Life with Autism

Autism is a disease that can be described as a development disorder that takes on several different forms. It is a disease that appears during the first three years of an individual’s life, and it affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. Overtime, autism can develop from an acute state to a debilitating level.

Autism is “defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a “spectrum disorder” that affects people differently and to varying degrees” (“About Autism” ).
In the documentary “ The Musical,” I think the message that the director was attempting to convey to his audience about Autism is that a person can live a somewhat functional and meaningful life, despite the fact that they have this mental disorder.

I found the character, Neal, very interesting. He was not able to form words to speak. He communicated by learning how to use a specifically design keyboard and screen to type out his thoughts.

Wyatt was another character who I thought was more fascinating. His knowledge of dinosaurs was at a level that would impress the most experienced paleontoligist. The fact that he could sit down and engage you in an intelligent conversation on the facts about the different species of dinosaurs, while correctly pronouncing their name was absolutely amazing.

Just with those two little boys, the director was able to demonstrate differences in the levels of severity with autism.

The documentary left me with a few questions.How does a person develop autism? Is it a disease that develops at birth? Can a person grow out of it? Can a person be cured from autism?

There is no known cause for autism, but it is “generally accepted that it is caused by abnormalities in the brain structure or function” (What Causes Autism). Some people think it is hereditary or it may be connected with certain illnesses or disabilities that may already exist.

Some people think that women who have children at forty or older may have a higher risk of having a child with autism.

Usually a child may develop autism anywhere from birth to up to three years of age. Children do not grow out of autism because there is no cure. There are resources and information available to make life with autism better.

About Autism. 19 July 2008 Autism Society of America 21 January 2008 < http://www.autism-/
society.org/site>
What Causes Autism. 19 July 2008 Autism Society of America 21 January 2008 <http://www.autism-/
society.org/site>