Autism Explained for Kids
Hi! My name is Creigh, and my younger sister Caley and I put together this website to explain autism to other people based on our experiences. Caley's autistic, and I'm neurotypical. What does neurotypical mean? That means that my brain ("neurology") is pretty much typical.
Caley's brain is an autistic brain, and that's different, but her type of brain isn't any better or worse than mine. It's a different operating system, like the difference between an iPhone and other types of phones, like Android. The types of things both phones can do well are different, but neither one is better than the other. It's the same thing with our brains. Caley's autistic brain is better, for example, at seeing patterns, while mine is better at putting words together so they flow well. We're good at different things, and worse at different things, but both our brains are still great.
When Caley was in third grade she was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. They call it the autism spectrum because every single person that is autistic is affected a little bit differently. For example, Caley is an autistic person who never had trouble talking, but many autistic people do have trouble with that. Some of them communicate by typing or pointing to pictures to say what they want, and that's okay! What works for everyone is different.
Now I'm going to introduce you to some people who are going to explain autism even more! Rosie is 13 years old and she's also autistic, so she'll be able to explain it really well in her video. Remember, every autistic person is different, so some of the ways Rosie's autism affects her is different from the way it affects other people.
Caley's brain is an autistic brain, and that's different, but her type of brain isn't any better or worse than mine. It's a different operating system, like the difference between an iPhone and other types of phones, like Android. The types of things both phones can do well are different, but neither one is better than the other. It's the same thing with our brains. Caley's autistic brain is better, for example, at seeing patterns, while mine is better at putting words together so they flow well. We're good at different things, and worse at different things, but both our brains are still great.
When Caley was in third grade she was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. They call it the autism spectrum because every single person that is autistic is affected a little bit differently. For example, Caley is an autistic person who never had trouble talking, but many autistic people do have trouble with that. Some of them communicate by typing or pointing to pictures to say what they want, and that's okay! What works for everyone is different.
Now I'm going to introduce you to some people who are going to explain autism even more! Rosie is 13 years old and she's also autistic, so she'll be able to explain it really well in her video. Remember, every autistic person is different, so some of the ways Rosie's autism affects her is different from the way it affects other people.
So, after watching the video you have a basic idea of what autism is...but you may still be having some trouble with understanding what traits autistic people have in common. Luckily, the article that's up next, the Characteristics of Autism should clear that up for you! There, we'll learn all about the common traits autistic people have by watching clips from fun TV shows, like The Big Bang Theory, and movies. Check it out!
Are you a parent who wants to help your children understand autism even better? Check out this article for advice!
