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Children's Health Children's Diseases and Conditions Autism

Understanding the Autism Spectrum

Summary & Participants

Understanding the autism spectrum is the first step toward understanding the challenges these kids face.

Medically Reviewed On: August 05, 2008

Webcast Transcript

ANNOUNCER: At this day camp on Long Island, New York, families with kids with special needs spent the day getting practical information while connecting with each other.

Liza Bergman, Fay J. Lindner Center for Autism: Autism, it’s a lack of relatedness to other people. It’s a lack of the ability to really have a discussion. A lot of what we call stereotypy, where it’s repetitive motions, repetitive movements. Play skills are lacking. The inability to understand abstract concepts is something that is characteristic with most people who are on the autism spectrum

ANNOUNCER: This autism spectrum also includes Asperger syndrome, a milder form of autism.

Lynda Geller, Clinical Director of the Asperger Institute, NYU: Someone with Asperger syndrome has normal IQ or above or really high, has normal language development as far as the acquisition of speech and language, but socially is much less developed in their abilities.

ANNOUNCER: Often times, the spectrum symptoms can blur.

Dr. Don Sturz, Director of Program Development, Gersh Academy: A lot of kids are presenting with what I keep referring to as kind of umbrella symptomatology in which they have kind of a little bit from each diagnostic category. It’s not unusual to see children have additional symptomatology, OCD, tic disorders, that type of thing, and then also fall on the spectrum.

ANNOUNCER: Autism is about four times more likely to occur in boys than girls and, despite new research and many theories; the cause of autism remains a mystery.

Liza Bergman, Fay J. Lindner Center for Autism: Autism itself is different from person to person to person, and I think that’s what makes it the most difficult to really understand.

ANNOUNCER: Even so, help is available from a variety of organizations across the country.

Jennifer, Parent: He’s been getting services since he was two and a half, and, you know, the earlier the better, the earlier intervention the better. And, you know, there’s a lot of help out there.

ANNOUNCER: Thanks for joining us on today’s Once Daily!