Asperger's Syndrome Case Study
Asperger’s syndrome and the adverse effects of stigmatization 2
INTRODUCTION
The Center for Disease and Control estimates that, “1 in 88 children has been identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder” and shows a 78% increase since 2007 (CDC, 2012). However, many children with Asperger’s are often misdiagnosed with mental illness, such as bipolar disorder or ADHD. A man named Sean Honeysett was misdiagnosed for nearly two decades, was prescribed anti-psychotic drugs, and was in and out of institutions for several years, until his mother saw a show about Asperger’s on television. (BBC, 2000) Sean is now getting the proper care he should have received when he was a child. Since Asperger’s Syndrome is relatively new in …show more content…
the medical world, the cases of misdiagnosed children are mostly due to the lack of awareness of physicians and parents. In order to decrease the number of the misdiagnosed, increase the level of awareness and reduce the stigma and labeling of children with Asperger’s Syndrome, there needs to be a fuller understanding in today’s society of the syndrome and complete disclosure of the history, symptoms and treatment, with the purpose of providing the appropriate support that these children rightly deserve.
Asperger’s syndrome and the adverse effects of stigmatization 3
TREATMENT OPTIONS
While children with Asperger’s Syndrome have an average to above average intelligence and normal cognitive abilities, they unfortunately suffer with impaired social skills. An effective treatment program will have to be tailored to fit the specific child’s Asperger’s in order for the child to be successful in managing his or her own behaviors. This form of treatment is run by a psychologist, counselor, speech pathologist, or social worker, these therapies are invaluable ways to build social skills and the ability to read verbal and non-verbal cues that is often lacking in those with Asperger 's. (WebMD, 2013) Without the implementation of the appropriate treatment needed for the lack of social skills as a child, these deficits will continue into adulthood and affect societal and professional performance. According to Szatmari, Bartolucci & Bremner (1989), “Adults with ASD are much more likely than the general population to be unemployed or underemployed and much less likely to have satisfying social relationships” (Szatmari, Bartolucci & Bremner, 1989, Para. 3). The results of this study may have had something to do with the lack of treatment in children with Asperger’s. Even though there is not a cure for this syndrome, understanding the multiple treatment options can reduce the stigma and inaccurate labeling of children with ASD.
Asperger’s syndrome and the adverse effects of stigmatization 4
STIGMATIZATION AND LABELING
Labels can negatively impact a person with ASD, and the lack of knowledge and experience with ASD have caused stigmatization. Until 1994, “ASD was not recognized as a separate disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or the International Classification of Diseases” (Fombonne, 2009). Consequentially since the documentation, there have not been much research done specifically for the disorder, but for other mental illnesses that are more well-known. Some small studies have been performed and the results did indicate stigmatization towards children and adults with ASD. (Shtayermman, 2007) Butler & Gillis (2010) confirmed that the stigmatization is real and stated, “Swaim and Morgan (2001) and a subsequent replication by Campbell et al. (2004) found that school age children demonstrated negative attitudes towards a video of a peer with autism in comparison to a control condition” (Butler & Gillis, 2010). Until there is more research and studies performed on people with Asperger’s, there will be increased stigmatization towards the disorder, instead of awareness.
Asperger’s syndrome and the adverse effects of stigmatization 5
DEPRESSION AND ASD
Adolescents and adults with ASD have a higher risk of depressive symptoms than those with an intellectual disability without Autism. In fact, “the presence of depressive symptoms in adolescents and adults with ASD has been recognized since some of the earliest studies of autism and ASD” (Sterling, 2008). Many children already face the troubles of trying to fit in at school, but it is more difficult for a child with Asperger’s to be able to deal with the trials and tribulations of fitting in. Wing (1981) reported “clinically diagnosable anxiety and varying degrees of depressions… especially in later adolescence and adult life, which seem to be related to the painful awareness of handicap and difference from other people” (Sterling, 2008). Some symptoms of depression include lack of interest in favored activities, increased fatigue, and suicidal thoughts. One cannot begin to fathom what children with Asperger’s go through on a daily basis at school, and adults may suffer the same problem at the workplace as well. A solution for this is would be to have mentors/counselors at schools and the work place as a facilitator for the children and adults with Asperger’s.
Asperger’s syndrome and the adverse effects of stigmatization 6
COUNTER-ARGUMENTS
Some may disagree with this research paper and provide a couple counter-arguments. One might say that there already seems to be enough awareness with all of the current informational websites and charity commercials. My response would be: websites are not enough to increase awareness. There need to be state funded classes for physicians and parents, as well as pamphlets in the waiting rooms at family medical facilities. Some charities portray a harmful impact towards parents emotionally and fiscally when their children are diagnosed with Autism. Essentially, if there was enough awareness already, then why would there be many peer-reviewed articles in medical journals researching the stigmatization and labeling of children/adults with ASD, due to the lack of knowledge on the syndrome? It cannot be a coincidence. Another counter-argument would be that: doctors misdiagnose all the time. Why would it matter for people with Autism/Asperger’s? My retort would be: children who are misdiagnosed can be held back in school, become adults who are in and out of institutions and this disorder will be more difficult to help at a later age. Consequentially, studies have shown that, “Adults with ASD are much more likely than the general population to be unemployed or underemployed and much less likely to have satisfying social relationships” (Szatmari, Bartolucci & Bremner, 1989; Venter, Lord & Schopler, 1992). Logically speaking, there can never be too much awareness on a disease. Asperger’s syndrome and the adverse effects of stigmatization 7
CONCLUSION Once the history, symptoms and treatment are provided to the general public, especially to the parents and physicians of young children, there will be increased awareness, decreased misdiagnoses and reduced inaccurate classification of children with ASD as unmanageable. From the discovery of Asperger’s and how long it has taken for this syndrome to become a distinctive disease and diagnosis, we can keep up the awareness by having pamphlets in the waiting rooms at pediatrician’s offices. Family doctors and parents should have a state funded class to attend to find out symptoms of Asperger’s, Autism and any other disorder that does not become apparent until the child is at the toddler stage. Then, when a child is diagnosed with Asperger’s, the physicians and parents will know exactly what to do with the help of the state’s educational and supportive resources. With the most accurate information and through proper support channels, we will be able to help more parents and their children into the 21st century.
Asperger’s syndrome and the adverse effects of stigmatization 7
REFERENCES
Baio, John. (Mar. 2012). New data on autism spectrum disorders. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/features/countingautism
Butler, R., and J. Gillis. (June 2011). The impact of labels and behaviors on the stigmatization of adults with Asperger 's disorder. Autism Dev Disord. Retrieved from .
Hill, Matthew. (27 June 2000). Autism misdiagnosis ruined a life. BBC News. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk /2/hi/health/787526.stm
Khouzam, H. R., El-Gabalawi, F., Pirwani, N., & Priest, F. (2004). Asperger’s disorder: A review of its diagnosis and treatment. “Comprehensive Psychiatry, 45(3), 184-191.
Marks, S. U., Schrader, C., Levine, M., Hagie, C., Longaker, T., Morales, M., & Peters, I. (1999). “Social skills for social ills: supporting the social skills development of adolescents with Asperger 's syndrome.” Teaching Exceptional Children, 32(2), 56-61.
National Institutes of Health. (2012) What is Asperger’s syndrome? National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Retrieved from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/asperger/detail_asperger.htm
Rao, P.
A., Beidel, D. C., & Murray, M. J. (2008). “Social skills interventions for children with Asperger’s syndrome or high-functioning autism: A review and recommendations.” Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 38(2), 353-363 Shtayermman, O. (2009). "An exploratory study of the stigma associated with a diagnosis of Asperger 's syndrome: The Mental Health Impact on the Adolescents and Young Adults Diagnosed with a Disability with a Social Nature." Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment. Taylor and Francis Online. Taylor and Francis, Retrieved from .
Sterling, Lindsey, Geraldine Dawson, Annette Estes, and Jessica Greenson. (2008) "Characteristics associated with presence of depressive symptoms in adults with autism spectrum disorder." Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 38.6: 1011-018. Szatmari, P., G. Bartolucci, and R. Bremner. (1989) A follow-up study of high-functioning autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders n. National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from .
Weintraub, Alan. (2000) What is Asperger 's syndrome? Symptoms, tests, causes, treatments. WebMD. WebMD, Retrieved from
http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/mental-health-aspergers-syndrome?page=2
Williams, J. G., Higgins, J. P., & Brayne, C. E. (2006). “Systematic review of prevalence studies of autism spectrum disorders.” Archives of Disease in Childhood, 91(1), 8-15.
INTRODUCTION
The Center for Disease and Control estimates that, “1 in 88 children has been identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder” and shows a 78% increase since 2007 (CDC, 2012). However, many children with Asperger’s are often misdiagnosed with mental illness, such as bipolar disorder or ADHD. A man named Sean Honeysett was misdiagnosed for nearly two decades, was prescribed anti-psychotic drugs, and was in and out of institutions for several years, until his mother saw a show about Asperger’s on television. (BBC, 2000) Sean is now getting the proper care he should have received when he was a child. Since Asperger’s Syndrome is relatively new in …show more content…
the medical world, the cases of misdiagnosed children are mostly due to the lack of awareness of physicians and parents. In order to decrease the number of the misdiagnosed, increase the level of awareness and reduce the stigma and labeling of children with Asperger’s Syndrome, there needs to be a fuller understanding in today’s society of the syndrome and complete disclosure of the history, symptoms and treatment, with the purpose of providing the appropriate support that these children rightly deserve.
Asperger’s syndrome and the adverse effects of stigmatization 3
TREATMENT OPTIONS
While children with Asperger’s Syndrome have an average to above average intelligence and normal cognitive abilities, they unfortunately suffer with impaired social skills. An effective treatment program will have to be tailored to fit the specific child’s Asperger’s in order for the child to be successful in managing his or her own behaviors. This form of treatment is run by a psychologist, counselor, speech pathologist, or social worker, these therapies are invaluable ways to build social skills and the ability to read verbal and non-verbal cues that is often lacking in those with Asperger 's. (WebMD, 2013) Without the implementation of the appropriate treatment needed for the lack of social skills as a child, these deficits will continue into adulthood and affect societal and professional performance. According to Szatmari, Bartolucci & Bremner (1989), “Adults with ASD are much more likely than the general population to be unemployed or underemployed and much less likely to have satisfying social relationships” (Szatmari, Bartolucci & Bremner, 1989, Para. 3). The results of this study may have had something to do with the lack of treatment in children with Asperger’s. Even though there is not a cure for this syndrome, understanding the multiple treatment options can reduce the stigma and inaccurate labeling of children with ASD.
Asperger’s syndrome and the adverse effects of stigmatization 4
STIGMATIZATION AND LABELING
Labels can negatively impact a person with ASD, and the lack of knowledge and experience with ASD have caused stigmatization. Until 1994, “ASD was not recognized as a separate disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or the International Classification of Diseases” (Fombonne, 2009). Consequentially since the documentation, there have not been much research done specifically for the disorder, but for other mental illnesses that are more well-known. Some small studies have been performed and the results did indicate stigmatization towards children and adults with ASD. (Shtayermman, 2007) Butler & Gillis (2010) confirmed that the stigmatization is real and stated, “Swaim and Morgan (2001) and a subsequent replication by Campbell et al. (2004) found that school age children demonstrated negative attitudes towards a video of a peer with autism in comparison to a control condition” (Butler & Gillis, 2010). Until there is more research and studies performed on people with Asperger’s, there will be increased stigmatization towards the disorder, instead of awareness.
Asperger’s syndrome and the adverse effects of stigmatization 5
DEPRESSION AND ASD
Adolescents and adults with ASD have a higher risk of depressive symptoms than those with an intellectual disability without Autism. In fact, “the presence of depressive symptoms in adolescents and adults with ASD has been recognized since some of the earliest studies of autism and ASD” (Sterling, 2008). Many children already face the troubles of trying to fit in at school, but it is more difficult for a child with Asperger’s to be able to deal with the trials and tribulations of fitting in. Wing (1981) reported “clinically diagnosable anxiety and varying degrees of depressions… especially in later adolescence and adult life, which seem to be related to the painful awareness of handicap and difference from other people” (Sterling, 2008). Some symptoms of depression include lack of interest in favored activities, increased fatigue, and suicidal thoughts. One cannot begin to fathom what children with Asperger’s go through on a daily basis at school, and adults may suffer the same problem at the workplace as well. A solution for this is would be to have mentors/counselors at schools and the work place as a facilitator for the children and adults with Asperger’s.
Asperger’s syndrome and the adverse effects of stigmatization 6
COUNTER-ARGUMENTS
Some may disagree with this research paper and provide a couple counter-arguments. One might say that there already seems to be enough awareness with all of the current informational websites and charity commercials. My response would be: websites are not enough to increase awareness. There need to be state funded classes for physicians and parents, as well as pamphlets in the waiting rooms at family medical facilities. Some charities portray a harmful impact towards parents emotionally and fiscally when their children are diagnosed with Autism. Essentially, if there was enough awareness already, then why would there be many peer-reviewed articles in medical journals researching the stigmatization and labeling of children/adults with ASD, due to the lack of knowledge on the syndrome? It cannot be a coincidence. Another counter-argument would be that: doctors misdiagnose all the time. Why would it matter for people with Autism/Asperger’s? My retort would be: children who are misdiagnosed can be held back in school, become adults who are in and out of institutions and this disorder will be more difficult to help at a later age. Consequentially, studies have shown that, “Adults with ASD are much more likely than the general population to be unemployed or underemployed and much less likely to have satisfying social relationships” (Szatmari, Bartolucci & Bremner, 1989; Venter, Lord & Schopler, 1992). Logically speaking, there can never be too much awareness on a disease. Asperger’s syndrome and the adverse effects of stigmatization 7
CONCLUSION Once the history, symptoms and treatment are provided to the general public, especially to the parents and physicians of young children, there will be increased awareness, decreased misdiagnoses and reduced inaccurate classification of children with ASD as unmanageable. From the discovery of Asperger’s and how long it has taken for this syndrome to become a distinctive disease and diagnosis, we can keep up the awareness by having pamphlets in the waiting rooms at pediatrician’s offices. Family doctors and parents should have a state funded class to attend to find out symptoms of Asperger’s, Autism and any other disorder that does not become apparent until the child is at the toddler stage. Then, when a child is diagnosed with Asperger’s, the physicians and parents will know exactly what to do with the help of the state’s educational and supportive resources. With the most accurate information and through proper support channels, we will be able to help more parents and their children into the 21st century.
Asperger’s syndrome and the adverse effects of stigmatization 7
REFERENCES
Baio, John. (Mar. 2012). New data on autism spectrum disorders. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/features/countingautism
Butler, R., and J. Gillis. (June 2011). The impact of labels and behaviors on the stigmatization of adults with Asperger 's disorder. Autism Dev Disord. Retrieved from .
Hill, Matthew. (27 June 2000). Autism misdiagnosis ruined a life. BBC News. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk /2/hi/health/787526.stm
Khouzam, H. R., El-Gabalawi, F., Pirwani, N., & Priest, F. (2004). Asperger’s disorder: A review of its diagnosis and treatment. “Comprehensive Psychiatry, 45(3), 184-191.
Marks, S. U., Schrader, C., Levine, M., Hagie, C., Longaker, T., Morales, M., & Peters, I. (1999). “Social skills for social ills: supporting the social skills development of adolescents with Asperger 's syndrome.” Teaching Exceptional Children, 32(2), 56-61.
National Institutes of Health. (2012) What is Asperger’s syndrome? National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Retrieved from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/asperger/detail_asperger.htm
Rao, P.
A., Beidel, D. C., & Murray, M. J. (2008). “Social skills interventions for children with Asperger’s syndrome or high-functioning autism: A review and recommendations.” Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 38(2), 353-363 Shtayermman, O. (2009). "An exploratory study of the stigma associated with a diagnosis of Asperger 's syndrome: The Mental Health Impact on the Adolescents and Young Adults Diagnosed with a Disability with a Social Nature." Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment. Taylor and Francis Online. Taylor and Francis, Retrieved from .
Sterling, Lindsey, Geraldine Dawson, Annette Estes, and Jessica Greenson. (2008) "Characteristics associated with presence of depressive symptoms in adults with autism spectrum disorder." Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 38.6: 1011-018. Szatmari, P., G. Bartolucci, and R. Bremner. (1989) A follow-up study of high-functioning autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders n. National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from .
Weintraub, Alan. (2000) What is Asperger 's syndrome? Symptoms, tests, causes, treatments. WebMD. WebMD, Retrieved from
http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/mental-health-aspergers-syndrome?page=2
Williams, J. G., Higgins, J. P., & Brayne, C. E. (2006). “Systematic review of prevalence studies of autism spectrum disorders.” Archives of Disease in Childhood, 91(1), 8-15.