Autism Essay

Autism according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary is defined as “a variable developmental disorder that appears by age three and is characterized by impairment of the ability to form normal social relationships, to commutate with others, and by stereotyped behavior patterns.” Autism was believed to be a psychiatric or emotional illness, and doctors told mothers that they were the cause. They were wrong. The cause for autism is still a mystery, however, the facts remain that autism in children is on the rise. Erin Allday of the San Francisco Chronicle writes, “Environmental factors play a more important role in causing autism than previously assumed and, surprisingly, an even larger role than genetic.” There are theories based on that

Due to the advances in medical science, individuals can be protected against more diseases than ever before. Some diseases that once injured or killed thousands of children have been eliminated completely due to safe and effective vaccines (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Individuals who do not receive vaccination pose dangers to those who are unable to receive vaccines due to medical conditions, there are no links that vaccine causes Autism, and vaccines cost less money than the financial burden of choosing not to receive a vaccine. Therefore, vaccines are the most effective way of protecting ourselves from vaccine-preventable diseases.

Children With Autism Children with autism have the possibility to improve greatly, and some even overcome the effects of autism if appropriate therapies are begun early enough. A multifaceted disorder, autism has long baffled professionals and parents alike. At a point in time, doctors gave parents absolutely no hope for the recovery of their children. But recently, new treatments and therapies have shown that improvement is possible. With early intervention, intensive care, some children have if not fully recovered, improved, and have been integrated into schools, indistinguishable from their peers.

Autism is like a puzzle where all the pieces do not fit perfectly, it’s still a puzzle but because it’s not perfect people think it’s broken. Scientist used to think that being autistic was just another form of mental retardation and that autistic people are incapable of doing most tasks. When Amanda Baggs’ video came out scientists realized that they may have been wrong about Autistic people. Baggs’ video was a stepping stone in the right direction for Autism awareness and understanding.

According to Losinski, expert in special education, autism spectrum disorder afflicts 1.5% of the children in the United States (12). That means over 1 million children in the United states have been diagnosed with autism. TACA (Talk about Curing Autism) reported that, “more children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes [and] cancer combined” (28). The Autism Response Team at Autism Speaks record that 1 out of 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls are diagnosed with autism in the United States. Yeargin-Allsopp conducted a study with his colleagues and their findings concluded that although boys are 4 times more likely to develop autism, girls are more likely to develop the more severe cases (36).

Even with a substantial amount of research on the complex concept of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), much remains unknown when it comes to the root of this disorder. Study after study have shown that there are multiple brain regions of the ASD brain that act differently when compared to typically developing (TD) individuals. One area of the brain that researchers have shown an interest in is the fusiform gyrus. The fusiform gyrus is a section of the brain that is located between the parahippocampal gyrus and the lingual gyrus medially and the inferior temporal gyrus laterally on the basal temporal and occipital cortex ( ). The reason why this area is critical to understanding the ASD brain is its functions in color processing, word

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.

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) refers to a group of developmental brain disorders that affect a child’s cognitive, behavioral, and social abilities (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). There are several forms of ASD that have different impairments and levels of severity. Recent research has been looking at the increased prevalence of ASD and possible causes of this increase.

In the United States 1 in 68 births results in an Autism diagnosis (Autism Society). In this time period, at the moment, there are new medical discoveries every day. These breakthroughs range from new diseases prevention methods, to new cures for previously “terminal” illnesses. So, because our society is constantly changing, evolving, and improving, it is absolutely necessary to keep up with the awareness of these new discoveries. One disorder that has existed for years, but has recently gained a lot of awareness is Autism. Autism is defined as “a disorder in brain development that ultimately affects its victims’ everyday social interaction” (Autismspeaks.org) . Signs and symptoms of Autism are usually shown in early childhood, and are easily detected by parents, if they are aware. However, if a parent or guardian notices any signs, they should take action immediately. How fast they take action in this situation could make or break the future of their child.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is widely described as a range of conditions that affect a person’s social interaction, communication and cognition4,7. The exact cause of ASD is still unknown. However, studies have shown that several genetic and environmental factors are associated with ASD development. Sjaarda et al. show a link between a genetic mutation in the serotonin transporter Slc6a4 gene, prenatal stress and the development of ASD-related characteristics.

     Autism is a developmental disability of the brain, much like dyslexia, mental retardation, or attention deficit disorder. Autism is not a form of mental retardation, and though many autistic people appear to function as retarded, they are frequently quite intelligent. Approximately 15 of every 10,000 individuals and nearly 400,000 people in the United States today have some form of autism (Dowdy).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is about 1 in every 68 American children who are on the autism spectrum. This is a ten-fold rise in prevalence for 40 years. This increase has been elaborated by the explained by improved and arising diagnosis and awareness of the condition. Further, a study reveals that 1 out of 42 boys is autistic in the United States whereas for the girls it’s 1 in 189. According to the National Center for Health Center for Health Statistics report, between the ages 3 to 17, children diagnosed with autism rose by about 80 % in the year 2014 more than it was previously as recorded in 2011 to 2013. A writer of the Washington post reported that the health officials were alarmed by the research that the prevalence rate is at 1 in every 45 children in

The purpose of the first article, Level of Functioning in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Phenotypic Congruence Among Affected Siblings, is to determine familial aggregation amongst siblings with autism, specifically twins. The main question raised in this article is whether “individual differences in levels of overall functioning can be explained by genetic [factors] versus environmental factors” (Goin-Kochel et al., 2008). My question asks “Are siblings more likely to be concordant of ASD amongst MZ twins or DZ twin?” which is supported by this article that researched the familial aggregation amongst siblings and twins with ASD. The author found that “great variability existed among scores on the PPVT-III, Ravens,

A recent study has found that a gene linked to autism caused mice in their experiments to have more seizures and anxiety. Dr. Jill Silverman is an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of California, Davis. She led a team of researchers to study a specific gene that might be linked to autism.

The definition of Autism is a mental condition, resent from early childhood, characterized by difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in using language and abstract concepts. Autism is not classified as a disease, it is a mental condition. Some symptoms might be poor eye contact, compulsive and repetitive behaviors, repetitive movements, unaware of others emotions, depression, anxiety, change in voice, and obsessive interests. Autism makes it hard for a person to process incoming stimuli and many autistics focus on one object in order to prevent sensory overload. It cannot be cured and it is chronic, which means that it last for years or is lifelong. Most children will have difficulty engaging in the give-and-take of everyday human interactions when they develop autism.