About Autism

What is Autism?

Autism is a neuro-developmental disability that impacts an individual’s ability to regulate sensory input, to communicate, to interact socially, and to learn in conventional ways. Autism is a spectrum disorder and so affects each individual differently and at varying degrees. Early intervention is crucial to mitigate the degree of impact: by learning the signs early, a child can begin benefiting from one of the many specialized intervention programs.

Current Autism Data

1 in 36 children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) — about 1 in 6 (17%) children aged 3–17 years were diagnosed with a developmental disability, as reported by parents, during a study period of 2009-2017. These included autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, blindness, and cerebral palsy, among others. (CDC 2020 data)
In California, 1 in 22 8-year-old children were identified with ASD by the CA-ADDM program in 2020 (Download CDC 2023 California Report)
ASD is almost four times more common in boys (Autism Speaks)
Early intervention affords the best opportunity to support healthy development and deliver benefits across the lifespan. (Autism Speaks)
Autism knows no racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic boundaries and can affect any family and any child.
Autism is the fastest-growing diagnosis in the California Special Education system.

Indicators

Since Autism is a spectrum disorder, there are a wide variety of signs that may vary in severity. Common indicators include:

Over and under sensitivity to senses: sound, sight, taste, touch, and smell
Impaired social skills (i.e. limited eye contact, limited age-appropriate peers, and limited emotional sharing)
Stereotypical or rigid repetitive behaviors (i.e. difficulties with change, abnormal preoccupation)
Communication problems and difficulty understanding language (i.e. echolalia, delayed speech, non-responsiveness)
Problems understanding metaphors—prone to literal interpretation only

More Information

The Autism Society of America provides a comprehensive Resources Directory with information to help negotiate the system of services and connect people to resources and support in their communities.

Porchlight Autism Education Series

The Porchlight Autism Education Series is a free eLearning program with over 50 modules designed to offer behavioral solutions to common daily challenges parents or caregivers may confront in the world of developmental disabilities.

Each module is a short 3-15 minute demonstration course, created by highly trained staff, including Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Pathologists, and Board Certified Behavior Analysts. Each module gives parents theory, hands-on instructions, and specific examples of behavior modifications they can make in their own homes to help their child living with a developmental disability.

To browse the modules, go to www.porchlighteducation.org.