Essay on Autism Spectrum Disorder: What Does the Diagnosis Mean?

“There is no known cause of autism. Current research links autism to biological or neurological differences in the brain – although at this time no gene has been directly linked to autism.”(2, pg 105) Several theories, which exist, link the disorder to environmental and genetic factors. One such research project, performed by Vijendra K. Singh, Ph.D., is based on the concept of “Neuro-immunopathogenesis in Autism.” (1, pg. 26) Doctor Vijendra K. Singh identified his research and resolution as follows:

In Thinking in Pictures, Temple Grandin describes autism from the perspective of an engineer, animal enthusiast, scientist, and autistic activist. By providing a balanced discussion of the disorder’s deficits and abilities, her autism is portrayed in a refreshingly positive light. Grandin highlights the special heightened abilities that people with autism possess and repeatedly emphasizes the importance of cultivating skills and channeling interests. When discussing deficits, Grandin does not only state which symptoms people with autism may experience, but goes further to explain why these behaviors manifest. She provides readers with a neurological basis for nearly every behavior, from public tantrums and lack of empathy to avoiding eye contact and fearing change. Grandin tactfully defines, describes, and in a sense, justifies, all the seemingly strange behaviors that people with autism may exhibit, which consequentially helps to reduce the stigmatization of autism. Furthermore, she maintains the hopeful

Leo Kanner (1943) believes autism is a result of emotional deprivation. He notes that parents of autistic children are intellectually and analytically oriented, but lack emotional warmth (Meyer, Chapman, & Weaver, 2009).Some psychodynamic theorist believe autistic children were born normal, but became autistic after experiencing painful interactions with hostile or cold parents (Hansell & Damour, 2008). The term autistic implies a failure to effectively relate to the environment. Autistic individuals are perceived as elusive and distant (Meyer, Chapman, & Weaver, 2009). Behavioral programs are most effective with autistic children and are used to teach them language, communication skills, self-care, and adaptation to the community (Hansell & Damour, 2008).

Autism has through history, and will continue to cause widespread debate over many aspects, terminology, associated co-morbid conditions, diagnostic criterion, interventions, therapies and treatments to name just a few. It has been faced with both negative and positive media attention, those affected with Autism have been misunderstood, parents of those with Autism have been subject to criticism about their parenting skills or lack of. Since the 1940’s research has continued to develop, it is clear to see that the understanding of Autism has radically changed our understanding of it, the treatments available and care of people with Autism. This research continues to develop providing many discussion points and will more than likely continue

There are reported to be "no definitive causes of autism, research has found some common risk factors in children who have been diagnosed with this complex disorder. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 150 children will have autism and that number is growing." (p.1) Research is reported to have found a causal

Dr. Temple Grandin was diagnosed with autism in the early 1950s. Although autism was discovered decades before this, the disorder wasn’t truly understood as people were panicking and blaming it on whatever seemed logical at the time. Grandin’s mother was labeled a “refrigerator mother,” which means she was thought to be a closed, distant mother who paid little attention to her daughter. This “abandonment” caused an increase in antisocial and repetitive behaviors associated with the disorder. Decades later, a single study showed that vaccines caused autism, but it was soon proved false. The symptoms of autism develop at the same time vaccines are recommended to start. There is no connection between the two other than the coincidence of time,

I did this research paper to answer my question “What is being done to find out the causes of autism? First I look into genetics and testosterone levels that are believed to play a part in prenatal causes of autism then I delved into the comparisons Autism has with the Rhett syndrome and finally I look into what research developments are taking place.

Although the theory was receiving public attention, those within the medical community were not convinced that cold and distant parents were to blame. Medical ideas centered on the notion that autism could be a genetic disorder rather than an environment one (Laidler, 2004). The idea of a genetic disposition to autism brought into question the idea of the unloving parents. The altering of the perceived etiology of autism left many wondering what, and if, there were environmental and genetic dispositions that led to autism, or if autism was caused by one or the

Exploring Autism Autism was first described by Leo Kanner in 1943 and is known to

Refrigerator Mother Theory. Initially, Leo Kanner (1943), a child psychiatrist at the Johns Hopkins University, introduced the term “early infantile autism” in 1943. He considered that the refrigerator mother triggered early infantile autism. In other words, he believed that the autism was developed after the birth, and lack of parental warmth triggered children to become isolated from the society. Consequently, those children who did not receive enough care exhibited autistic like feature, meaning “alone or self” in Greek. Furthermore, this idea was strongly supported by Bruno Bettelheim, Austrian-born American child psychiatrist, for two decades. He similarly claims that the autism was caused from mother withheld appropriate affection toward their children and failed to make a good connection with them during infancy (Bettelheim, 2010). Moreover, he states that weak or absent father would likely cause autism, since children would not receive enough paternal love. In both cases, psychiatrists in mid-twentieth century believed that the autism was developed from children not receiving enough love, warmth and care from their parents. Moreover, they believed that good parenting could alleviate children from becoming ASD.

After gathering research and statistics, I found a possibility of a cause for autism. Depending on the actions, choices and risks pregnant woman take when carrying a child. These actions, choices and risks of mothers are being studied consistently in order to try and determine the cause and cure of autism. Below I will discuss the sorts of choices these mothers are taking that are putting there unborn children at risk of developing this disability.

According to Sewell (2015), there is no single source of what causes autism. Scientists are looking into the idea that recent changes in genes or mutations could be causing the prevalence of autism; some of these rare mutations are being considered ample enough to be a sole cause of autism. As well, environmental factors swaying brain development in its juvenile stages are being investigated as another catalyst. (Sewell, 2015). However, it is becoming prevalent that autism is caused by a multitude of factors and combinations, which is why it is said that there is “no one type of autism” (Sewell,

Kanner observed that the parent-child relationships in cases of children with autism appeared to be somewhat unusual. This suggestion fit with the tenor of the times, in which psychology and psychiatry were dominated by Freudian theories. They suggested that children developed the syndrome as a result of cold, abusive, or confusing home environments (references were made to “refrigerator mothers”), and early

In this earliest period of recognition, people in the psychiatric community began to formulate theories as to why children developed conditions like autism and schizophrenia. Some theorized about the possibility of a genetic predisposition early on, but the ideas of some influential figures in the field proposed theories with rather damaging implications (Donvan, 2016). Kanner himself initially thought that autism was a result of a distant mother (Silberman, 2015). Finn writes of Bruno Bettelheim, a controversial figure who widely propagated this previously synthesized “refrigerator mother” theory. The causative crux, it was proposed, was cold ideation and behavior of mothers in regards to their children. He and some others believed that negative emotions on part of mothers ' about the existence of their children, even subconscious ones, caused these children to retreat into themselves for protection. Bettelheim, having been victimized by the Nazis, reported that he had seen withdrawn behaviors expressed by others suffering in the camp that very closely resembled the withdrawn and self-comforting behaviors of children with autism and schizophrenia (1997). It seemed reasonable to him that these behaviors stemmed from a severe insult to a child 's sense of safety and trust in his mother.

There have been several controversies regarding the cause of autism over the years. For example, the main cause was assumed by some to be bad parenting. Today, however, there is general agreement that the symptoms of autism, with the exception of those of abandoned children, are a behavioral response by young children to an organic disease affecting their brains. In fact, it is now generally understood that autism is a complex developmental syndrome representing a heterogeneous group of disorders with similar symptoms, but with different biological etiologies. Realizing that autism does not have a single cause has been important for enhancing the understanding of its etiologies, prevention and treatment.