Get Your Facts Straight on Autism

While at a dinner party one night, a friend had made a comment that a certain child she knew could not have autism because he was so smart.  Forgetting my child has a mild form of it, I couldn't help but be insulted.  My son is very smart and is often complimented on it.  She was not aware that autism is a spectrum disorder. There is a broad range of characteristics that make up this spectrum. One end children can appear retarded, the other end children may just seem different. No two children have the exact same symtoms.  My son was not diagnosed until kindergarten because he just appeared different. His symtoms were mild: poor eye contact with unfamiliar people, unability to concentrate on subjects that didn't interest him, mild sensory disfunction, and low muscle tone. It is now said that one in every 166 children will be born with some form of the disorder. If that number is true, it's a good chance someone you know has a child with symtoms. All I ask is for you to be discreet and inform yourself before unknowingly insulting a workmate, a neighbor, or a friend.