What is Autism?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental

disability caused by differences in the brain. Some people
with ASD have a known difference, such as a genetic
condition. Other causes are not yet known. Scientists believe
there are multiple causes of ASD that act together to change the most common ways people
develop. Autism is referred to as a spectrum disorder because there is so much variation in
terms of the type of symptoms people experience and the severity of those symptoms.

People with ASD may behave, communicate, interact, and learn in ways that are different from
most other people. There is often nothing about how they look that sets them apart from other
people. The abilities of people with ASD can vary significantly. For example, some people
with ASD may have advanced conversation skills whereas others may be nonverbal. Some
people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others can work and live with little to
no support.

Experts estimate that three to six children out of every 1,000 will have autism. Males are four
times more likely to have autism than females. Autism is not a single disease entity. It is part
of a range of developmental disorders known as autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). They begin
in childhood and last through adulthood.

ASD begins before the age of 3 years and can last throughout a person’s life, although
symptoms may improve over time. Some children show ASD symptoms within the first 12
months of life. In others, symptoms may not show up until 24 months of age or later. Some
children with ASD gain new skills and meet developmental milestones until around 18 to 24
months of age, and then they stop gaining new skills or lose the skills they once had.

As children with ASD become adolescents and young adults, they may have difficulties
developing and maintaining friendships, communicating with peers and adults, or
understanding what behaviors are expected in school or on the job. They may come to the
attention of healthcare providers because they also have conditions such as anxiety, depression,
or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, which occur more often in people with ASD than in
people without ASD Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a disorder that becomes apparent in
early childhood and has lifelong consequences. Some people with ASD may require significant

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support in their daily lives, while others may need less support and, in some cases, live entirely
independently.

While Autism is a life-long condition, with appropriate and tailored support, children and
Adults with Autism can make significant progress and live fulfilling lives. No two people are
affected by Autism in exactly the same way. Every person experiences Autism differently and
has different support needs.

Other names for autism

Autism itself is often called ''autistic disorder'', ''childhood autism'', or ''infantile autism''.

There are other names for autism used by some people, such as:

1. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is the medical name for autism.

2. Asperger's (or Asperger syndrome) is used by some people to describe autistic people
with average or above-average intelligence.

Autism is:

• Not caused by bad parenting

• Not caused by vaccines, such as the MMR vaccine
• Not linked to diet
• Not an infection you can spread to other people.
• Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition
• Autism is not a disease or illness.
• It is characterized by differences in social skills, communication and behaviour.

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History of Autism

The concept of autism was coined in 1911 by the German psychiatrist

Eugen Bleuler to describe a symptom of the most severe cases of
schizophrenia, a concept he had also created. The Greek word ''autós''
meant self and the word “autism” was used by Bleuler to mean morbid self-
admiration and withdrawal within self.

The pioneers in research into autism were Hans Asperger and Leo Kanner. They were working
separately in the 1940’s. Asperger described very able children while Kanner described
children who were severely affected. Their views remained useful for physicians for the next
three decades.

Chronological history of autism

• Eugen Bleuler coined the word "autism" in 1908 among severely withdrawn schizophrenic
patients.

• In 1943 American child psychiatrist Leo Kanner studied 11 children. The children had
features of difficulties in social interactions, difficulty in adapting to changes in routines,
good memory, sensitivity to stimuli (especially sound), resistance and allergies to food,
good intellectual potential, echolalia or propensity to repeat words of the speaker and
difficulties in spontaneous activity.

• In 1944 Hans Asperger, working separately, studied a group of children. His children also
resembled Kanner’s descriptions. The children he studied, however, did not have echolalia
as a linguistic problem but spoke like grownups. He also mentioned that many of the
children were clumsy and different from normal children in terms of fine motor skills.

• Next Bruno Bettelheim studied the effect of three therapy sessions with children who he
called autistic. He claimed that the problem in the children was due to coldness of their
mothers. He separated the children from their parents. Kanner and Bettelheim both worked
towards making hypothesis that showed autistic children had frigid mothers.

• Bernard Rimland was a psychologist and parent of a child with autism. He disagreed with
Bettelheim. He did not agree that the cause of his son’s autism was due to either his or his

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 wife’s parenting skills. In 1964, Bernard Rimland published, Infantile Autism: The
Syndrome and its Implications for a Neural Theory of Behavior.

• Autism came to be better known in the 1970’s. The Erica Foundation started education and
therapy for psychotic children in the beginning of the 80s. Many parents still confused
autism with mental retardation and psychosis.

• It was in 1980’s that Asperger’s work was translated to English and published and came
into knowledge.

• It was in the 1980’s that research on autism gained momentum. It was increasingly believed
that parenting had no role in the causation of autism and there were neurological
disturbances and other genetic ailments like tuberous sclerosis, metabolic disturbances like
PKU or chromosomal abnormalities like fragile X syndrome.

• Lorna Wing, along with Christopher Gillberg at BNK (Children's Neuro-Psychiatric Clinic)
in Sweden in the 1980’s found the Wing’s triad of disturbed mutual contact, disturbed
mutual communication and limited imagination. In the 1990’s they added another factor
making it a square. The factor was limited planning ability.

• Ole Ivar Lovaas studied and furthered behavioural analysis and treatment of children with
autism. Lovaas achieved limited success at first with his experimental behaviour analysis.
He developed it to target younger children (less than 5 years of age) and implemented
treatment at home and increased the intensity (a measurement of the amount of “therapy
time”) to about 40 hours weekly.

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Types of Autism Spectrum Disorder

1. Asperger’s Syndrome

Although the term Asperger’s syndrome was quite common before 2013, the term is actually
no longer used by medical professionals. It has since been reclassified as level 1 autism
spectrum disorder by the DSM-5 diagnostic manual. Still, Asperger’s syndrome may be used
informally - in fact, autism communities use it more often than level 1 spectrum disorder.

A child with level 1 spectrum disorder will have above-average intelligence and strong verbal
skills but will experience challenges with social communication. In general, a child with level
1 autism spectrum disorder will display the following symptoms:

• Inflexibility in thought and behavior

• Challenges in switching between activities.
• Executive functioning problems
• Difficulty interacting with peers at school or home.

2. Rett Syndrome

Rett syndrome is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder that is noticed in infancy. The disorder
mostly affects girls, although it can still be diagnosed in boys. Rett syndrome presents
challenges that affect almost every aspect of a child's life. The good thing is your child can still
enjoy and live a fulfilling life with the proper care. You can have family time together and
provide support to allow the child to do what they enjoy.

Common symptoms of Rett syndrome include:

• Loss of standard movement and coordination

• Challenges with communication and speech
• Breathing difficulties in some cases

3. Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD)

Childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD), also known as Heller's syndrome or disintegrative

psychosis, is a neurodevelopmental disorder defined by delayed onset of developmental
problems in language, motor skills, or social function. A child experiences normal development
in these areas only to hit a snag after age three and up to age 10. The developmental loss can
be very heartbreaking for parents who had no idea their child had autism challenges all along.

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The cause of CDD is unknown though researchers link it to the neurobiology of the brain.
Childhood disintegrative disorder is more common in boys. Out of every 10 cases of the
disorder, nine will be boys, and only one will be a girl.

In CDD, the child will have normal development up to the time when the disorder starts, and
regressions suddenly start to occur in more than two developmental aspects of their life. The
child may lose any of the following skills and abilities:

• Toileting skills if they had already been established

• Acquired language or vocabularies
• Social skills and adaptive behaviors
• Some motor skills

4. Kanner’s Syndrome

Kanner’s syndrome was discovered by psychiatrist Leo Kanner of John Hopkins University in
1943 when he characterized it as infantile autism. Doctors also describe the condition as a
classic autistic disorder. Children with Kanner's syndrome will appear attractive, alert, and
intelligent with underlying characteristics of the disorder such as:

• Lack of emotional attachment with others

• Communication and interaction challenges
• Uncontrolled speech
• Obsession with handling objects

5. Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)

Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) is a mild type of

autism that presents a range of symptoms. The most common symptoms are challenges in social
and language development.

Your child may experience delays in language development, walking, and other motor skills.
You can identify this type of autism by observing the child and noting what area the child
displays a deficit in, such as interacting with others. PDD-NOS is sometimes referred to as
“subthreshold autism,” as it is a term used to describe an individual that has some but not all
symptoms of autism.

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What are the causes of Autism?

Scientists don't know exactly what causes autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Autism was first described in the 1940s, but very little was known about it until the last few
decades. Even today, there is a great deal that we don't know about autism.

Because the disorder is so complex and no two people with autism are exactly alike, there are
probably many causes for autism. It is also likely that there is not a single cause for autism, but
rather that it results from a combination of causes.

Scientists are studying some of the following as possible causes of or contributors to ASD.

1. Genes and ASD

A great deal of evidence supports the idea that genes are one of the main causes of or a major
contributor to ASD. Many people with autism have slight changes, called mutations, in many
of these genes. However, the link between genetic mutations and autism is complex: This
means someone with one of these gene mutations is at greater risk for autism than someone
without the mutation.

2. Interaction between genes and the environment

An infection or contact with chemicals in the environment could cause autism in someone who
is susceptible because of genetic mutations.

3. Other biological causes

Researchers are also looking into biological factors other than genes that might be involved in
ASD. Some of these include:
➢ Problems with brain connections
➢ Problems with growth or overgrowth in certain areas of the brain
➢ Problems with metabolism (the body's energy production system)
➢ Problems in the body's immune system, which protects against infections

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What Are the Signs Of Autism?

Autism can be diagnosed at any age. Usually people who have Autism experience differences
in these areas:

❖ Social Communication and Interaction Skills

Communication: -

Communication differences have always been considered a core feature of Autism and are often
broken down into two categories:

Receptive communication involves the ability to make sense of what others mean through their
verbal language, facial expression, body language and other non-verbal cues. People with
Autism may find some or all of these elements of receptive communication challenging.

Expressive communication refers to how we express our needs, wants, thoughts, ideas, and
feelings to others. Some people with Autism experience significant delays in developing
language, while others may have an incredibly well-developed vocabulary and be able to talk
about specific topics in great detail. Some people with Autism may be non-verbal or have
limited speaking skills, while others express themselves mainly through talking. The autistic
individual may have developed speech, but lost it subsequently. 50% of autistic may be mute.
Unable to initiate or sustain conversation with others Persons with autism may not be able to
initiate or sustain conversation with others.

Interaction: -

Communication involves a sender and a receiver of information - making it inherently social.

In social situations there are many nuances that guide our interactions with others, and
unspoken rules that change based on the situation and people involved. People with Autism
often find it difficult to recognise and understand social cues and may not instinctively know
how to adjust their response to suit different social contexts.

Examples of social communication and social interaction characteristics related to ASD can
include: -

• Avoids or does not keep eye contact.

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• Lack of social smile - Individuals with autism do not smile when meeting people or in
reciprocation. A smile that reflects social response and recognition cannot be elicited from
such persons.

• Unable to grasp pragmatics of communication (real meaning) - Persons with autism have
difficulty in understanding the true intent of speech of others. They may not understand the
pragmatics of speech communication. For example, When somebody asks them “Can you
tell the time?, they may say 'Yes” and stop.

• Remaining aloof - Individuals with autism may remain aloof, self-absorbed, withdrawn,
and not responsive to people or the environment. They seem to be preoccupied with
themself and away from the social world around them. They hardly respond to, or initiate
contact with others.

• Do not reach out to other people - Individuals with autism do not interact with other people
and remain socially unresponsive. They do not initiate, seek, or respond to social
interactions. They may not respond to their name, and even if they do, it may not be
appropriate.

• Inability to relate to people - Individuals with autism do not initiate contact with others and
may not relate to people as expected of their age. Reminders are required to attune
individuals with autism to the presence of people and social situations. Persistent effort is
required to get their attention. They seem to be indifferent and impersonal in their
interactions with others, if at all contact is established.

• Inability to respond to social/environmental cues - Individuals with autism are not

responsive to social and environmental demands or expectations. They show behavior
which is not synchronous with the demands/ requirements of the social environment.

• Engage in solitary and repetitive play activities - Individuals with autism play alone most
of the time or prefer solitary activities. They avoid playing with others and may not engage
in group-oriented activities or tasks at all.

• Inability to take turns in social interaction - Individuals with autism do not comprehend the
significance of taking turns in reciprocal interactions with others. They do not wait until
their turn comes or the others' turn ends.

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• Do not maintain peer relationships - Individuals with autism do not develop age-appropriate
friendships. They may not engage in age-appropriate peer interactions or maintain peer
relationships as is socially expected. Autistic persons appear to find it difficult to
understand social rules and to conform to social boundaries.

• Does not show facial expressions like happy, sad, angry, and surprised by 9 months of age.
• Does not play simple interactive games like pat-a-cake by 12 months of age.
• Uses few or no gestures by 12 months of age (for example, does not wave goodbye)
• Does not share interests with others by 15 months of age (for example, shows you an object
that they like)
• Does not point to show you something interesting by 18 months of age.
• Does not notice when others are hurt or upset by 24 months of age.
• Does not notice other children and join them in play by 36 months of age.
• Does not pretend to be something else, like a teacher or superhero, during play by 48
months of age.
• Does not sing, dance, or act for you by 60 months of age.

❖ Emotional Responsiveness
• Inappropriate emotional response

Persons with autism do not show the expected feeling in a social situation. They express
inappropriate emotional responses like laughing when scolded or spanked and inappropriate
degree of response like excessive crying or laughing that is unwarranted. Emotional reactions
are unrelated to the event or situation around the individual. They may show unpredictable shift
in emotions, that is, they may become excited, agitated or distressed for no apparent reason.

• Show exaggerated emotions

Persons with autism may show anxiety or fear which is excessive in nature and which may be
triggered off without an apparent reason. At times, it may be exaggerated or atypical. The
autistic individual may show extreme fear of innocuous objects or events leading to
uncontrolled behavior.

• Engage in self-stimulating emotions

Individuals with autism may engage in self-talk that is inappropriate for their age. Autistic
individuals may smile at themselves without any apparent reason.

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 ❖ Behaviour (repetitive and restricted patterns of behaviour)

This includes repetitive actions, strong interests and sensory processing.

Repetitive Actions: -

Repetitive Actions involve doing or saying something over and over again. Depending on the
person, these repetitive behaviours may be very obvious or quite subtle and can include
movements, sounds, routines and rituals.

Movement – physical repetitive behaviour may be an action (like switching the lights on and
off or flicking an elastic band) or a body movement (like pacing or hand flapping).

Vocalisation – vocal repetitive behaviour may include repetitive noises, laughter, and echolalia.
Echolalia is when a person repeats (or echoes) phrases, words or parts of words that they have
heard, and it often serves a purpose (like responding to a question, as a way to take a turn in a
conversation, getting someone’s attention, requesting something or coping in the moment).

Routines and Rituals – Many routines are a normal part of everyday life (like getting ready for
bed or brushing your teeth), and most of us have specific rituals for enjoyment (like having
something special for dinner once a week). Routines tend to be even more important to people
with Autism. They bring a sense of order and predictability to what might feel like a very
chaotic, ever-changing, and sensation-driven world. This strong need for ‘sameness’ though
can be misunderstood and interpreted as rigidity or a lack of flexibility by others.

People with Autism can also have trouble ‘generalising’ their skills. Generalisation means
being able to apply something you’ve learned across different people, places and contexts.

People with ASD have behaviors or interests that can seem unusual.

Examples of restricted or repetitive behaviors and interests related to ASD can include

• Close-up of child playing with toy blocks on the carpet.

• Lines up toys or other objects and gets upset when order is changed
• Repeats words or phrases over and over (called echolalia)
• Plays with toys the same way every time
• Is focused on parts of objects (for example, wheels)
• Gets upset by minor changes
• Has obsessive interests

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• Must follow certain routines
• Flaps hands, rocks body, or spins self in circles
• Has unusual reactions to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel

Strong Interests: -

Strong Interests are also often associated with Autism.

Many people with Autism have interests and passions that are a lot more intense and focused
than others experience, often from a young age. Some people with Autism also become
attached to objects or parts of objects, and an interest in collecting is also quite common.
Interests can change over time or be lifelong.

Show attachment to inanimate objects - Individuals with autism may be staunchly attached to
certain inanimate objects which they insist on keeping with themselves such as string, rock,
pen, stick, toy, bottle and the like. Keep all the objects and check if the child shows attachment
to inanimate object/s. This can be seen if he likes to play with one object consistently and seems
very much attached to it and shows resistance and temper tantrums when that object is taken
away.

Having a strong or highly focused interest can be an incredible strength and if supported can
be channelled into meeting new people, studying or building a career.

Excited or agitated for apparent reason - Persons with autism may show excitement, over
activity or agitation that is both excessive and unwarranted. The autistic child moves around
with brisk energy and may be difficult to control.

Sensory Processing: -

Sensory Processing refers to the way the nervous system gathers, understands, organises, and
uses information from our senses (e.g. sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell, balance and body
awareness), and turns it into a response.

It is now widely accepted that people with Autism process the information provided by their
senses differently to others. These sensory differences may result in unusual or unexpected
behavioural responses and can be affected by a person’s sensory sensitivities and preferences,
environment, overall health and stress levels at any given time. Some people may quickly
respond to just a tiny amount of sensory information (over-responsive), while others may be
slower to respond because they need more sensory information (under-responsive).

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Persons with autism may stare at some distant spot or space for long periods of time. They
seem to be unaware of their surroundings when thus occupied.

Persons with autism may be able to observe tiny details which may not be apparent to others.
Such individuals focus their attention on some insignificant part of an object that is generally
ignored by others.

Persons with autism may hardly react to pain. They seem not to be distressed or cry when hurt.
They seem to have high thresholds for pain.

Many people with autism have an exceptional ability to remember things from the distant past
that have long been forgotten.

❖ Thinking and learning

Theory of Mind: -

Theory of Mind is a term used to refer to the awareness that other people’s minds are different
from our own or the ability to see things from another person’s point of view. It involves being
able to recognise and understand the thoughts, beliefs, desires, and intentions of other people
and how they relate back to us. When we interact with others or think about them, we guess
what they might be thinking or feeling. We predict their intent, which helps us to work out
how to respond. Researchers have found that in Autism the development of the theory of mind
can be delayed. People with Autism may find it harder to ‘tune in’ to the perspectives of other
people and as a result might misread the intentions of others or respond in an unexpected way
during social interactions.

❖ Autistic people can have any level of intelligence

Some autistic people have average or above-average intelligence. Some autistic people have a
learning disability. This means they may find it hard to look after themselves and need help
with daily life.

❖ Other Characteristics
• Most people with ASD have other related characteristics. These might include
• Delayed language skills
• Delayed movement skills
• Delayed cognitive or learning skills

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• Hyperactive, impulsive, and/or inattentive behavior
• Epilepsy or seizure disorder
• Unusual eating and sleeping habits
• Gastrointestinal issues (for example, constipation)
• Unusual mood or emotional reactions
• Anxiety, stress, or excessive worry
• Lack of fear or more fear than expected
• Autistic people may act in a different way to other people
• Autistic people may:
• find it hard to communicate and interact with other people
• find it hard to understand how other people think or feel
• find things like bright lights or loud noises overwhelming, stressful or uncomfortable
• get anxious or upset about unfamiliar situations and social events
• take longer to understand information
• They repeat the same statement many times.

PSYCHO-EDUCATION FOR THE FAMILY

• Informing the diagnosis to parents when their child has ASD.

• A few points to be kept in mind while informing them are:
• Autism is a neuro-developmental disability- is lifelong and starts in utero
• It is not produced by vaccines
• It is not caused by bad parenting or due to behavior of other family members
• All children may not be similar
• Early therapy helps
• Education may not be the only aim
• Talk to others about ASD openly
• Talk to other parents of children with ASD
• The path ahead may be difficult, but reach out for help at every step of the way
• Furnish examples of individuals with ASD
• Assess parental stress and address it
• Assess resources in terms of time, place, caregivers

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Interventions for communication

• sign language

• communication boards

• visual supports

• picture exchange communication system (PECS)

• use of social stories and

• social skills training.

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Diagnosis of Autism

Diagnosing ASD can be difficult since there is no medical test, like a blood test, to diagnose
the disorder. Doctors look at the child’s behavior and development to make a diagnosis. ASD
can sometimes be detected at 18 months of age or younger. By age 2, a diagnosis by an
experienced professional can be considered reliable.1 However, many children do not receive
a final diagnosis until they are much older. Some people are not diagnosed until they are
adolescents or adults. This delay means that people with ASD might not get the early help they
need.

There are several steps for this.

• Developmental Monitoring

Developmental monitoring is an active, ongoing process of watching a child grow and

encouraging conversations between parents and providers about a child’s skills and abilities.
Developmental monitoring involves observing how your child grows and whether your child
meets the typical developmental milestones, or skills that most children reach by a certain age,
in playing, learning, speaking, behaving, and moving.

• Developmental Screening

Developmental screening takes a closer look at how the child is developing. Developmental
screening is more formal than developmental monitoring.

• Developmental Diagnosis

A brief test using a screening tool does not provide a diagnosis, but it can indicate whether a
child is on the right development track or if a specialist should take a closer look. If the
screening tool identifies an area of concern, a formal developmental evaluation may be needed.
This formal evaluation is a more in-depth look at a child’s development and is usually done by
a trained specialist such as a developmental paediatrician, child psychologist, speech-language
pathologist, occupational therapist, or other specialist. The specialist may observe the child
give the child a structured test, ask the parents or caregivers questions, or ask them to fill out
questionnaires. The results of this formal evaluation highlight the child’s strengths and
challenges and can inform whether they meet the criteria for a developmental diagnosis.

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Treatment of Autism

Current treatments for ASD seek to reduce symptoms that interfere with daily functioning and
quality of life.

❖ Behavioral Management Therapy for Autism

Behavior management therapy tries to reinforce wanted behaviors and reduce unwanted
behaviors.

❖ Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Autism

Cognitive behavior therapy focuses on the connection between thoughts, feelings, and
behaviors.

❖ Early Intervention for Autism

Research shows that early diagnosis of and interventions for autism are more likely to have
major long-term positive effects on symptoms and later skills.

Early intervention programs often include:

➢ Family training
➢ Speech therapy
➢ Hearing impairment services
➢ Physical therapy
➢ Nutrition services

❖ Joint Attention Therapy for Autism

Research shows that many people with autism have difficulty with joint attention, which is the
ability to share focus on an object or area with another person. Examples of joint attention skills
include following someone else's gaze or pointed finger to look at something.

Joint attention is important to communication and language learning. Joint attention therapy
focuses on improving specific skills related to shared attention,1 such as:

➢ Pointing
➢ Showing
➢ Coordinating looks between a person and an object

Improvements from such treatments can last for years.

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❖ Physical Therapy for Autism

Physical therapy includes activities and exercises that build motor skills and improve strength,
posture, and balance.

For example, this type of therapy aims to help a child build muscle control and strength so that
he or she can play more easily with other children.

Problems with movement are common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and many children
with autism receive physical therapy.

❖ Educational and School-Based Therapies for Autism

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Autism Myth Busters

Our community is becoming more proactive in understanding Autism and learning to adapt the
environment we live in to enhance Autism acceptance.

It is important for our community to recognise the common misconceptions about Autism and
deepen understanding. These common misconceptions are explored below.

Myth: All people with Autism have the same skills and difficulties

Myth: All people with Autism have an outstanding 'savant' skill

Myth: People with Autism cannot have another diagnosis

Myth: All people with Autism have an intellectual disability

Myth: People with Autism do not speak

Myth: People with Autism do not experience the full range of emotions

Myth: Children with Autism are more aggressive

Myth: People with Autism aren't capable of forming meaningful relationships and friendships

Myth: Autism is a behavioural or mental health disorder

Myth: There is an Autism epidemic

Myth: Autism is caused by parenting style

Myth: Vaccinations cause Autism

Myth: Autism can be cured

Individualised Support Is Key

Support strategies really depend on the challenges the person is experiencing.

Everyone is different, so a strategy that works for one person may not necessarily work in the
same way for another. This is why we call it ‘Individualised Support’. When considering
strategies, it’s important to remember that many people with Autism are:

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Visual learners

Visual information lasts longer and is more concrete than spoken and heard information.

Literal thinkers

Literal means exactly what is said—the surface meaning. People with Autism tend to respond
well when expectations or instructions are explicitly stated. Figurative is where people use
language to create additional, or hidden, meanings—the deeper meaning. People with Autism
often have trouble understanding idioms and ‘reading between the lines’ or pinpointing the
‘hidden rules’ in social situations.

More at ease when they know what will happen next

Consistency and predictability can help to reduce anxiety. Routines can be powerful in
supporting a feeling of wellbeing and stability as they bring a sense of order and ‘sameness’ to
a seemingly chaotic, ever-changing and sensation-driven world.

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10 Famous People With Autism

Some of the most well-known people from history who are famous today have autism spectrum
disorder (ASD). These include famous scientists, musicians, entrepreneurs, entertainers, and
activists!

1. Albert Einstein – Scientist

Albert Einstein (1879-1955) was a German-born physicist. He was one of the greatest scientists
of all time. Eintein developed the special and general theories of relativity and won the Nobel
Prize for Physics in 1921 for his explanation of the photoelectric effect. His work included
relativity theory, quantum mechanics, and atomic structure. As a child, Einstein experienced
severe speech delay and echolalia, which is why many experts concluded that he was autistic.

2. Eminem – Rapper

Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Bruce Mathers III, is a rapper, songwriter, record
producer, record executive and actor. He’s known as being one of the best-selling and most
talented artists of all time.

Eminem disclosed in his song ‘Wicked ways’ that he has Asperger’s. Asperger’s was previously
the diagnosis given to people with autism who had an above-average intellectual ability but

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persistent difficulties with or differences in social communication, social interaction, and
repetitive behaviors.

In interviews, Eminem says he remembers faking sick to stay home from school, where he says
he was shy and awkward.

As a kid, he preferred to be at home writing poetry, drawing comic book characters and reading.

3. Elon Musk – Entrepreneur

Elon Musk is one of the richest, most successful people of all time.

He is the founder, CEO, and chief engineer of SpaceX; angel investor, CEO, and product
architect of Tesla, Inc.; owner and CEO of Twitter, Inc.; founder of The Boring Company; co-
founder of Neuralink and OpenAI; and president of the philanthropic Musk Foundation.

Elon Musk has spoken in interviews about growing up with Autism. He has said things like, “I
would just tend to take things very literally … but then that turned out to be wrong — [people
were not] simply saying exactly what they mean, there are all sorts of other things that are
meant, and [it] took me a while to figure that out.”

Musk himself credits autism for contributing to his success. He believes his intense and
specialized interest in science and technology was amplified by his hyper-focused mind, a
common trait among autistic people, helping him reach the level of success he has today.

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 4. Steve Jobs – Founder of Apple

Steve Jobs (1955-2011) was an inventor, designer, and entrepreneur who was the co-founder,
chief executive, and chairman of Apple.

Although Steve Jobs never acknowledged having an autism diagnosis, many experts believe
he was autistic. This is because he demonstrated many common traits associated with autism,
including special interests and perfectionism, and he often struggled with social interaction.

5. Satoshi Tajiri – Creator of Pokémon

Halfway through our list of

famous people with autism is the creator of Pokemon, Satoshi Tajiri.

Satoshi Tajiri is a Japanese video game designer and director best known for being the creator
of the Pokémon franchise and one of the founders and president of video game developer Game
Freak.

As a child, Satoshi loved collecting bugs. He’s said before that this love of bug collecting is
what inspired him to create Pokemon – he wanted a way to give children the same joy he had
while collecting bugs when playing his video games.

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Many people on the autism spectrum enjoy collecting, sorting, and categorizing different
things. So Satoshi, as an autistic individual himself, gave the world a gift that only he could
create: a whole new thing to collect.

The original Pokemon game had 151 species with the slogan “Gotta Catch ’em All”, there are
now 1000 Pokemon to discover.

6. Tim Burton – Director

Tim Burton is a famous director, producer, screenwriter, and artist. He is known for his gothic
fantasy and horror films such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before
Christmas, and more, As well as the current Netflix hit Wednesday.

Though he wasn’t diagnosed as a child, those who knew him described him as an introvert and
recluse. As a child, he often chose solitary activities such as painting, drawing, and watching
films. Burton says he identifies as being autistic because he shares so many common
personality traits with others with ASD. Most of the autistic community support adults who,
like Burton, are self-diagnosed for several reasons.

7. Mark Zuckerberg – Founder of Facebook

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Mark Zuckerberg is known for co-founding the social media website Facebook and its parent
company Meta Platforms, of which he is the chairman, chief executive officer, and controlling
shareholder. He started programming when he was only 12 years old.

Zuckerberg’s facial expressions, movements, speech, and other social behaviors have been
heavily mocked online; he’s often been referred to as robotic or emotionless. It’s unfortunate
because many parents do fear their autistic children will be judged for their quirks rather than
their talents.

Despite his recent criticisms over censorship on Facebook and the metaverse, he’s undeniably
one of the most successful and innovative internet entrepreneurs and programmers alive.

Hopefully, regardless of people’s opinions of him as an individual, they’ll stop to consider how
the criticisms about his demeanor and social interactions are bullying and negatively affect the
autistic community and, instead, form their opinions based on his work.

8. Jerry Seinfeld – Comedian

Jerry Seinfeld is a stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He is best known for playing
a semi-fictionalized version of himself in the sitcom Seinfeld, which he co-created with Larry
David. This show is considered one of the most successful TV sitcoms in history.

Although he’s never mentioned being officially diagnosed, Jerry said that he’s “still figuring
out who he is. For example: in recent years, as he’s learned about autism spectrum disorders,
he sees it in himself.”

He continued by saying, “Basic social engagement is really a struggle…I’m very literal. When
people talk to me and use expressions, sometimes I don’t know what they’re saying. But I don’t
see it as dysfunctional. I think of it as an alternate mindset.”

9. Temple Grandin – Author, Speaker, Scientist

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Temple Grandin is a scientist, academic, and animal behaviorist. She is also a prominent author
and speaker on both autism and animal behavior and was a past member of the board of
directors of the Autism Society of America. She lectures to parents and teachers throughout the
U.S. about her experiences with autism.

She’s published numerous books on autism, including children’s books. And she also has a
children’s book written about her called The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr.
Temple Grandin by Julia Finley Mosca.

10. Greta Thunberg – Environmental Activist

Greta Thunberg is a young environmental activist whose known for challenging world leaders
to take immediate action against climate change. Her passion for the environment began when
she was only 8 years old.

Greta refers to her autism diagnosis as her “superpower” and says finding out she is autistic
was a relief for her. In an interview, she said “When I felt the most sad, I didn’t know that I had
autism,” she explained. “I just thought, I don’t want to be like this. The diagnosis was almost
only positive for me. It helped me get the support I needed and made me understand why I was
like this.”

11. Leonardo da Vinci – Artist

12. Vincent van Gogh – Artist

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13. Steven Spielberg – Director
14. Alfred Hitchcock – Director
15. Thomas Edison – Inventor
16. Alexander Graham Bell – Inventor
17. Benjamin Franklin – Inventor
18. Henry Ford – Inventor
19. Ludwig van Beethoven – Musician
20. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Musician
21. Bob Dylan – Musician
22. James Taylor – Singer-Songwriter & Guitarist
23. John Denver – Singer-Songwriter & Record Producer
24. Charles Darwin – Naturalist & Geologist
25. Carl Jung – Psychiatrist & Psychotherapist
26. Lionel Messi – Football Player
27. Samuel Clemens – Writer
28. George Orwell – Writer,
29. Jane Austen – Writer
30. Charles M. Schulz – Cartoonist
31. Dan Aykroyd – Comedic Actor
32. Hans Christian Andersen – Children’s Author
33. Susan Boyle – Singer
34. Lewis Carroll – Author of “Alice in Wonderland”
35. Emily Dickinson – Poet
36. Bobby Fischer – Chess Grandmaster
37. Bill Gates – Founder of Microsoft
38. Nikola Tesla – Inventor
39. Michael Brannigan – Track and Field Athlete
40. Ulysse Delsaux – Racecar Driver
41. Jim Eisenreich – Major League Baseball Player
42. Clay Marzo – Surfer
43. Courtney Love – Signer & Actress
44. Matt Savage – Musician
45. Hannah Gadsby – Comedian
46. Carl Sagan – Astronomer
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ASD Traits Can Contribute to Accomplishing Great Things

Autistic people all have their own strengths and unique abilities, and these famous people with
autism have used those strengths and gifts to help achieve amazing things. Along with plenty
of hard work, dedication, and overcoming obstacles.

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