Autism 101

a simple neurodiversity-based explanation
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what is autism?

Autism is type of brain wiring (neurological type) that processes information differently than typical brains do.
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This means that autistic thought patterns, sensory perceptions, social interactions, language processing, and emotional regulation all develop differently than those of people who are not autistic.

Modern societies operate in ways that often disadvantage autistic people, which makes autism a developmental disability.

who is autistic?

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About 1-2% of the world’s population is autistic.
Many populations are under-diagnosed, but autistic people are everywhere!

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People of all ages are autistic.
Though people usually talk about autistic children, autistic adults need support too.

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Autistic people are found across all genders, races, and nationalities.
Boys are diagnosed more often than other genders, but that doesn’t mean they are more likely to be autistic.

Everyone is NOT a little autistic, but everyone is human, so we have lots in common!

©Erin Human, 2017
for more information, visit:
erinhuman.com
autisticfamilies.org
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This infographic is also available as a printable PDF:

autism 101