| The autistic disorder is a spectrum of many | | | | to pain is frightening and painful. They are though |
| converged symptoms affecting attention, perception | | | | very sensitive to non-routine behavior and hardly get |
| and thought. The condition varies from mild to severe | | | | used to changes in their environment. They show a |
| and the shown behavior is inappropriate for the age. | | | | repetitive behavior and can continue doing one thing |
| Autism is classified as a condition belonging to the | | | | in spite of others trying to talk to them. |
| disease group called pervasive Development | | | | Although playing is used as a form of therapy, most |
| Disorders. The three major areas affected by autism | | | | of the patients prove an impaired behavior towards |
| are behavior, communication and interaction. When at | | | | play, gross motor skills and little eye-contact. In spite |
| least six of the symptoms of these areas damage | | | | of their well developed hearing sense, they act as |
| occur, a temporary diagnose of autistic disorder can | | | | deaf and ignore verbal cues, react by extreme |
| be established. Further testing is necessary. Children | | | | distress without any actual reason. Hypo- or |
| that do not exactly match autistic criteria are usually | | | | hyperactivity characterizes their actions and they |
| classified as suffering from a pervasive development | | | | always resist changes in their routine. |
| disorder. | | | | Instead of using normal logical language, autistic |
| All autistic patients suffer from the impossibility of | | | | children repeat particular words or phrases; this is |
| interacting with others and communicating with them. | | | | known as echolalia. Other major signs are abnormal |
| Autistics are characterized by aloofness, desire to be | | | | laughing or giggling and the evident speech and |
| alone, and difficulty in being around people. They | | | | language absence or delay. |
| cannot express their needs and wishes and use | | | | Autism makes patients resist cuddling and show |
| gestures and pointing instead of language. Children | | | | strange attachments to different objects. Ways of |
| with such problems reject the society and this one | | | | interacting with people are abnormal and they show |
| rejects them back. They need life-long care and | | | | tendencies to spin objects. The knowledge of |
| special attention according to their personal needs. | | | | communicating with others seems to be disturbed |
| Autistic patients have difficulties with integrating | | | | and they never find the right language or |
| senses. They show an abnormal response to one or | | | | manifestations in a certain context. Children cannot |
| more sensory movements; receive sounds like painful | | | | sustain a conversation or understand other person' |
| and light hurts them. Other senses like touch, balance, | | | | point of view. They tend to use facial expression and |
| smell or taste are disturbed as well and their reaction | | | | body language instead of verbal communication ways. |