During this time, our students are taught to model the language and social behaviors of their peers. Previously these were thought to be characteristics of autism. However, we are finding that, with very intensive instruction initiated at a young age, these outcomes are not forgone conclusions. About Autism Autism is a developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life. The result of a neurological disorder that affects functioning of the brain, autism and its associated behaviors occur in approximately 20 of every 10,000 individuals.
Autism knows no racial, ethnic or social boundaries.
Family income, lifestyle or education levels do not affect the chance of occurrence. Autism interferes with the normal development of the brain in areas which control verbal and nonverbal communication, social interaction, and sensory development. Children or adults with autism may exhibit repeated body movements such as hand flapping and rocking, show unusual responses to people or attachments to objects, and resist changes in routine. Although autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors, children and adults can exhibit any combination of the behaviors in any degree of severity. Two children, both with a diagnosis of autism, can act very differently from one another.