Essay On Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism
Autism Spectrum Disorder is a mental disorder that is usually detected during the stages of early childhood. The disorder affects many different functions of the brain. It occurs in one of every five hundred births. Autism causes problems with the speech, language, social interaction, intelligence, and the compulsive behavior of a person. The primary focus of this paper is to give a general definition and description of autism. There are several different types of autism that will be introduced in this research. This paper will also discuss the age groups, signs, symptoms, and treatment for the disorder. The research will also present risk factors, assessment, and remedial activities that are associated with ASD.
Autism Spectrum Disorder …show more content…
is a developmental disability that happens as a result of a neurological disorder in the brain. There are several characteristics associated with ASD. The disorder presents behavioral challenges, affects the social interaction, and the communication skills of a person. The problems created by autism can range anywhere from mild to severe. Autism is a disorder that interferes with a person’s ability to comprehend what is heard, seen, and felt. Many people with autism must be taught how to communicate generally so that they may be able to have relationships with people, items, and life events. Another characteristic of autism is repetitive behavior, as well as limited activities or interests.
Symptoms of autism are generally present within the first couple of years of life.
Autism can be diagnosed by a doctor through observation of the child’s development and behavior. There are several early signs of autism such as; no smiling within the first six months of life, no sharing of sounds back and forth, no facial expressions by month nine, no pointing, waving, reaching, or babbling by month 12, and a regression in development. A child with autism spectrum disorder often seems to be lost in her or his own world. Their behaviors can be peculiar and odd because of communication issues. However, they may display an extraordinary skill in music, art, memorizing facts, or solving math problems. When the child takes nonverbal intelligence tests, he or she may test in the average or above average …show more content…
range.
Older children are often tested for ASD when parents or teachers raise apprehensions based on observing the child playing, communicating, and socializing. Parents often fear that their child might have a hearing problem because of the absence of social relationships. It is common for youth who have been diagnosed with autism to also suffer with emotional disorders. This is one of the most important reasons that routine screening is needed for early detection. Autistic children that show disorderly behavior often have problems with anger tantrums and harming themselves. This behavior creates anxiety for teachers, specialists, and parents because it interferes with the desired development in communication and behavior. It is often that the movements, gestures, and facial expressions of children with autism often do not match what they are trying to express. An autistic child may sometimes repeat phrases or words that seem out of place and odd. The words may have a certain meaning that is known to people who are familiar with the way that child communicates. The voice of an autistic child may sound robot like and flat, or sing-song tone. A child with autism spectrum disorder usually does not handle change in his or her daily routine very well. People with autism experience difficulties such as light and noise sensitivity, temperature changes, and clothing. They may also have problems with digestion, sleeping, and irritability.
It is not easy to diagnose autism in adults due to the fact that the symptoms of ASD can overlap with the symptoms from other mental disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or schizophrenia. More than 40% of the people with ASD have several mental health conditions. It is extremely important for adults to be diagnosed correctly for autism so that he or she might be able to identify strengths, understand past difficulties, and to get proper treatment for the condition. There are many other challenges for adults with autism such as being uninsurable, issues with custody cases, and other unwanted legal issues. When many adults receive a diagnosis of autism, they experience feelings of anger, grief, and denial about it. If the person’s family and friend are not supportive, the person may experience shame and self-doubt, which can lead to isolation.
Diagnosis in children occurs in a two-stage process: (1) general developmental screening during checkups, and (2) additional evaluations. It is during stage 1 of checkups that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that precise autism spectrum disorder screening be performed between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four months. Children with high risk factors such as having a family member with autism, born premature, low birth weight, or early might need earlier testing performed. Stage 2 is the evaluation with doctors and a team of other health care professionals who specialize in diagnosing the symptoms and signs of ASD. This team generally consist of a developmental pediatrician, a child psychologist or psychiatrist, and a speech-language pathologist. Stage 2 will assess the thinking skills or cognitive level, language abilities, and age-appropriate skills that are needed for regular activities such as dressing, eating, and toileting. Because of how complex the disorder of autism is, and the possibility of learning disorders and other illnesses, the comprehensive evaluation might include blood and hearing tests to plan treatment.
There is not a known cause or cure for autism spectrum disorder, but research proposes that environment and genes are important factors. There are several risk factors for autism such as; having older parents, males being more likely diagnosed with autism than females, having a sibling with ASD, and 20% of the children with autism have specific genetic conditions. These conditions include fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome, and tuberous sclerosis. The number of children with autism spectrum disorder has rapidly grown in recent years. There are also reported cases of children with ASD developing seizures. Often times, the seizure do not start until adolescence.
There are four syndromes listed under the heading of autism spectrum disorder. Autistic disorder is the syndrome that refers to problems with communication, social interactions, and imaginative play in kids under the age of three. Asperger’s syndrome is a disorder where children tend to be just as smart as others, but have trouble with social skills. They also tend to become obsessive on a topic or become repetitive in behavior. Asperger’s syndrome is considered one of the higher functioning forms of ASD. Childhood disintegrative disorder is a rare syndrome where the child will develop at normal pace for two years, then start to lose some or most of their social and communication skills. Rett syndrome, which is also known as pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), is a condition that affects mainly females. The disorder is seen in about one of every ten thousand to fifteen thousand individuals. Rett syndrome is categorized by the degrees of impairment in communication skills. There is also a focus on the repetitive, restricted, and stereotyped patterns in behavior.
Being that there is no cure for autism, many medical professionals try to find treatments to minimize the symptoms of the disorder.
Special medications and diets are sometimes prescribed to people with ASD to treat the following problems: aggression, irritability, hyperactivity, repetitive behavior, attention problems, anxiety, and depression. It is recommended that care givers keep detailed notes, record meetings and conversations with doctors and teachers to help make decisions and understand the disorder. Women who are pregnant or trying to conceive should be cautious before taking certain medications due to them being linked to
autism.
In conclusion, if a person feels that their child may have autism, they should seek medical attention as soon as possible. More education on the subject helps people to deal with the symptoms of the disorder and deal with feelings of shame and self-doubt. It is encouraged to find support groups for people and their loved ones dealing with autism. Because of the rapid raise in autism cases, the needed for teachers in special education is growing.
Autism Spectrum Disorder is a mental disorder that is usually detected during the stages of early childhood. The disorder affects many different functions of the brain. It occurs in one of every five hundred births. Autism causes problems with the speech, language, social interaction, intelligence, and the compulsive behavior of a person. The primary focus of this paper is to give a general definition and description of autism. There are several different types of autism that will be introduced in this research. This paper will also discuss the age groups, signs, symptoms, and treatment for the disorder. The research will also present risk factors, assessment, and remedial activities that are associated with ASD.
Autism Spectrum Disorder …show more content…
is a developmental disability that happens as a result of a neurological disorder in the brain. There are several characteristics associated with ASD. The disorder presents behavioral challenges, affects the social interaction, and the communication skills of a person. The problems created by autism can range anywhere from mild to severe. Autism is a disorder that interferes with a person’s ability to comprehend what is heard, seen, and felt. Many people with autism must be taught how to communicate generally so that they may be able to have relationships with people, items, and life events. Another characteristic of autism is repetitive behavior, as well as limited activities or interests.
Symptoms of autism are generally present within the first couple of years of life.
Autism can be diagnosed by a doctor through observation of the child’s development and behavior. There are several early signs of autism such as; no smiling within the first six months of life, no sharing of sounds back and forth, no facial expressions by month nine, no pointing, waving, reaching, or babbling by month 12, and a regression in development. A child with autism spectrum disorder often seems to be lost in her or his own world. Their behaviors can be peculiar and odd because of communication issues. However, they may display an extraordinary skill in music, art, memorizing facts, or solving math problems. When the child takes nonverbal intelligence tests, he or she may test in the average or above average …show more content…
range.
Older children are often tested for ASD when parents or teachers raise apprehensions based on observing the child playing, communicating, and socializing. Parents often fear that their child might have a hearing problem because of the absence of social relationships. It is common for youth who have been diagnosed with autism to also suffer with emotional disorders. This is one of the most important reasons that routine screening is needed for early detection. Autistic children that show disorderly behavior often have problems with anger tantrums and harming themselves. This behavior creates anxiety for teachers, specialists, and parents because it interferes with the desired development in communication and behavior. It is often that the movements, gestures, and facial expressions of children with autism often do not match what they are trying to express. An autistic child may sometimes repeat phrases or words that seem out of place and odd. The words may have a certain meaning that is known to people who are familiar with the way that child communicates. The voice of an autistic child may sound robot like and flat, or sing-song tone. A child with autism spectrum disorder usually does not handle change in his or her daily routine very well. People with autism experience difficulties such as light and noise sensitivity, temperature changes, and clothing. They may also have problems with digestion, sleeping, and irritability.
It is not easy to diagnose autism in adults due to the fact that the symptoms of ASD can overlap with the symptoms from other mental disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or schizophrenia. More than 40% of the people with ASD have several mental health conditions. It is extremely important for adults to be diagnosed correctly for autism so that he or she might be able to identify strengths, understand past difficulties, and to get proper treatment for the condition. There are many other challenges for adults with autism such as being uninsurable, issues with custody cases, and other unwanted legal issues. When many adults receive a diagnosis of autism, they experience feelings of anger, grief, and denial about it. If the person’s family and friend are not supportive, the person may experience shame and self-doubt, which can lead to isolation.
Diagnosis in children occurs in a two-stage process: (1) general developmental screening during checkups, and (2) additional evaluations. It is during stage 1 of checkups that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that precise autism spectrum disorder screening be performed between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four months. Children with high risk factors such as having a family member with autism, born premature, low birth weight, or early might need earlier testing performed. Stage 2 is the evaluation with doctors and a team of other health care professionals who specialize in diagnosing the symptoms and signs of ASD. This team generally consist of a developmental pediatrician, a child psychologist or psychiatrist, and a speech-language pathologist. Stage 2 will assess the thinking skills or cognitive level, language abilities, and age-appropriate skills that are needed for regular activities such as dressing, eating, and toileting. Because of how complex the disorder of autism is, and the possibility of learning disorders and other illnesses, the comprehensive evaluation might include blood and hearing tests to plan treatment.
There is not a known cause or cure for autism spectrum disorder, but research proposes that environment and genes are important factors. There are several risk factors for autism such as; having older parents, males being more likely diagnosed with autism than females, having a sibling with ASD, and 20% of the children with autism have specific genetic conditions. These conditions include fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome, and tuberous sclerosis. The number of children with autism spectrum disorder has rapidly grown in recent years. There are also reported cases of children with ASD developing seizures. Often times, the seizure do not start until adolescence.
There are four syndromes listed under the heading of autism spectrum disorder. Autistic disorder is the syndrome that refers to problems with communication, social interactions, and imaginative play in kids under the age of three. Asperger’s syndrome is a disorder where children tend to be just as smart as others, but have trouble with social skills. They also tend to become obsessive on a topic or become repetitive in behavior. Asperger’s syndrome is considered one of the higher functioning forms of ASD. Childhood disintegrative disorder is a rare syndrome where the child will develop at normal pace for two years, then start to lose some or most of their social and communication skills. Rett syndrome, which is also known as pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), is a condition that affects mainly females. The disorder is seen in about one of every ten thousand to fifteen thousand individuals. Rett syndrome is categorized by the degrees of impairment in communication skills. There is also a focus on the repetitive, restricted, and stereotyped patterns in behavior.
Being that there is no cure for autism, many medical professionals try to find treatments to minimize the symptoms of the disorder.
Special medications and diets are sometimes prescribed to people with ASD to treat the following problems: aggression, irritability, hyperactivity, repetitive behavior, attention problems, anxiety, and depression. It is recommended that care givers keep detailed notes, record meetings and conversations with doctors and teachers to help make decisions and understand the disorder. Women who are pregnant or trying to conceive should be cautious before taking certain medications due to them being linked to
autism.
In conclusion, if a person feels that their child may have autism, they should seek medical attention as soon as possible. More education on the subject helps people to deal with the symptoms of the disorder and deal with feelings of shame and self-doubt. It is encouraged to find support groups for people and their loved ones dealing with autism. Because of the rapid raise in autism cases, the needed for teachers in special education is growing.