Preview

Autism Spectrum Disorder Term Paper

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2264 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Autism Spectrum Disorder Term Paper
DSM-IV-(TR) : Autism Spectrum Disorders
Type 299.0 Autistic Disorder
Type 298.0 Asperger’s Syndrome
Type 298.0 Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified

Abstract Autism is a complex developmental disability that causes problems with social interaction and communication. Symptoms usually start before age three and can cause delays or problems in many different skills that develop from infancy to adulthood. Disorders included in the Autism Spectrum are Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. Rett’s syndrome and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder are among the list of related disorders, but are not included in this spectrum. There are no treatments bio-medically, or behaviorally that can completely cure Autism Spectrum Disorders, however, certain medications along with abstract therapies can help eliminate some of the common symptoms. Many children can go on to live simple, and normal lives, however, some cases are so severe that they may be dependent on other people’s assistance into adulthood.

Description of Autism Spectrum Disorders
Autism comprises a clinically diverse group of disorders, referred to as “autism spectrum disorders”, that share common disabilities such as impaired social relationships, impaired language and communication, or a narrow range of interests. For most children with autism, symptoms develop gradually, although approximately 30% have a "regressive" onset, usually between 18 and 24 months. About 50%-70% of children with autism are identified as intellectually disabled and approximately 25% develop seizures. About 25% of children who fit the diagnostic criteria for ASD at age two to three years subsequently begin to talk and communicate, and by age six to seven years blend to varying degrees into the regular school population. They go on to live completely normal lives with no signs of a serious disorder. The remaining 75% have lifelong disability requiring

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    The autism/autistic spectrum describes a range of conditions classified as neurodevelopmental disorders. These disorders are characterised by social deficits and communication difficulties, stereotyped or repetitive behaviours and interests, and in some cases, cognitive delays. These disorders include Autism, Asperger’s syndrome and Rett Syndrome.…

    • 1149 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Rain Man

    • 350 Words
    • 1 Page

    Autism is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects 1 in 500 people. It impairs three main areas of human development. The three areas are speech, communication, and social interactions. All impairments can range from mild to severe. Some symptoms include lack of awareness of feelings of others and the expression of emotion, such as laughing or crying. People with autism also insist on following routines and resisting change.…

    • 350 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    It is found in the category of neurodevelopment disorders. The symptoms of Autism vary according to severity. Some are more noticeable in children, while others it may be not noticeable at all. The symptoms of having autism include the following: impairment in social interaction, fixation on inanimate objects, inability to communicate normally, and a resistance to change in daily routine. Characteristics traits associated with Autism are the following: repetition of words or phrases, lack of eye contact, unmotivated tantrums, inability to express needs verbally, and insensitivity to pain. Also an individual with autism will react differently to stimulations like light or noise, than other children would. The symptoms and characteristics vary from child to child and change over time from very severe, subsequently less…

    • 1127 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is defined by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as a developmental disability that is characterized by “social, communication, and behavioral challenges” (Centers of Disease and Protection [CDC], 2015). ASD limits the individual’s ability to communicate verbally and nonverbally, ability to learn how to give and receive information from others, to tolerate…

    • 1503 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Radio Movie Analysis

    • 454 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Autism is generally accepted that it is caused by abnormalities in the brain structure or function. In many families, there appears to be a pattern of autism or related disabilities supporting the theory that autism has a genetic basis. Some of the characteristics of an autistic child are, does not babble or coo by 12 months, does not gesture or say a single word much less can speak two word phrases by 12-24 months of age as the child grows he or she may have difficulties communicating or relating to events or people around them, they often play with toys and objects in unusual ways and have difficulty adjusting to changes to their lives such as familiar surroundings or in their daily routine. These characteristics are evident by the age of three.…

    • 454 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Autism

    • 732 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Autism also known as Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of disorders of brain development. These disorders are described such as difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors. People with Autism can have problems with intellectual disability, difficulties in motor coordination and attention and physical health issues such as sleep and gastrointestinal disturbances.…

    • 732 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Autism itself can be broken down into more diagnoses such as; childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder and asperger syndrome (Inc). Autism signs begin to show more prominently in children ages two to three (Inc). However, children can show signs of Autism before two and three but it is incredibly uncommon (“Clinical Trials”). Some signs of Autism are; no babbling or pointing by age one, no single words by sixteen months, no two word phrases by age two, no response to name, loss of language or social skills previously acquired, poor eye contact, excessive lining up of objects (ie. toys), no smiling or social responses, impaired ability to make friends with peers, impaired ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others (“Clinical Trials”). Autism does not just affect the social aspect of the child's life or even the child's life alone, having Autism increases the risk of having epilepsy (“Clinical Trials”). 20 to 30 percent of people with Autism develop epilepsy by the time they reach adulthood (“Clinical Trials”). Emotional disorders like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia also are more prevalent in families of people with Autism rather than families that have no history of Autism (“Clinical Trials”). While many studies have been done on Autism, scientists have be unable to figure out what causes a child to develop Autism (Inc). However, they have been…

    • 1386 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Autism spectrum disorder is a general term for the complex neurological diseases that affect brain development. The common characteristics of the disease are difficulties in social interactions, speech communication and repetitive sounds and movements. In May of 2013, the DSM-5 diagnostic manual placed all autism disorders under one umbrella known as ASD or autism spectrum disorders. This merged all of the sub-types like Asperger syndrome, autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (autism speaks, 2014). Common characteristics of autism are intellectual disability, challenges in motor coordination, attention span issues, physical issues like sleep and gastrointestinal disturbances. Some children with autism spectrum disorders have excellent visual skills, music, math and art abilities. Autism is born in early brain development. Evident signs of autism emerge between the age of two and three years of age. If a child is diagnosed at an early age behavioral therapies can be used to improve the development of the child. In our society the number of autism disorder is increasing in number of cases reported. However, it is not clear whether this is due to better detection and reporting or is it a real increase in the number of cases of children with autism spectrum disorder. Autism spectrum disorder is a heterogeneous condition which means no two children or adults with autism have exactly the same symptoms, but challenges fall into core domains that are reliably measured and normally consistent across time, even though specific behaviors may change with development (Lord, 2000).…

    • 2790 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Annotated Paper On Autism

    • 809 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Successful treatment of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is entirely contingent on an accurate diagnosis. Although many resources exist to help the clinician with differential diagnosis of children, particularly in early childhood, the resources available for evaluating adolescents and adults is far less prevalent. Clinicians often rely on multiple forms of data from numerous sources to make accurate diagnoses, which for adults is a complex process. Lack of availability of instruments that have been normed with individuals with ASD creates limitations for the clinician. In addition, gathering background information from adolescents and adults on the spectrum can be challenging for a number of reasons, including poor self-reporting…

    • 809 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    People have been trying to define and “normalize” what it is to be human through science, media, and culture for centuries. A mold has been created by societies around the world to look, feel, and act, without giving much more than an afterthought to what it would be like to break out of the mold; to know what it is like to be different. At a basic, surface level, PubMed Health defines autism as a developmental disorder that appears in the first 3 years of life, and affects the brain’s normal development of social and communication skills (PubMed Health). Another definition comes from the Autism Speaks website in that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Autism are generalized terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. “These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors” (Autism Speaks). But even still, as each human experience is unique, regardless if an individual has Autism or not, they should not be defined only in terms of biology. That gets in the way of understanding what it truly is to be human.…

    • 1772 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    This article shows a table of the varying degrees of Autism – Autistic disorder, Asperger’s syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder – and some of the characteristics of each “branch.” The link “More about Autism” brings up information about some early warning signs of Autism, various treatment methods, and a few statistics about the prevalence of Autism. There are pictures of a child with Autism along with his mother, and they are using a therapy ball for deep pressure and the child is using a special chair to help him stay focused and on task. Any therapy that a child with Autism receives is considered beneficial. One-on-one therapies seem to have the most positive outcome. The only claim in regards to treatment for Autism is extensive therapy [physical, occupational, and speech]. Even with said extensive therapy, there is no cure, only the hope for a better quality of life for the individual with Autism.…

    • 637 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Rain Man Essay

    • 618 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Autism is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests in delays of "social interaction, language as used in social communication, or symbolic or imaginative play," with "onset prior to age 3 years," according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Some of the symptoms of Autism include: Lack of awareness of feelings of others and the expression of emotions, such as pleasure (laughing) or distress (crying), for reasons not apparent to others; Poor use of body language and nonverbal communication, such as eye contact, facial expressions, and gestures; Insisting on following routines and sameness, resisting change; Ritualistic or compulsive behaviors; Narrow, restricted interests (dates/calendars, numbers, weather, movie credits); Throwing tantrums and having no apparent fear of dangerous situations.…

    • 618 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Autism is one of the most common developmental disabilities. People with autism, also called autism spectrum disorder (ASD), have differences in the way their brains develop and process information. As a result, they face significant communication, social, and behavior challenges. Autism affects about 1 in 88 children.…

    • 402 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Valente, S. (2004). Autism. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 10(5), p. 236-243. Retrieved from…

    • 1384 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Research Paper on Autism

    • 1934 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Just imagine your child was diagnosed of having autism. The realization of your child perhaps being autistic may be lurid. You now know that your child will be found with many challenges, and may have a severe difficulty making sense of the world. Autism is an illness that can affect your communication, socialization, intelligence, and you may act in many unusual behaviors. To try to help an autistic child is being very courageous. Having a child will who is autistic will be a struggle throughout both of your lives.…

    • 1934 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays

Related Topics