General Purpose- To inform
Specific Purpose- To inform my audience about autism and it's development
Introduction- Brad Pitt's character, Tyler Durden, from the movie 'Fight Club' said, "I do not suffer from Autism, but I do suffer from the way you treat me." Autism Spectrum Disorder is a developmental disorder that appears in the first 3 years of life. It affects the brains normal development of social and communication skills. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, six out of every 1000 children will have autism. Today I will talk about what causes autism, some common signs of autism, and how it is treated.
Body-
1.) What "causes" autism is quite a controversial topic and as I explored this topic, I found a plethora of reasons. Vaccines, such as the MMR (Mumps-Measles-Rubella) are linked to the disorder. Genetics are certainly involved with most cases. Studies have shown that with autistic family members are more likely to have autistic children and parents with one autistic child are at increased risk of having more than one autistic child, however, the theory that parental practices are responsible has long been disproven.
2.) When diagnosing autism, healthcare providers often use questionnaires to gather information about a child's development and behavior. If the screening indicates the possibility of autism, a more comprehensive evaluation is scheduled. Some screening relies on parent observation. Parents usually state that their children didn't babble or point by the age of 1, they had poor eye contact, loss of language and social skills, impaired ability to make friends, preoccupation with certain objects, and had difficulty with routine changes. For many children, symptoms improve with treatment and with age.
3.) Treatment may need modification as children with autism transition into adulthood. While there is no cure for autism, there are many therapies that bring about substantial