Autism (also known as autism spectrum disorder or ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition. Autistic people may: communicate and connect with other people differently, have sensory processing differences, focus intensely on certain interests or activities. Autistic people may also have other physical, intellectual, learning, or mental health conditions which can introduce complexities and challenges. Everyone has different experiences and characteristics, so the type and extent of supports should adapt to individual needs. People on the autism spectrum use many different terms to describe themselves. ‘People with autism’ is person-first language. ‘Autistic people’ is an example of identity-first language. If you’re not Autistic, use the language that the Autistic people in your life ask you to use.[1] It’s also important to note that ASD is not a degenerative condition (i.e., one that gets progressively worse over time, such as Parkinson’s).
How does ASD affect people?
Because no two people with autism are the same, each person will have different areas that are impacted and different levels of severity. The first signs and characteristics of autism can vary widely and appear at different times, sometimes as early as a couple months old and some can be diagnosed as early as 2.5 years old. Others don’t show signs and characteristics until much later and may recieve a diagnosis in adulthood. Some areas where autism can impact an individual are social communication and interaction, restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests and some may also have different ways of learning or moving. Other symptoms have been noted to commonly appear in those on the spectrum (such as gastric issues, motor challenges, atypical sleeping/eating habits), but there is still debate among the medical community as to whether these symptoms are directly correlated to ASD, or if they are simply easier to observe in people on the spectrum.[2] It’s also worth noting that having ASD is not synonymous with having a low intelligence; a large part of ASD is related to differences in how a person processes information, but it’s just as likely that those differences can make it easier to grasp certain topics or concepts, depending on the individual and how the information is presented. The concept of this is related to a recent increased scrutiny over the validity of long-held assumptions about how intelligence and problem-solving ability is measured, as it is becoming increasingly apparent that assessment methods such as the IQ test are better at examining how a person solves problems rather than how well they can do so.[3]
The Prevalence of ASD
According to the Government of Canada’s 2018 report on ASD rates, 1 in 66 (1.5%) children have been diagnosed with ASD, with 80% of the diagnoses being for male children; it is currently unknown whether ASD is actually more common in boys than girls, or if there’s a diagnostic bias that results in girls not being recognized as being on the spectrum as often as their male peers.[4] Statistics for adults are less clear, in part due to the lack of an easy information-gathering system (the statistics for children were clearer due to school records kept for budgeting/programming reasons), but according to a 2017 report less that 1% of Canadian adults cite ASD as a contribution to difficulties in daily life.[5] Of course, the number is almost certainly larger than indicated here, as it does not include adults who didn’t voluntarily respond to the survey, adults unaware that they are on the spectrum due to a lack of an official diagnosis, and those adults on the spectrum who did not classify their ASD as a source of distress in their life.