Autism

What is it?  Where did it come from?  Has it always been around?  These are some of the questions people have who do not understand a student that has Autism or has been around a student that has Autism.  We do know that a person with Autism deals with challenges everyday.  Challenges that we may not understand.  I remember watching a documentary on a little girl that had Autism and it made her feel that someone or something was screaming in her head all the time.  Can you imagine that?  That noise going on in your head when you are trying to listen to someone or trying to take notes in class?  I know that growing up having ADHD it was hard enough to focus, but having screaming in my head at the same time would be impossible, but we as society and some teachers expect students with Autism to learn the same way as all the other students.  Well I know from personal experience, that is not possible, every student with Autism is wired differently, because they are not the same person.  We have to adapt how they learn as a person and as a student, the same strategy that you use with one student that has Autism may work or another student with the same disability or it may not?