Every parent hopes for a healthy, happy child. Children with developmental disabilities are not always those children. Autism is one of the most misunderstood developmental disorders to date. In the past twenty years, Autism has become more predominant in this world than almost any other disorder, an epidemic.
Autism is a very misunderstood disorder. Most children with autism look physically “normal.” Yet socially, behaviorally, and often developmentally, these individuals are lacking. There are many myths about autism. Not all these children are geniuses, they are not all mentally retarded, and they do have emotions (Kira, 3).
Because so many famous people, such as Beethoven and Einstein, may have had autistic tendencies, it is now assumed that all individuals with autism are prodigies. This however, is not the case at all. Autistic children can be talented, bust most are just “normal.” (Kira, 5)
Because autism is considered a developmental disorder, it is often assumed that everyone who is autistic is also mentally retarded. Many autistic cases show profound sensory overload (Kira, 3). This means that the individual’s senses can be up to one hundred times more sensitive than others. Thus making it difficult to test for mental retardation. It is also hard to test if the individual is unable to speak, but able to write and type (Kira, 4). The Autistic population is just like the regular population, some have normal i.q.’s and some are mentally retarded.
Kira states that, “just because a person does not show emotions the way we are used to seeing them exhibited, does not mean they do not have feelings.” Autistic people are completely capable of forming attachments. Many people with autism grow up and get married and start families. These parents may not show their spouses or children their feelings as often, but they are capable of saying I love you and knowing what it means.
There are many theories about the causes of Autism. One is the “Refrigerator...