Autism affects one in every forty five children in the United States (Autism Speaks 2015). Autism is an extremely broad behavioral disorder that affects a person’s social and communication skills. Each autistic person’s case is different. Although Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) cause a daily struggle, it is immensely possible for a person with autism to live an ordinary life. My first cousin Dawson Dabbs has struggled with autism since he was three years old. However, he was not correctly diagnosed with autism until he was seven years of age. He was misdiagnosed originally by one doctor with moderate to severe Asperger's syndrome with an acute sensory processing disorder. He was considered by the doctors to be a late onset patient which …show more content…
Autism’s cause, treatment, and prognosis are still being studied as of now, but several genetic defects are believed to lead to this disorder. It has been found that autistic people have smaller neurons and stunted nerve fibers in some parts of their brain. It is also believed by many that certain childhood vaccines could cause autism. Autism is diagnosed as a broad group known as pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs). There are five PDDs which are autistic disorder, Asperger syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD), Rett’s disorder, and PDD-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). The most severe of all these disorders are childhood disintegrative disorder and Rett's disorder. Most doctors normally group all of the five PDDs together under a general heading of autism spectrum disorders. The general symptoms of autism are repetitive behaviors and problems with social interactions or communication. Many assume that because of these agonizing symptoms an autistic person cannot live a successful life. Each person’s autistic symptoms vary depending on the severity of their disorder, but most of their autistic traits can be controlled. This means that a person with autism has the remarkable ability to achieve all of their goals in …show more content…
Each autistic child is different, and they all have differing characteristics. Each student needs an individualized education program (IEP). An IEP is a document that writes out the specific needs of the student and how the needs will be met. It is crucial for a child with autism to have an IEP. A parent of a child with autism needs to learn how to support the child, and the parent should make sure the child is motivated and comfortable in school (Autism Speaks). The IEP is what will help give the child a great school experience, and it help them stay more calm during class. It is critical that the school staff is cooperative in aiding children through their education. It is very important to make sure the child has the correct support systems in school and feel as comfortable as possible (Autism Speaks). A child with autism may face other challenges throughout their educational years which most definitely include bullying. It has been found that sixty three percent of 1,167 children have been bullied at some time in their life (Autism Speaks). For an autistic child, detecting that they are being bullied may be difficult because of their social deficits (NATTAP Partners 2008). For children who do not understand they are being bullied it is best to talk to them as honestly as possible and contact the school for support. Children with autism need a vast amount of
Autism is most commonly described as a developmental disability that is diagnosed over a broad spectrum of impairment and identifiers; and within the first three to five years of life. The number of cases of ASD have steadily grown over the past several decades and can be seen in 1 in every 88 births (Ogletree, Morrow-Odom, &
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 is a complex developmental disability that causes problems with social interaction and communication. Symptoms usually start before age three and can cause delays or problems in many different skills that develop from infancy to adulthood. Disorders included in the Autism Spectrum are Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. Rett’s syndrome and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder are among the list of related disorders, but are not included in this spectrum. There are no treatments bio-medically,
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
Autism is a very complex, neurobehavioral disorder that includes impairments in social interaction and communication and development skills. It usually occurs during the first three years of life. The disorder has a large range of symptoms and levels of impairment. It can severely change the way someone lives. People with autism show little interest in other people and lack social awareness. It is troubling for them to communicate express themselves, and understand what other people think and feel. In the United States only, more than 500,000 people have been diagnosed with autism. Autistic children may have repetitive body movements such as rocking, pacing, or flapping their hands. The disorder prevents children from forming relationships
Children with autism don’t know how to communicate. Some do not talk at all, then some will talk very little and only do one answer questions. The children with autism that is able to talk. Normally will hear something that a family member said, or something said on television and repeat something that was said over and over. A lot of the time, they will have mental breakdowns when they need to say something and can’t. The main symptom of autism is the problem with social interaction. People with autism are
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.
Autism is categorized by deficits in maintaining social relationships and difficulty communicating. The number of children being diagnosed with autism is steadily increasing. Therefore the need incorporate effective interventions that focus on the development of the individual child has become an imperative component for their success. The key for children with Autism to achieve academic and social success depends upon the collaborative effort that is shared among all parties involved: family, teachers, peers; mental health professionals and the community.
Chapter 1 focuses on autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs) and other Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). Described in 1943 by Dr. Leo Kanner, autism (also known as autistic disorder, childhood autism, or infantile disorder) is one of the PDDs along with Rett's disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD) referred to as Heller's syndrome, Asperger disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). Rett's is a rare genetic abnormality affecting brain development in girls. There are treatments available, but there is no known cure. Asperger disorder affects an individual's ability to socialize and communicate effectively. Individuals with Asperger disorder may be socially awkward and have a compulsive
Every year one in 68 Americans is diagnosed with autism. There are more than 3.5 million Americans living with an autism spectrum disorder (Autism Society), which makes it the fastest growing developmental disorder in the United States, hence the significant amount of studies being done to explore its characteristics and find solutions. Autism, also known as ASD, is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that is categorized by dysfunctions in social situations, communications, constrained interests, and repetitive stereotypic behaviors (Siniscalco et al). These behaviors can range from mild to very severe, and may be accompanied with other disorders. Autism can be diagnosed during early childhood, while symptoms begin to show during the first
Each year, more than 200,000 people are diagnosed with the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the U.S. ASD or Autism can be characterized as a brain development disorder that directly affects the nervous system. As noted on AutismSpeaks.org, ASD can be deemed as an intellectual disability. Symptoms of Autism can include difficulty with communication, difficulty in social interactions, obsessive interests, and repetitive behaviors. The severity of these symptoms vary with all ASD patients. Some patients with ASD thrive in non-interactive subjects such as math, art, and music.
Some of the interventions that IDEA suggests that students be included in the regular general education classroom as much as possible with their peers, because it helps them gain social relationships with others (McCurdy, 2014). But there are some negative aspects to having children included in the classroom. One of the roadblocks that schools come across is having to gain support from the school officials and staff members (McCurdy, 2014). The second barrier is having a student with autism spectrum disorder is risking them having a disruptive behavior or witness an off-task behavior that would disrupt other students in the classroom (McCurdy,
Many people are uneducated about autism. Autism spectrum disorder is a combination of many neurological disorders. It affects a person's communication and behavioral skills.
Before delving into the problems that arise, one should understand how to classify autism. According to O’Callaghan, “autism is not a single disease but a name...given to a behavioral phenotype that may have many aetiologies” (O’Callaghan). While the terminology O’Callaghan used may appear daunting because it leans towards scientific discussion, his definition explains that one should not assume autism is just a disease in itself, but is more than that. It serves another role of representing how an autistic individual acts and that the way they behave is a physical characteristic one can identify when regarding them. He additionally mentioned that autism may not have one cause, but may be composed of several causes attributed towards it.
Students with autism can become overwhelmed very easily by even minor deviations from the routine. It is important to be sensitive to the way autistic children function so that their potential can be reached.