What is Autism?

So what is autism? Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors. Autism is considered a spectrum  disorder because everyone on the spectrum varies in degrees that they are impacted in the areas of social interactions, communication, and stereotypical behaviors. There is a saying “if you know one person with autism, you know one person with autism.” This is to reflect the fact that while there are core similarities, the way a person is affected varies greatly person to person.