Understanding the Autistic Mind

Representation of the brain of an autistic childResearchers have found very large and important differences in the structure of autistic brains versus that of typical brains. At certain points in development, the autistic brain is actually larger.

There are some parts of the brain, like the amygdala, that may be enlarged at some points in development. And other brain structures are different as well.

How is the autistic brain different from a typical brain? Is there a difference?

Yes, actually, researchers have found very large and important differences in the structure of autistic brains versus that of typical brains.

One might think that with autistic people, their brain develops too slowly, and this is why their development, at least behaviorally, so often seems to be stunted. However, research shows that actually, in many autistic people, the brain develops too quickly, beginning at about a year old. Because of this, the brain becomes wired very differently than that of their typical peers. The cortex is wired differently, and this affects language and reasoning skills, along with a variety of other things.

Another significant finding is that autistic people have more minicolumns, which are small structures in the cortex. This is according to Dr. Manuel Casanova at the University of Kentucky. He says that the insulation between these minicolumns is not as effective as it is in typical people, and therefore, this leads to the common problem we all know about in autism—the lack of ability to block out sensory input.

What are some other effects of the different ways the autistic brain is wired?

Because the cortex is involved, many systems are affected quite broadly. Autism seems to be primarily a disorder of integrating information, when you really get down to it. And so many of our everyday functioning requires integration of information.

Besides processing sensory information, things like motor movements, memory, and postural control require this. And more than anything, social interaction and problem solving require a very high degree of integration of information, and these are the two areas autistic people tend to have the most problems with.

Is there a positive side to this different brain wiring?

Despite these difficulties in social communication, some abilities in autistic children are actually increased. They tend to compensate by using the visual part of their brain more, and are very detail oriented. Dr. Minshew says, for example, that autistic children can find Waldo (in the famous children's book), but typical children often can't.

What does this mean for teaching or working with an autistic child?

Dr. Nancy Minshew of the University of Pittsburgh, a foremost autism researcher says that autistic people think logically and predictably, but differently. She says,

"It's as if they're colorblind. You wonder why someone doesn't stop at a red sign — and it's because they can't see it. Teachers need to be taught this. When the teacher says "OK, close your books and hop over to the door" and the child hops, the teacher feels mocked. She hasn't been mocked; she's been obeyed."

This is the key to understanding how autistic people think, work and learn.

  • They take things literally. 
  • They can't understand more than one idea at a time. 
  • They are not good at multi-tasking. 
  • They need step by step, clear directions. 
     

If you communicate with an autistic person in the way that they understand—clear, blunt, without a lot of nonverbal language they won't pick up on—then communication will be much more successful and behavior problems related to communication difficulties will most likely decrease. For additional tips and proven techniques to help you communicate with your autistic child, see the book, The Autism Survival Guide.

No comments yet.

Leave a Reply