Touch and The Autism Spectrum
By Stephen Borgman
Sharing personal information brings people closer together. But how do you know when you’ve gone too far—or when someone else has ulterior motives?
Verified by Psychology Today
By Helen M Farrell M.D.
By Stephen Borgman
By Lynne Soraya
By Chantal Sicile-Kira
By Kymberly Grosso
By Chantal Sicile-Kira
By Victoria L. Dunckley M.D.
By Kimberly Sena Moore Ph.D.
By Kimberly Sena Moore Ph.D.
By Mark O'Connell LCSW-R
By Renee Garfinkel Ph.D.
A pervasive developmental disorder, autism affects information processing in multiple ways. Many people with autism have difficulties with social interaction and communication, sensory deficits, and poor motor coordination.
Asperger's syndrome colloquially refers to a high-functioning form of autism. Although it was once formally classified as a disorder separate from other forms of autism, Asperger’s is no longer an official separate diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
There is no one specific treatment for autism. Early intervention with highly structured behavioral, cognitive, and communication therapies can sometimes dramatically help children with autism learn skills, but few are able to live independently as adults.