Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) exhibit many behaviors their family, teachers and other supporters find challenging. At the same time, they often find the world at large a challenge, and the behavior of the people in it perplexing. “I wish I could live on Planet Autistic,” is the way one young man expressed how alien and misunderstood he often felt on this planet.
What are the behaviors and ways of taking in the outside world that distinguish a person with an ASD from his or her “typical” peers? Although these will vary according to the severity of a person’s autism and where they are in the lifespan, there are core issues that impact most people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. In this section we explore each of these overlapping topics.
As we consider the core issues that impact individuals with an ASD, it becomes clear why autism and related conditions come under the category of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs). People on the spectrum do face pervasive, all encompassing challenges in almost every aspect of functioning, from being socially “blind” to being prone to meltdowns, from being unable to sleep to being unable to communicate effectively. The everyday world, with its ongoing social and sensory assault, must indeed seem daunting to individuals on the spectrum.
We hope this exploration of the challenges faced by people with ASDs will provide insights that help family members, teachers, physicians, and others better understand and support those with an ASD. We hope, too, that it may help those with ASDs better understand themselves. There is no “Planet Autistic.” Somehow, those with ASDs have to find a way to make this planet home. It is up to the rest of us to make them feel welcome, safe, and appreciated for who they are as we support their efforts to live meaningful lives in what may seem a strange and alien land.
