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Awareness & Education

What is Autism?

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental condition that affects how a person communicates, interacts, learns, and experiences the world. Because autism exists on a spectrum, every individual with ASD is unique, with different strengths, challenges, and support needs. Signs of autism often appear in early childhood and may include differences in communication, social interaction, behavior, sensory processing, and learning. Autism is a lifelong condition, and greater awareness, understanding, and support can help individuals with ASD thrive in their communities.

Communicational Differences

Individuals with autism may communicate in ways that differ from neurotypical social expectations. Different does not mean flawed; these are simply unique ways of processing, expressing, and interacting with the world. These differences reflect diverse perspectives that add value to our communities.

Individuals with autism may:

  • Look away when conversing
  • Make minimal eye contact
  • Find direct eye contact uncomfortable or overstimulating

This does not mean an individual is ignoring you or being rude. Eye contact is not instinctive for autistic individuals: their senses are often heightened, causing them to feel overwhelmed in an already heightened sensory landscape (Marsh, 2024). This is due to the increased cortical excitability of the autistic brain, which leads to a heightened cognitive load when processing outside information. For you and I, making eye contact is a normal and simple task, however, it can be a daunting and overstimulating task for neurodivergent individuals.

To make individuals on the spectrum feel more comfortable in conversation, you can:

  • Accept people are listening while looking away
  • Coordinate conversations with autistic individuals to happen in parallel, where you are not directly facing them, such as in a car, or on a bench/couch facing outward
  • Not getting upset at poor eye contact during conversations/presentations

Individuals with autism may:

  • Misunderstand sarcasm, idioms, or vague language
  • Misinterpret these forms of communication
  • React negatively 

Ex: figurative expressions like “hit the books” may be interpreted literally by some autistic individuals.

 

Neurotypical individuals often use sarcasm in order to bond with others, due to differences in processing speed and cognitive flexibility. Sarcasm requires swift mental shifts and flexible thinking to comprehend the true meaning behind a phrase or sentence. This impedes autistic people from understanding the conversation, leading them to feel confused or feel inadequate.

To make individuals on the spectrum feel more comfortable in conversation, you can:

  • Use clear and direct language
  • Avoid excessive sarcasm or vague phrasing
  • Explain unfamiliar idioms or expressions when needed
  • Be patient & respect different communication and comprehension styles



Individuals with autism may:

  • Find small talk difficult or unnecessary
  • Accidentally interrupt conversations
  • Speak extensively about topics of strong interest
  • Need additional processing time before responding
  • Prefer direct and clear communication styles

 

Autistic individuals may experience social interactions differently from neurotypical expectations. These differences are not negative traits, but variations in communication, processing, and social engagement styles.

Social interaction differences can sometimes lead to misunderstandings, especially in fast-paced conversations or social settings. Creating patient and inclusive environments can help autistic individuals feel more comfortable and understood.

To support autistic individuals in conversations, you can:

  • Allow additional time for responses
  • Avoid making assumptions about intentions or emotions
  • Be clear and direct when communicating
  • Respect different conversational styles
  • Listen without judgment or interruption

 

Autistic individuals may need additional time to process conversations, questions, or sensory information before responding. Fast-paced discussions or overwhelming environments can sometimes make communication more difficult.

Individuals with autism may:

  • Pause before responding in conversation
  • Need extra time to process verbal information
  • Feel overwhelmed in fast-moving discussions
  • Prefer clear and direct communication
  • Respond more comfortably in calm environments

Additional processing time does not mean a lack of understanding or attention. Giving individuals space and patience during conversations can help reduce stress and improve communication.

To support processing differences, you can:

  • Allow extra time for responses
  • Avoid interrupting or rushing conversations
  • Speak clearly and directly
  • Reduce distractions when possible
  • Be patient and understanding during interactions

7 Myths About Autism

In order to welcome autistic individuals as valuable members of society and strengthen community belonging, we must not only understand these misconceptions and why they are wrong and harmful, but spread awareness to others about the truths of what it is like to live with autism. 

The same way you and I are born different, those on the autistic continuum behave differently too. There is a common assumption that each autistic person fulfills a certain stereotype, however, since autism is a spectrum, their brains don’t all work the same way, and symptoms can vary. 

According to the Cleveland Clinic, some common generalizations are that those with ASD:

  • Have learning or intellectual disabilities
  • Are savants (having a special skill
  • Aren’t aware of the needs and emotions of people around them
  • Can’t do certain jobs

These statements may be true for certain autistic individuals, but they are certainly not true for every person who is neurodivergent.

“Disease” labels autism as something “wrong”, however, Dr. Cuffman from Cleveland Clinic states “Autism isn’t an illness at all, it’s just the way your brain works.” Since autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder, this means that something about brain development and social function is different from a “typical” person.

Additionally, ASD is not defined as a mental illness by the “The Fifth Edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)”, a healthcare professional diagnostic reference, because most mental illnesses, such as anxiety and depression, develop later on in life. Rather, ASD is a condition one is born with. 

It is important to recognize ASD as a neurological difference that exists across a wide range of experiences and abilities, rather than with a negative connotation.

One of the biggest misinformations regarding autism is that vaccines, specifically the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, induce the development of autism in early childhood. This misconception started in 1998, when there was an unreliable study by Dr. Wakefield, considering only 12 children, eight of whom reported developed autism after getting the MMR vaccine. There was no control group or period, and therefore the study could not fully validate whether or not vaccines cause autism. This paper was eventually retracted, and many authors pulled their names.

According to vaccinologist Daniel Salmon, director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Vaccine Safety, this animosity towards vaccines persisted due to the age of which neurodivergent individuals regress into autism around the same time young children are given the MMR vaccine. However, there are over 16 recent studies that have found no correlation between autism and vaccines or characteristics of vaccines such as thimerosal or the number of vaccines given to an individual.

Since autism is defined as a type of neurodiversity, it is not considered the same as a preventable disease. Neurodiversity acknowledges the fact that everyone’s brain functions differently, and those that are neurodivergent merely perceive and process information differently than neurotypical individuals. Neurodiversity is a broad term for a number of conditions, not just ASD. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Dyslexia, and Tourette Syndrome are all examples of neurodiversity.

According to professors Shannon Taylor and Lindsay Diamond, both specialists in special education, each of these conditions is different, and do not develop due to parent actions, environmental factors, or any other preventable factors. Researchers have found that this neurodiversity stems from a complex interaction of genetic factors. 

In the last twenty years, there have been increasing numbers of attention and media coverage on autism, leading to the assumption that autism is growing in numbers each and every year. The rate of autism has changed from one in 150 children in 2000 to one in 36 by 2020 (Zeidan et al., 2022), but this increase is due to a multitude of factors, such as clinician improvement, greater awareness of ASD, and new policies being adopted.

Clinicians, through research, have improved identifying autism, now including previously disregarded populations such as girls, children of color, or children from lower socioeconomic homes with parents who have achieved a lower level of education (Taylor & Diamond, 2025).

The rise of social media and technology has led to the public being more aware of ASD now than they used to be. As awareness grows, more and better quality services arise for autistic individuals. Access to early intervention and supportive therapies encourages parents to seek a diagnosis for their children. (Cleveland Clinic, 2024)

Up until recently, healthcare providers couldn’t diagnose someone with both autism and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). When this changed, both of these conditions became more common, in fact, they often occur together.

While autism is a lifelong condition, many individuals can improve in education and social settings with therapy and intervention, which may be perceived as “cured”. When autistic individuals get older, they can better learn the appropriate skills and language that was previously limited. Regardless of these intervention methods, autism is still prevalent, just better masked in some situations.

This misconception is one of the most hurtful assumptions concerning autistic individuals. It conveys a person to just their diagnosis, perceiving them as limited. While it is true that some individuals with autism need higher levels of support than others, and some may be unable to live independently as adults, it does not define all individuals with autism and their capabilities.

People with autism work in every kind of field at entry level and make valuable contributions to their community. Every autistic individual is loved and cared for by their families and communities, and to view them as incapable of meaning is ableism. Just because what society constructs as “normal” doesn’t completely line with neurodivergent individuals, doesn’t mean that their life is less valuable.

What is "Sensory Overload"

Sensory overload, also called overstimulation, happens to everyone occasionally, but autistic individuals tend to experience it more often and intensely. It’s not exclusive to autism either. People with Tourette’s, anxiety, and PTSD can experience it too, making certain environments hard to manage.

Sensory overload or overstimulation is defined by the National Institutes of Health as the “excessive or atypical simulation that exceeds an individuals’ usual thresholds” (Weyn et al., 2025). It can be triggered by a multitude of causes, such as sensitivities to:

  • Sights
  • Sounds 
  • Smells
  • Taste
  • Touch
  • Balance 
  • Awareness of body position and movement
  • Awareness of internal body cues and sensations

Those with autism can experience both hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity to a wide range of stimuli, and it varies from person to person. 

These unique and hyperintense sensory challenges manifest challenges in everyday situations like school, work, or public spaces. This can be significantly physically and emotionally draining and can leave individuals feeling too exhausted to do other tasks.

In order to combat this sensory override, autistic people use stimming as a form of “sensory seeking” to keep their sensory systems in balance. Repetitive movements, sounds, or fidgeting may help autistic individuals regulate emotions, reduce stress, and manage overwhelming sensory experiences. 

However, this constant movement can come off as disruptive or inappropriate in certain settings, this leads to autistic individuals to feel they need to suppress this soothing method. When this happens, it becomes difficult to self regulate, leading to sensory overload, exhaustion, or burnout.

According to Autism Speaks, overstimulation can present in many ways, for example:

  • Increased movement, such as jumping, spinning, or crashing into things
  • Increased stimming, such as hand flapping, making repetitive noises, or rocking back and forth
  • Covering ears or eyes
  • Talking faster and louder, or not at all
  • Escalating, overwhelming emotions or a need to escape a situation (meltdown)
  • Difficulty communicating or responding as the brain shifts resources to deal with sensory input (shutdown)

It is not uncommon to see autistic individuals with sunglasses, headphones, or some other kind of assistive device to prevent overstimulation, below are helpful devices to accommodate hyper or hypo-sensitivity. 

Hypersensitivity

  • Sunglasses, light covers, or hats under bright lights
  • Wearing ear plugs or headphones in noisy environments
  • Working in spaces with a closed door or high walls
  • Avoiding strongly scented or flavored products
  • Choose foods to avoid aversions to textures, temperature, or spices

Hyposensitivity

  • Using fidget toys, chewies, and other sensory tools
  • Visual supports for those who have difficulty processing spoken information (i.e choice boards, emotion charts, or visual cue cards)
  • Eating foods with strong flavors or mixed textures
  • Weighted blankets, lap pads, or heavier clothing that provides deep pressure
References
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