Autism

Autism

In 1990, one child in every 5,000 was diagnosed as having autism (World Book Encyclopedia). Recently, the Asbury Park Press reported that one in every 150 children have some form of autistic disorder. Affecting a half million people in the United States alone, this spectrum disease has become the third most common developmental disability. Some researchers attribute the dramatic increase in its prevalence rate to improved public awareness and better diagnostic tools (Picard, J.). However, these alarming statistics should not be taken lightly. With no known cure, investigation of autistic triggers and/or environmental links is crucial. Lacking the existence of a medical test, such as laboratory studies or radiology testing, to either definitively detect or rule out autism, early diagnosis is stressed so that professional interventional therapy can be quickly initiated to manage the autistic symptoms of those afflicted with this treatable disease.

Autism is a complex neurological disorder that affects an individual's ability to communicate, form relationships, and respond appropriately to the environment. It is considered a Spectrum Disorder because of its wide variety and range in severity of characteristics. No two children with autism will behave in the same way, making it difficult to diagnose. Males are three times more likely to be diagnosed with autism as compared to females (Edelson, S.M.). Specialists must rule out other disorders such as speech impediments and/or dysphasia, hearing impairments, neurological problems, and psychological disorders. The diagnostic process may involve lengthy periods of observation with a variety of functional assessments, as well as parental interviews.

There are five currently accepted diagnoses of autism: Asperger Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Rett Disorder, and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder. Some children may be diagnosed with several of these diagnoses, perhaps due to changes in their symptoms over time. Although unofficial, others may be diagnosed with atypical autism. Rett Disorder is a brain disease affecting only girls. Although children with Asperger Disorder may first demonstrate symptoms late in childhood, such as repetitive movements, they are usually high-functioning.

Perhaps the most classic symptom of autism in children is their difficulty in engaging in human interaction. Parents anticipate affectionate, babbling children, while the child afflicted with autism may avoid eye contact and possibly seem deaf, demonstrating deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication. Some autistic infants will become limp or arch their back away from their caregiver in an effort to avoid physical contact. Others may be hyperagitated, crying non-stop during their waking hours. In regressive autism, however, about one-half of autistic children develop normally until the age of 1Ð... to 3 years old, when autistic symptoms may first become apparent (Mercer, T.). At this point, their development could actually regress and communication skills previously attained may be lost. Half of the children diagnosed with autism remain mute throughout their lives, while the remainder may develop language skills, often limited, at a later age. One example is echolalia, a condition of repeating words just spoken by another.

Stereotypy, or stimming, is a self-stimulatory behavior commonly associated with autism that can involve any one or all senses. It is not uncommon for an infant or young child to twirl their hair incessantly, flap their hands, or rock back and forth repeatedly. Autistic children may perform such activities continually for an extended period of time. Some researchers theorize that stereotypy provides the hyposensitive autistic person with the sensory stimulation their bodies crave. Another theory is that stereotypy in the hypersensitive autistic individual in a state of sensory overload due to cerebral malfunction helps focus attention inward. Sometimes these bizarre preoccupations can escalate to self-injurious behavior and often coincide with poor sleeping habits. Yet, while some autistic children demonstrate hyperactivity, others may seem lethargic.

Autistic individuals may have a sense of postural insecurity, such as fear of heights. Due to inferior gross motor skills, it may be necessary to teach the autistic individual activities of daily living, such as stair climbing. Sensory impairments, such as tinnitus (buzzing in the ears) can compound this problem. Hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity to many senses may result, as the brain is unable to balance the senses appropriately. For example, while some may avoid all physical contact, others may crave deep pressure due to hyposensitivity to pain. In some cases the auditory centers transmit scrambled signals to the brain, inefficiently filtering sounds and amplifying background noise. Some autistic individuals with a keen sense of hearing may develop amazing abilities to play musical instruments or name any note they hear, while others may seem unable to tolerate noise, demonstrating behavior indicative of pain in what would be considered a normal situation. The autistic spectrum can range from mental retardation to persons who possess high-functioning skills, called islets of intelligence or savant skills.

Individuals with autism seem to share certain social problems. Often they seem to prefer being alone. This social dysfunction can be classified into three categories: socially avoidant, socially indifferent, and socially awkward.

Those who are socially avoidant evade virtually all forms of social interaction. Attempts by others to interact most often result in tantrumming or running away. Researchers suggest that this behavior may be due to hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli. For example, a person's voice may seem painfully loud or a perfume may seem extremely offensive to the individual with autism. Some older individuals with this form of autism have been able to report that as a younger child being touched or held was a physically painful experience (Harris, S. and Weiss, M.J.) . This may explain the reaction of the autistic infant who arches his back to avoid contact.

A great many autistic individuals are considered socially indifferent. Researchers theorize that this could be due to an elevated level of beta-endorphin, a chemical in the brain associated with the sense of pleasure that the average individual would experience from social interaction. Socially indifferent autistic individuals may not actively avoid social situations, but they do not mind being by themselves.

Autistic individuals who are considered socially awkward demonstrate limited social skills that researchers explain may be due to the lack of reciprocity in their interactions. Without

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