A lot of people talk about autism, but not everyone understands what it is.

很多人在談論自閉症，但不是每一個人都暸解自閉症到底是什麼。

Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, affects how people communicate with and relate to others.

自閉症類群障礙，或簡稱自閉症，會影響人的溝通以及跟與其他人交流。

This isn’t the same as being shy or not knowing what to say.

這跟害羞或不知道說什麼才好是不一樣的。

Most people with autism don’t understand some of the basic social conventions that others take for granted.

大部分有自閉症的人不明白一些其他人習以為常的基本社交準則。

They might have trouble making eye contact, holding a conversation, or recognizing gestures.

他們可能在眼神接觸、延續對話或辨識手勢上會遇到困難。

And over one-third of people with ASD are nonverbal, meaning they don’t use speech.

超過三分之一的自閉症患者不使用語言達意，意思就是他們不用說話來溝通。

Many have a sensitivity to bright light or loud noises, and others have physical problems, like trouble walking or picking up small objects.

許多人對於亮光或嘈雜的聲響很敏感，有些人則有一些身體上的問題，像是不良於行，或是沒辦法撿拾小的物件。

Some have intellectual disabilities, but about half have average or above average IQs.

有些人有智能缺陷，但大概一半以上的人的智商為平均值或高於平均。

It’s also common for people with autism to have a great long-term memory for certain details, and many excel in math, science, music, or art.

自閉症患者有極佳的長期記憶是很普遍的，他們善於記憶特定細節，有很多人在數學、科學、音樂或藝術方面表現傑出。

With such a wide variety of symptoms, no two people with ASD are alike.

因為自閉症有各式各樣的症狀，沒有兩個患者的狀況是一模一樣的。

The behaviors vary so much that they used to be classified as different disorders.

因為行為表現迥異，所以常會被分類為不同的病症。

One was Asperger Syndrome, where people obsess over particular topics, miss nonverbal social cues, and may not understand appropriate social behavior.

一個是亞斯伯格症候群，患者會迷戀特定的主題、未察覺到非用語言表達的社交線索，而且會不能理解適當的社交行為。

In 2013, scientists realized that the boundary between Asperger Syndrome and some of the other disorders was fuzzy,

2013 年時，科學家了解到亞斯伯格症候群跟其他疾病間的界線模糊不清，

so they decided to put them all under one name.

所以，他們決定將它們全置於同一個名稱之下。

This made it easier to diagnose autism, which is important.

這使得診斷自閉症變得容易，這很重要。

The younger someone is diagnosed, the earlier they can get help.

越年輕時診斷出來，他們越早能獲得協助。

In fact, many children who have autism will show signs by just two years old,

事實上，很多自閉症小孩在兩歲左右就能有跡可循，

including not responding to their name, avoiding eye contact, and flapping their hands or rocking repeatedly.

像是對自己的名字沒有回應、避免眼神接觸、拍打雙手，或是重複搖晃。

Even though there’s no cure for ASD, therapy and medication can help people adjust.

即使自閉症沒有解藥，治療與藥物可以協助人們適應調整。

Scientists are also doing clinical trials to find other solutions.

科學家正進行臨床試驗來找出其他解決辦法。

They’ve learned that one out of every 68 of children in the US has the disorder, but they still aren’t sure what causes it.

他們得知在美國，每 68 個小孩中就有 1 個有自閉症，但是他們還不確定造成的原因。

Autism is over four times more common in boys than girls, and most scientists think genes play a role because it often runs in families.

男孩罹患自閉症比女孩還普遍四倍，大部分的科學家認為基因是一個影響原因，因為它是家族遺傳。

Some people with ASD have abnormal chromosomes, but this can’t be the whole story.

有些自閉症患者的染色體異常，但那不會是唯一原因。

There are people with the same gene changes who don’t have autism.

有人有一樣的基因突變，但他們並沒有自閉症。

Other possible causes include having older parents, being exposed to high levels of testosterone in the womb, and having complications during pregnancy or birth.

其他的可能性包括，雙親較為年長、胎兒在子宮裡時暴露在高度的男性賀爾蒙之下，以及懷孕或生產時帶有併發症。

It may even have something to do with gut bacteria, since many autistic people have gastrointestinal issues.

自閉症甚至跟腸道菌有關，因為有些自閉症患者有腸胃方面的問題。

But most likely, it’s a combination of many factors.

但最有可能的是，自閉症是眾多原因的集合。

The one thing scientists know for sure is that vaccines do NOT cause autism.

科學家所知能確定的是，接種疫苗不會導致自閉症。

No matter why it happens, ASD is being diagnosed at a higher rate every year.

不論原因為何，每年診斷出自閉症的機率逐年升高。

This doesn’t mean it’s becoming more common.

但這不代表自閉症越來越普遍。

It just means more people are aware of the condition and getting diagnosed early.

這只是代表越來越多人意識到其症狀，且及早就醫。

And awareness is crucial.

覺察感知十分關鍵。

The more we learn about autism, the more we can understand and relate to those who have it.

我們越認識自閉症，我們越能理解以及與自閉症患者和睦相處。

It’s important to note that people with ASD deserve the same respect, fairness and chances that people without ASD receive.

留意到有自閉症患者應該得到跟非自閉症患者同等的尊重、平等以及機會這件事，是很重要的。

This will help people with ASD adapt and grow in our communities.

這會幫助他們適應，並且在我們的社群內成長。

We've put some resources in the description if you would like to learn more about ASD, and figure out what you can do to help.

如果你想了解有關 ASD 的更多信息，並了解你可以提供哪些幫助，我們在說明欄中提供了一些資源。

Is there another disorder or any other topic you would like us to talk about?

你有希望我們談論其他疾病或其他話題嗎？

Let us know in the comment section below.

請留言在下方讓我們知道。

And if you would like to know more about OCD, we made a video on just that. Check it out.

如果你想了解更多關於強迫症的內容，我們製作了一支影片。 去看看吧。

My name is Blocko, this has been Life Noggin, don't forget to keep on thinking.

我是 Blocko， 這裡是 Life Noggin，別忘記持續思考。