My son with high-functioning autism is 7 years old now. Thank you for wanting to learn more about autism and how you and your son can be a meaningful part of your new neighbors’ lives.
You may have heard/read the saying: “If you have seen once child with autism, you have seen one child with autism.” What this means that autism presents differently in each and every person. So no one can tell you exactly what issues this particular child will have and what you will see or experience when interacting with this family. Children with autism are on a different developmental pathway and each one follows their own unique course.
Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder that generally affects 3 main areas: communication, social interaction, and repetitive behavior/play skills. So you may notice odd behaviors in any or all of these areas.
Children with autism often have very uneven development. They might have extraordinary abilities in certain areas, but be way behind their peers in other areas.
Additionally, many people with autism have sensory issues. So this child could either hate or crave certain sensory stimuli such as loud noises, tight clothes, bright lights, messy play, certain textures, tight hugs, etc. Many children with autism have additional health issues. For example, up to 50% of children with autism have gastrointestinal difficulties. So the child may (or may not) be on a special diet or take special nutritional supplements, or have unusual food preferences. Some children with autism have motor skill delays, but others do not.
Keep an open mind when meeting this child and talking to his parents. Don't be afraid to ask questions in a friendly, polite way.
Gena
DS, age 11 and always amazing
“Autistics are the ultimate square pegs, and the problem with pounding a square peg into a round hole is not that the hammering is hard work. It's that you're destroying the peg." - Paul Collins, Not Even Wrong