A lot of people talk about autism, but not everyone understands what it is.
很多人都在谈论自闭症，但并不是每个人都知道它是什么。
Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, affects how people communicate with and relate to others.
自闭症谱系障碍(ASD)影响人们如何与他人交流和联系。
This isn't the same as being shy or not knowing what to say.
这和害羞或者不知道说什么不一样。
Most people with autism don't understand some of the basic social conventions that others take for granted.
大多数自闭症患者不理解一些基本的社会习俗，而其他人认为这些习俗是理所当然的。
They might have trouble making eye contact, holding a conversation, or recognizing gestures.
他们可能在眼神交流、交谈或识别手势上有困难。
And over one-third of people with ASD are nonverbal, meaning they don't use speech.
超过三分之一的自闭症患者是非语言的，这意味着他们不使用言语。
Along with communication issues, people with autism often like to follow certain patterns or repeated behaviors.
除了沟通问题，自闭症患者通常喜欢遵循某些模式或重复的行为。
Many have a sensitivity to bright light or loud noises, and others have physical problems, like trouble walking or picking up small objects.
许多人对强光或噪音敏感，还有一些人有身体问题，比如走路或捡小物件有困难。
Some have intellectual disabilities, but about half have average or above average IQs.
有些人有智力缺陷，但大约有一半的人的智商相当于或高于平均水平。
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.
对于自闭症患者来说，对某些细节有长期记忆也很常见，很多人擅长数学、科学、音乐或艺术。
With such a wide variety of symptoms, no two people with ASD are alike. The behaviors vary so much that they used to be classified as different disorders.
