What is Autism?

In this *Ability Life Solutions Favorite Video, Narrator, Alan Gardner, an autistic Ambassador and ally of the film’s producer, The National Autistic Society in the U.K., shares a simple-to-follow narrative of what autism is, with the mission of creating a society that works with and for autistic people, a perspective we fully endorse!

This informative introductory video breaks down 10 common (possible) signs of autism in children. Comparison between “typical” and “atypical” behaviors are demonstrated by actors who role-play these 10 signs that might point to autism as a possibility worth exploring.

ABA is a scientific behavioral management approach to working with children and adults that aim to increase and reinforce desired behaviors, while decreasing undesired behaviors. ABA uses the basic principles of creating goals, objectives, and identification of proposed and measured outcomes.

An in-depth exploration into autism’s many faces and features, this video is jam-packed with easy-to-understand clinical information discussed by Dr. Shirin Alonzo, an internist, pediatrician, with a specialty in neurodevelopmental conditions, Dr. Alonzo answers common questions about autism for those new to autism’s characteristics, impacts, and common misconceptions.

In this Ability Life Solutions Video Favorite made by autistic individuals, the question “what is autism?” is explored and explained from the perspective of those who actually have it.

In this video, which is geared towards educators, the symptoms of autism are explained [as they appear in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 4 (DSM-4; the most up-to-date version is the DSM-5)]. The video hopes to help educators understand which characteristics of a student are related to their autism diagnosis, and to identify areas of need for intervention.

This video provides a broad overview of autism which includes a range of neurodevelopmental disorders which delay the development of many skills, especially social and communication skills. While the exact cause of autism is unknown, research suggests that a combination of genetic and environmental factors can lead to the development of autism in certain individuals.

In this Ability Life Solutions Video Favorite, Professor Andrew Whitehouse, Head of the Autism Research Team at Telethon Kids Institute, dispels 10 common myths and misunderstandings about autism.

This video discusses signs and symptoms of autism which were present in the video creator’s child as early as 6 months (they were diagnosed at 2.5 years old).