What is Autism?

Autism is a lifelong developmental condition that affects how a person communicates and relates to other people. It also affects how they make sense of the world around them.

Autism affects four major areas of development:

  •  Language and communication
  • Social interaction
  • Thinking and behavior
  • Sensory processing

Asperger’s is a form of autism; they tend to have fewer problems with speech, but may still have difficulties with understanding and processing language.

How we can help:

The goal is to improve communication skills for your autistic child. This may include:

  • Helping with early communication skills
  • Producing sounds and words and gestures
  • Taking turns speaking or interacting
  • Helping children understand non-verbal communication like facial expression and gesture
  • Developing a non-verbal communication system, such as PECS (picture exchange communication system) or signing for those who don’t speak