A Brief History of Autism Essay

Autism is a developmental disorder, which is characterized by a dyad of difficulties in a) communication and social interaction and b) restricted interests and imagination (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Individuals on the Autism Spectrum might find it challenging to understand what other people think or what the reasons for their behaviours are, as their ‘theory of mind’ may not be well developed (Schuwerk, Vuori & Sodian, 2015). It is possible that this is why they might behave in socially inappropriate ways, being unable to differentiate between different contexts, while they might also find it difficult to make friends. Moreover, it is likely that they are fond of routines, repetition and structure (Carnahan, Musti-Rao, & Bailey, 2009), as they might be nervous with unknown, new situations. In addition, some of them might not do eye contact with other people, whereas some others might not endure to be touched and might have a difficulty developing speech (Jordan, 2005). Individuals on the Autism Spectrum might sometimes be prohibited to initiate conversations and might struggle with finding different ways to play and behave, due to the possible deficit of imagination, which in some cases might result in them having a narrow sphere of interests. Nevertheless, it should be noted that this group of people is rather heterogeneous, as characteristics of autism may differ from one individual to another (Gwynette, 2013). Another point is that people with Autism

     Autism is a developmental disability that affects all areas of behavior and perception. Approximately 10 out of every 10,000 children are diagnosed with autism and four out of five are males. Autism is the third most common developmental disability, more common than Down Syndrome. Children with Autism are characterized by impairment in several areas of development such as: Cognitive, Language, Play/Socialization skills and exhibit many challenging behaviors. Behavior Patterns of Autism:

Eugen Blueler, a psychiatrist, was the first to introduce the name "Autism" but he diagnosed this disease to a schizophrenic adult. Leo Kanner distinguished the two later in order to clarify the understanding of the disability. (Forty-six)

Currently, efforts are being made by foundations, such as Autism Speaks and the National Autism Association not only to bring awareness of seriousness of the disorder, but also to establish ways towards the cause and a cure for autism. In 1997, Congress requested the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Autism Coordinating Committee (ACC) to “enhance the quality, pace and coordination of efforts at the NIH to find a cure for autism” (NINDS, 2009 p.18). ASD is too extensive of a disorder to find a single cure for it; these “cures” would require millions of dollars in further research and testing, just like any other medication or treatment. While there have been autistic geniuses in the past, not all with ASD should be hailed as such; instead of trying to justify or cure the disorder, more people should be willing to accept it.

The term “autism” has been used for approximately one hundred years. Autism comes from the Greek word “autos” which means “self.” Self applies to autism because people are taken away from their social life and isolate themselves. A Switzerland psychiatrist, Eugen Bleuler, was the first person ever to use the word autism in 1911 towards symptoms of schizophrenia. From 1940 through the 1990s, doctors have had many theories on how autism affects children. They came to the conclusion that autism medically affects each child differently. Towards the 1980s

Autism: It is a complex neuro – behavioral condition which is characterized by difficulty in communicating, forming relationships, usage of language, basic social skills, understanding concepts, repetitive behavior etc. Also, called ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) the severity or the degree of the same may vary from an individual to an individual. Autism may be summed up as a developmental disability manifesting itself during the first 3 years of a person’s life. It may be relevant to mention that NO two individuals with Autism will have exactly the same symptoms – would range from mild to severe.

Autism is a spectrum disorder that refers to a range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skill impairment, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication, as well as unique strengths and differences.

Autism has undergone significant definition changes in the past. The term was first used in 1912 by the Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler from the Greek word for self—autos—in his description of patients with “schizophrenic thinking divorced from both logic and reality” (Rorvik 249). However, an established set of guidelines for diagnosis would not be established until 1943, when Leo Kanner, a German émigré to the United States, wrote “Autistic Disturbances of Affective Content”, a landmark essay in which he “described eleven children who, from infancy, had seemed to cut off from their parents…[and] existed in their own, often impenetrable world” (Pollak 250). The common features that he noticed in those eleven children were

Autism- is a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before the age of 3, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. Other characteristics often associated with autism are engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory experiences.

Autism is a fairly new diagnosis in the healthcare industry. A rapidly growing number of children are being diagnosed annually. There have been many rumors about how children are developing autism, and many treatment options are being attempted. There is currently no cure for this condition.

The word “autism” was first used by a Swiss psychiatrist Eugene Bleuler in an article written in the American Journal of Insanity in 1912. It comes from the Greek word meaning self. Bleuler used it to describe the schizophrenic’s seeming difficulty in connecting with others (“Autism”).

Autism was first presented in 1943 by Leo Kanner when he was conducting a several children study; he later described the children as having withdrawn behaviour. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s the suitable treatments used in behavioural therapy were focused on medications such as LSD and electrical shock as a form of pain and punishment (WebMD Medical Reference, 2014).

autism was first described in the 1940s. Leo Kanner in the United States and Hans Asperger in Austria independently published papers describing children with severe social and communicative impairments. Both Kanner and Asperger used the term "autism" (meaning “alone”) to describe the syndromes they had identified. Kanner described children who had impoverished social relationships from early in life, employed deviant language, and were subject to behavioral stereotypies. Asperger’s description identified children with normal IQs and normal language development who suffered from social and some types of communicative impairments. (slaughter)

What is autism?Autism is a complex developmental disability that causes problems with social interaction and communication. Autism causes children to experience the world differently from the way most other children do. It is hard for children with autism to talk with other people and express themselves using words. Children who have autism usually keep to themselves and many can't communicate without special help.

The history of ASD; the word “Autism” was first used by a Swiss psychiatrist by the name of Eugen Bleuler. He began using the term to describe one group of symptoms for schizophrenia patients, (Wolff, 2004). “Autism” is a Greek word that comes from