Myths
People with autism don’t want friends
False. If someone in your class has autism, they probably struggle with social skills, which may make it difficult to interact with peers.
Is Autism contagious?
False. Autism is a developmental disorder. It does not mean he is sick with something like the flu—you can’t catch autism.
Hearing- When lots of kids are yelling or playing at once, it overwhelms Nick. So does the sound of the chalk on the board, or when we slam our desks shut. How can we help Nick?
1. Be gentle with our desks
2. Speak quietly (whisper in groups)
3. Write with markers on a white board
How many children are diagnosed with autism in Canada?
1 in 66 have been diagnosed with autism.
Former CEO of Apple
Steve Jobs
Autism only affects children
False. Children with Autism grow up to be adults with Autism.
All kids with autism have the same challenges.
False. Autism affects everyone differently. No two people with autism are the same.
Seeing- The lights in our classroom are really bright and bother Nick’s eyes. What can we do to help Nick?
1. When it is bright outside we turn off all the lights
2. Just keep a couple of the lights on.
Autism is the fastest growing developmental disorder.
True
Scientist & Mathematician
Albert Einstein
It is difficult for people with autism to understand the emotions of others.
True. Autism often affects an individual’s ability to understand unspoken communication, so someone with autism might not detect sadness based solely on one’s body language or tone of voice.
Kids with autism might flap their arms or rock back and forth.
True. You may not be used to this since other kids in your class don’t do it, but that is just what makes them comfortable
Smelling- When we paint or do something else that smells weird, it is hard for Nick to concentrate on anything but the paint smell. What can we do to help Nick?
1. When we play with something that smells, we open the windows, or do another craft that doesn’t smell weird to everyone.
Movie Director
Tim Burton
People with autism can’t feel any emotion
False. Autism doesn’t make an individual unable to feel the emotions you feel, it just makes the person communicate emotions in different ways.
Girls are more likely than boys to be diagnosed with autism?
False. Boys are 4 times more likely to be diagnosed than girls.
Touching- When the class gets crazy and everyone is running around, sometimes people bump into each other. We have to be careful not to bump into Nick. What can we do to help Nick?
1. We are all supposed to keep our inside playing calm so it is important for all of us to remember that we can’t be crazy inside the school
Early American Politician
Thomas Jefferson
People with autism are intellectually disabled
False! Often times, autism brings with it just as many exceptional abilities as challenges. Many people with autism have normal to high IQs and some may excel at math, music or another pursuit.
Autism can only affect a certain race or religion.
False. Autism affects all nationalities, all religions, all races and both male and female. It doesn’t differentiate or affect only one group or another.
Tasting- When we take turns bringing in a snack, sometimes Nick doesn’t like the food. What can we do to help Nick?
We have a list of foods he likes to eat, and sometimes he brings the food from home that he likes the best
Satoshi Tajiri - Creator of what Video Game?
Pokemon