expressions) in different ways.
3. Myth: People with autism can’t understand the emotions of others. Truth: Autism often affects an individual’s ability to understand unspoken interpersonal communication. Someone with autism might not detect sadness based on one’s body language or sarcasm in one’s tone of voice. People with autism are more likely to give empathy and compassion for others when they feel it from you.
4. Myth: People with autism have a disability. Truth: Often times, autism brings with it as many exceptional abilities as challenges. Many people with autism have normal to high IQs and some may excel at math, music or another pursuit.
5. People with autism are like Dustin Hoffman’s character in Rain Man. Truth: Autism is a spectrum disorder. This means its characteristics vary from person to person. Knowing one person with autism means that—knowing one person with autism. A person’s capabilities and limitations are no sign of the capabilities and limitations of another person with autism.
6. Myth: People who display qualities that may be typical of a person with autism are odd and will grow out of it.
Truth: Autism stems from biological conditions affect brain development is a lifelong condition.
7. Myth: Autism only affects children. Truth: Children with autism grow up to become adults with autism.
8. Myth: Autism is a brain disorder. Truth: Research has shown that many people with autism also have co-occurring conditions. These are epilepsy, gastrointestinal disorders, food sensitivities, and many allergies.
9. Myth: Autism is resulting in bad parenting. Truth: In the 1950s, a theory called the “refrigerator mother hypothesis”. This suggesting that autism was caused by mothers who lacked emotional warmth. This has long been disproved.
10. Myth: The prevalence of autism has been increasing for the last 40 years. Truth: The prevalence of autism has increased by 600% in the last 20 years. In 1975, an estimated 1 in 1,500 had autism. In 2014, an estimated 1 in 59 had an autism spectrum disorder.
11. Myth: Therapies for people with autism are covered by insurance. Truth: Many insurance companies exclude autism from the coverage plan. 48 of the 50 U.S. states have passed some form of autism insurance coverage laws thanks to the work of advocates.
This article was originally
published by AUTISM SPEAKS
published by AUTISM SPEAKS