Causes And Effects Of Autism

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,

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).

“Independent of the genome screens, evidence suggests that the region on chromosome 15q11-13 contains a gene or genes relevant to Autism.” (Dr. David Pauls 2003). Basically, there are suggestions that the chromosome 15q11-13 is somehow mutated, deleted, or duplicated, causing this disorder to transpire. In addition to genetics, environmental factors can influence Autism; though they are not greatly supported ideas, they can’t be entirely ruled out. In the UK there have been reports of the measles vaccine having a part in causing this disorder. (Dr. David Pauls 2003). Newer studies have even shown that prenatal care before a woman even conceives reduces the risk extensively. “Woman who did not take a daily multivitamin in the three months before conception and during the first month of pregnancy were almost twice as likely to give birth to a child with ASD as a woman who had taken a daily multivitamin.” (The Harvard Mental Health Letter 2011). Multivitamins contain a lot of helpful vitamins to maintain a healthy pregnancy, but researchers suggest that the folic acid is the most significant influence that reduces the risk of a child born with ASD. (The Harvard Mental Health Letter

Autism continues to spark countless discussions and debates throughout the medical field. Some doctors believe that autism is a neurological disorder that can and should be treated, as others continue to think it is simply a difference in human adaption that needs to be nurtured and acknowledged. Regardless of what autism may be, it continues to dramatically rise in the number of children and families affected. With autism being based on such a broad spectrum, the affects and causes leaves the medical world searching for answers in unending stacks of research.

Autism disorder is an issue facing many people today. It’s an issue widely discussed in the news and social media. In Gale’s data from 2015 defines autism as a general term for a group of complex disorders of the brain development that are grouped together under the broader term of autism spectrum disorder also known as ASD. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of 2014, about 1 in 68 out of 1,000 children were diagnosed with ASD. This was a dramatic increase from 1 in 150 children in 1992. The CDC also

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired verbal and non-verbal communication, deficits in social skills, and repetitive or restricted behavior. In recent years, the number of diagnosis for autism and pervasive developmental disorders have been rising drastically. Many areas have been explored as a means of describing this phenomenon, but no one reason has proven definitive. Some possible explanations include but are not limited to: changes in mental health care, an overall increase in maternal and paternal age, and an introduction of multiple vaccines. The increase in autism is far from being fully explained and more research is needed to understand this proliferation.

According to the CDC, autism is “a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges (Facts About Autism, 2016)”. Autism was first discussed in 1943 by Dr. Leo Kanner, after he observed 11 children who had fixations on the inanimate environment rather than people (Quick Facts About Autism). It affects about one percent of the population, and is

Autism is a mental condition that presents from early childhood; this condition is a complex neurodevelopment disorder that characterized in different degrees, such as difficulties in social interaction, both nonverbal and verbal communication, repetitive and patterns of behavior. These symptoms are always being a challenge for affected child’s daily functioning. The behaviors in autism children can range in impact from mild to disabling. Autism show up with different characteristic and its severity are not equal in affected children; the symptoms may go unrecognized for some period of time especially in mildly affected children. There isn’t certain about the causes of autism, but it’s possible that genetics and environment play

While most people seem to want to blame vaccines for the increase in autism, recent studies and evidence has shown there are actually multiple reasons that could be contributing to the increase. The change in definition and heightened awareness, parents who come from highly educated communities and the large amounts of awareness that is present there, the heightened amount of folic acid present in prescription prenatal and pediatric vitamins and immune system dysfunctions are also being looked into as a cause for the amount of children being diagnosed rising. It has not been until recently that autism has been such a trend. Due to the recent increase in autism an urgency to develop a cure or cause has pushed researchers to look at more causations.

Life as a human is full of mystery and discovery. Throughout history, people have set out to learn more about the world and the people inhabiting it. In the process, they gained knowledge about a disorder that is now referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), or simply Autism. ASD is a developmental disorder that results in difficulty in social interactions, communication, and repetitive behaviors. Researchers have come a long way in gathering knowledge about the complex disorder since it was first discovered. Many of its aspects have been discovered and redefined to shape the disorder that is diagnosed and studied today. However, much like many other well-known psychological disorders, autism has yet to be fully understood; instead,

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.

In the early 1960s up until today, autism has gradually increased within the number of reports and diagnoses of children. As scientists and doctors continue their research of the increases in autism cases, the more children became diagnosed with this illness. Autism is known as a “medical puzzle” because throughout the decades numerous studies and research were done on children to see if they the diagnosis were accurate. “Traditionally, autism is diagnosed with behavioral tests that assess whether kids are meeting developmental milestones, such as talking, interacting with their parents and siblings, and

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

Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder of the brain that severely impacts socialization, communication, and may even cause obsessive or repetitive behaviors. Autism delays the brain's normal development, and is also correlated with a milder form of the syndrome known as a pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-N OS). Since it was first identified in 1943, there has been increasing rate in new diagnoses each year. Muhle, Trenracoste, and Rapin (2004) found that the rate of diagnosis for Autism has risen 556% between the years of 1991 and 1997. Many feel that this increase is due to a shifting of diagnostic criteria, or newer defining characteristics of the syndrome. The expansion of the diagnostic criteria

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,