Arguments: Autism-Speaks

Autism, also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, is a complex developmental disability. I happen to have two nephews with autism, one who I am very close to and interact with a lot. A child is usually diagnosed with autism during the first three years of life. It is a result of a neurological disorder that has an effect on normal brain function, and affects the development of the person’s communication and social interaction

Autism, a developmental disorder is becoming widely diagnosed here in the U.S. and throughout the world affecting children in all different types of backgrounds. From children living in rural or urban, rich or poor. Currently there are many speculations and superstitions as to the causes for developing autism but science has no clear evidence as to why autism affects certain people and not others, autism can greatly affect the families and its patients for their entire lives. Most of you do not know that I have twin younger brothers with Autism. Before this speech, I had no clue what autism really was. Through my research I am now able to relay this information to you. Today I want to talk about Autism. The three things I will be speaking about is what is Autism? How does autism affect the family and how does autism affect people who have it?

A lot of people don’t realize the challenges of living with a child who has been diagnose with Autism can be. It is a twenty-four-hour seven day a week job no vacation, no sick time and no pay. From the time the child is diagnosed it is a constant worry especially if the parents don’t know much about the condition. It starts with continuous Doctor visits, social services, and therapy sessions, just to figure out how serious the condition may be and what level of the disability the child has and this is only this beginning. Next, to find the tools the child needs to overcome the disability, like learning development and cognitive process, social skills, comprehension capabilities, and many more depending on the severity of autism.

Let’s say you have a box of crayons. It represents ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), now inside the box you have different colors of crayons. Each color/crayon is a different disorder. The color we want to talk about today is teal, the official color for autism. Stuart Duncan once said, “Autism, like a rainbow, has a bright side and a dark side and even though it can mean rough waters it can be beautiful.” Autism isn’t a label, it’s a diagnoses. People with autism can be just as successful as neurotypical people. People with autism have been the subject of stereotypes and neglect for decades. Only in the last 150 years or so have things started to change. We don’t know what causes autism, but thanks to increased research and awareness we’re making more progress than ever. People with autism face many challenges everyday, autism is a spectrum. It’s not the same for everyone. Due to it being a spectrum it can be hard for people without autism to understand the challenges autistic people face, and how to go about interacting with autistic people. There are lots of autistic people worldwide, it’s time we start making them feel more like people.

The first three years of a child’s life is the most important and central time for the brain’s development. Autism is a disorder that can be diagnosed during the infant or toddler stage. Children can be diagnosed with autism by having different impairments such as social interaction, pattern of behavior, eye contact and speech impairment. Having the child being diagnosed with ASD can change a parent’s life view. Parents can learn different things in order to help their child. Parents will be provided by health providers different treatment, different placement in education and knowing about the different risk factor to make a difference for their autistic child now and in the future.

“Don’t think that there is a different, better child ‘hiding’ behind the autism. This is your child. Love the child in front of you. Encourage his strengths, celebrate his quirks, and improve his weaknesses, the way you would with any child. You may have to work harder on some of this, but that’s the goal,” Claire Scovell LaZebnik wrote of living with a child who has autism. Autism has been made to look like a grand epidemic. Autism is nothing of the kind. There are plenty of people with autism that are high-functioning and can live on their own, and autism is made to seem like a bigger deal than it is. Many would argue that medicines are needed to treat autism, that autism needs to be ended. There is always a better way.

As a teacher who works in a school for children with autism, I have seen first hand how the families are affected by the disability of their child. The parents in my school have shown tremendous strength and support for their children, contributing positively to their quality of life. They come into school and learn how to work with their child, have continuous contact with the teacher, and tremendously help the school with fundraising efforts. I have been lucky enough to see the positive effects that parent support can have on a child with autism, but I am sure that there are many cases that are opposite of this. Having a child with autism does put a great strain on all family members, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Today, we are seeing a rising increase in the occurrence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. What once used to be a rare disorder is now commonly recognized in the medical field as well as in the community. Not only is autism a health issue in itself, but many health issues come along with the disorder. This paper will discuss the description of the population, the top health issues and their relevance, and interventions and outcomes that can help reduce these health issues in this specific population.

There are a lot of controversial theories about what is causing autism. The organization Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), this group has a movement called Defeat Autism Now (DAN). Through this movement, a lot of professionals and families who have children with autism unite to work together to see if they can find different theories of what is

There is much speculation over whether or not vaccinations can lead to autism. Many people are concerned that autism may be linked to vaccines in the ingredients in them that children receive. Although there are many who support this theory, biology has shown that there is no link between vaccinations and autism. The fact that there is no relation between vaccinations and autism has been proved time and time again through many scientists including those who work with the CDC- Center for Disease Control and many other medical professionals.

Every single day is a struggle for an autistic child and his or her family. Autism affects all aspects of a child’s life from their ability to show affection to their family to being able to do simple tasks such as communicating and thinking in ways that we take for granted. Autism is defined as a developmental disability in which children experience abnormalities in social functioning, language, often act in puzzling ways, and usually appears before the age of three (Mash &Wolfe, 2010). Although the exact causes of autism are unknown there does seem to be a strong genetic component. Having a child or family member with autism is a constant battle of emotion and frustration. Everyone wants to help the people they love when they have

The website "Autism Speaks" offers links to research, to relevant news reports, to grants and to family services. The fact that autism affects one in every 88 children and one in every 54 boys shows visitors that autism is a serious health problem and the need for these resources is acute.

Autism is on the rise. Many researchers feel the reasons isn’t because there are more kids being afflicted with it, but the increased public awareness has allowed this disorder to be more easily recognized and diagnosed at a earlier age.

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.

I am very passionate about working with kids with autism. They have such amazing personalities and I feel like people don’t see past the disability to the unique person they are. For several years I worked at a residential facility for kids on the spectrum. I was a direct care staff that worked one on one with them to work on their goals their treatment plan was focusing on. My passion to help kids with autism comes from my previous experience working with these kids and watching them grow and learn new skills. This transformation that I watched happen and helped be a part of with these kids made me want to help more kids with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There are a lot of skills that need to be taught to these children. Socialization, communication, and positive behavior are just a few kids with autism need help improving. I believe that the earlier that you teach a child these skills the more successful they will be. Early intervention has had a positive outcome within many research experiments that professionals have done. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004) also requires schools to teach kids with disabilities alongside typically developed kids as much as possible.