Autism Is A Mental Condition

While there are many theories there is no single cause of autism. One theory assumes multiple factors interacting in complex ways (i.e. genes, environment and brain) can cause autism. Genetics play a role but do not explain the full picture or the recent increase in reported cases. According to Volkmar and Weisner (2009), "Identical twins have identical genes, while fraternal twins share only some genes. The implication of this finding was that there was potentially a very strong genetic contribution in autism. A number of studies have shown that this is the case. " (p. 26). There are medical conditions associated with autism which include, phenylketonuria, congenital rubella, tuberous sclerosis, and Fragile X. The strongest associations are with Fragile X, a genetic condition causing intellectual disability and tuberous sclerosis, a genetic disorder that causes tumors to form in many different organs, primarily in the brain, eyes, heart. There is no strong evidence that environmental etologies cause autism. Some researchers assume that environmental toxins can increase the rate of autism, but evidence proposed for environmental factors is based on a case by case report which is difficult to interpret (Volkmar & Weisner,

According to Simmons et al. (2009), autism is classified as a developmental disorder characterized by difficulties with social interaction, social communication, and an unusually restricted range of behaviors and interests. Along with behavioral and social impairments, a diagnosis of autism also requires a clinically significant delay in language development before the age of three. Asperger Syndrome has similar signs and symptoms to autism without the language delay. Together with Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), these disorders form the category of Autism Spectrum Disorders (Simmons et al., 2009). Because the signs and symptoms of ASDs are almost entirely behavioral, a variety of tests, interviews, and direct or indirect observations are used in different combinations based on age and/or language level to receive the most reliable diagnosis. Although there is controversy regarding the increased prevalence of ASDs, it is obvious that there is higher regard for understanding the nature of these disorders, causing an increase of research related to this field of study. It is to be noted, however, that there are a handful of general issues to be addressed when running experiments with afflicted individuals. These issues include: which part of the autism spectrum to target, how to convey instructions and maintain attention in severely affected individuals, difficulty recruiting volunteers due to social reticence, and a change of

Autism is a developmental disability that significantly affect a person's verbal and nonverbal communication, social interaction, and educational performance. This developmental disability affects the brain, communication and interaction with others. People with this disability often have trouble relating and forming relationships with other people. Autism occurs very early on in the development of the brain. The most obvious signs can be found at the ages of two or three years old.

Autism is a rare disease that can be characterized by a “neurodevelopmental disorder categorized by the inability to relate to and perceive the environment in the realistic manner.” (Anthes, 1997) The signs of autism are mainly found in infants to young children usually between the ages of newborn to two years. The main symptoms that are discussed are “impairment in social interaction fixation of inanimate objects, inability to communicate normally, and resistance to changes in their daily routine.” (Anthes, 1997) Autism is a very understood disease but one thing most people do not know is that autism not only effects a child’s life mentally and physically, it also effects their social ability to have friends, play normally and even grow up

Secondary causes of autism include pre-natal care, environmental factors, chromosomal abnormalities and genetic disorders. Environmental factors most notably, are the role of vaccinations, specifically those with the preservative thimerosal (Caronna, Milunsky, & Tager-Flusberg, 2008). The most common genetic disorder associated with autism is fragile X syndrome. Scientists continue to investigate the etiology of ASD. Current research seems to support two etiologies of autism: Early Onset of Autism vs. Regressive Autism (Bristol-Power, 2006). There is optimism that specific causes and risk factors will be identified. The results of future investigations will facilitate enhanced screening, prevention, and therapy for "at risk" and autistic patients (CMN, 2010).

The study displayed a higher risk for children developing autism if a family member was already affected by the disorder and ten times more likely if a sibling was affected. This study concluded that genetics and environmental factors work together to play a role in the development of autism. Genetics was estimated at 83 percent and environmental influence was estimated at 17 percent. Even though genetics still plays a larger part in the development of autism, environmental factors play a role as well (Large Study Suggests, 2012; Staff, X.S, 2013).

Mental disorders, also known as mental illness these diseases contain a wide range of conditions. These diseases can affect your personality, moods, thinking and your behavior. There are many different mental disorders they are commonly known for affecting a person’s ability to think, process information and your behavior. Some examples of mental disorders are: anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, depression, mood disorders, personality disorders, psychotic disorders. There are many causes to mental disorders, your genetics and your life experiences, such as history of abuse or stress. Focusing in on one of the mental disorders, Autism also known as autism spectrum disorder. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are believed to have genetic and environmental origins, yet in only a modest fraction of individuals can be identified (Neale, 2012).

We are living in a time where a remarkable and advanced medical treatments exist. However, scientists and medical professionals are constantly faced with diseases and disorders that contemporary humanity needs a cure and treatment. Amongst the disorders that affecting our young people today is the autism spectrum disorder. It is a “complex and life long behavioral disorder marked by impairment in social and communicative abilities”(Evans, et al., 2008). People living with autism range from those with high IQ’s to those with intellectual retardadtion.

Autism is a brain based disorder that causes social-communication challenges. Autism is often diagnosed when children are very young. They can be diagnosed as early as 18 months according to the Autism Spectrum Disorder. Many expecting parents will prepare for a pregnancy by the usual healthy diet to make sure that they have a healthy baby, however, many children are still getting diagnosed with autism every day. There is a statistic stated on the Autism Spectrum Disorder that about 1 in every 68 children in the United States currently has autism. There are many different beliefs people have for as to what causes autism, but there still has not yet been a found cure. There needs to be a stronger effort in the medical fields to find the leading cause of autism.

The current research of ASD has concluded this disorder is as complex as the predisposing factors. Freitag et al. stated that “the current evidence therefore points to ASD being a highly complex process involving multiple contributing loci, genetic heterogeneity, gene-gen interactions, and gene-environment interactions” (as cited in Johnson et al., 2017). In other words, there is no single cause genetically or environmentally that causes ASD to occur. Some environmental factors before birth include both premature birth and low weight at birth, as well as breech, cesarean, and the mother having multiple births; maternal stress, viral infection during pregnancy, use of reproductive medications and artificial insemination, and mothers over the age of 35 also have positive correlations with the occurrence of ASD (Johnson et al., 2017). Other environmental factors implicated in the manifestation of ASD are exposure to large amounts of environmental pollutants (Johnson et al., 2017).

Autism has become an increasingly important public health concern as the number of yearly diagnoses of the disorder has increased since the late 20th century. The National Institute of Health estimates that 1 in 88 children in the United States are classified as having an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (NINDS, 2009), a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs children 's ability to learn and causes issues with social interaction and communication. Symptoms of ASD include delays in speech and language, issues with social interaction, and unusual behaviors/routines.

I decided to write about Autism and what it is all about. It is something that is on the rise and that is a huge part of the ECE world. Autism is a lifelong, developmental disability that affects how a person communicates and relates to other people, and how they experience the world around them. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both of the terms used for disorders of brain development. These disorders are different; there are different degrees to this brain development, like problems in social interactions, verbal communication, nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors. Autism disorders were merged into one. ASD is sometimes associated with intellectual disabilities, difficulties in motor coordination, difficulties with attention and physical health issues such as sleep like I said above and stomach issues, usually caused by anxiety due to autism. Some of the time people with autism excel in visual skills, music, math and art. The reason for these excels it because children with autism are way more organized and pay attention to every detail. This topic is interesting to me because of all of the reasons it can occur I want to know more about its attributes and complications. I want to know more about autism so I can be successful in my career if I work with these children. Children with autism get stuck on one subject and they need extra time to process things, I want to know why that happens and if there are any ways to help with it. Autism statistics

Autism is a developmental disability that presents at an early age (typically under the age of three years) that can affect a child’s educational performance. Child and adults can have deficiencies in communication, social skills, and using language. People with autism tend to engage in motor/vocal stereotypy. The spectrum for autism has a wide range from mild to severe. To determine where a child falls on the spectrum many assessments can be administered.

According to Shangraw (2012), there is no concrete etiology of autism because it is not diagnosed by its cause but on observed behaviors. The Autism-Society (n.d.) stated that a possibility for the cause of autism is the abnormalities in the brain structure or function. In an MRI research study by Piven et al. (1995), they found that an individual with autism spectrum disorder had a higher total brain volume and tissue compared to a person who is not on the autism spectrum disorder. Genetic problems and environmental factors can be a cause of autism spectrum disorder, according to the Mayo Clinic (2014). In genetic problems such as fragile X syndrome or Rett Syndrome, it can be associated with autism spectrum disorder. There is ongoing research regarding environmental factors and exploring ideas such as viral infections, pregnancy complications, and / or air pollutants to determine if they are active factors of autism spectrum disorder.

One the biggest psychological disorders in our society is childhood autism. Childhood autism is defined as “A pervasive developmental disorder defined by the presence of abnormal and/or impaired development that is manifest before the age of 3 years, and by the characteristic type of abnormal functioning in all three areas of social interaction, communication, and restricted, repetitive behaviour.” (MHresource.org). Furthermore, boys are three to four more times likely to develop childhood autism than girls (MHresources.org). Statistics also show that the prevalence of childhood autism in births is one in fifty-nine and has grown 119.4 percent from 2000 to 2010 (CDC). Now, researchers are looking into what causes childhood autism. They are