Childhood Autism Spectrum Disorders Essay

Autism is a form of neurodevelopment disorder in the autism spectrum disorders. It is characterized by impaired development in social interactions and communication, both verbal and non-verbal. There is an observed lack of spontaneous acts of communication; both receptive and expressed, as well as speech impairments. A person diagnosed with Autism will also show a limited range of activities and interests, as well as forming and maintain peer relationships. The individuals will display limited interests, which are often very focused and repetitive. He or she is likely to be very routine oriented and may show behavioral symptoms such as hyperactivity, impulsivity, aggressiveness, and self-injurious behaviors.

One with autism might not point at objects to show interest, avoid eye contact, children have a hard time learning to take turns sharing and appear to be unaware when people talk to them but responds to other’s sounds. Typical infants are very interested in the people around them.by their first birthday , a typical toddler interacts with others and using simple gestures such as waving “bye” and interest in social game but a young child with Autism might have a very hard time learning to interact with others(CDC). This means that an infant with autism has a very different social skills than a regular toddler, they prefer to play with their toys the same way every

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

Autistic infants often show little or no interest in other people and lack typical social behaviors. For example, they may not smile at their mother's voice or make eye contact with caregivers. Autistic children fail to develop normal relationships with their parents, brothers or sisters, and other children. Often they seem unaware of the needs and feelings of other people, and may not respond if another person is hurt or in distress. They also fail to make friends.

In the United States, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that between 1 in 80 and 1 in 240, for an average of 1 in 110 children have an autism spectrum disorder, “ASD” (Nirv, Shah 2011). According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, up to six out of every 1,000 children may be diagnosed with some form of autism. In addition, boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism. This means that as many as 1.5 million Americans today are believed to have some form of autism. Unfortunately, the numbers appear to be increasing rapidly. Autism is a disability that frequently appears during the first three years of life. It is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the

Most parents wonder what is the next chapter for their child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) after they graduate from high school. For some individuals, it is to move onto higher education. As stated by Cai and Richdale (2015), the USA has one of the lowest rates of college enrollment for individuals with ASD, with over 50% of these individuals being in neither education nor employment following their secondary school (p. 31). Individuals with ASD who move forward in gaining a higher education will have to learn to adapt and determine how to transition into higher education. Mentioned by Cai and Richdale (2015), a USA national survey illustrated poor outcomes from transitioning from secondary school into adult-hood. The findings show that after young adults with ASD left the public school system, 80% live at home, 32% attended postsecondary education, only 6% had competitive jobs, and 21% had no employment or education experience at all. In addition, 40% reported having no friends. (p. 32)

Autism has become one of the fastest growing developmental disorder in the recent years. In the year 2000, the prevalence of ASD was 1 out of 150 school-age children (Schaefer, 2016, pg***). According to the latest data by the Center of Disease Control, or CDC, it is estimated that the incidence is now 1 in every 68 children that is diagnosed with autism in the United States. It is also estimated that autism is approximately 4.5 times more common among boys (1 in 42) than among girls (1 in 189) (CDC, 2014).

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a range of conditions grouped under the neurodevelopmental disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) published in 2013 (Kress & Paylo, 2015). Those who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder must present two types of symptoms: 1) Deficits in social communication and social interaction and 2) Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities (APA, 2013). The DSM-5 merged all autism disorders into one diagnosis of ASD. Before this publication, they were organized as distinct subtypes, which included autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger syndrome (Kress & Paylo, 2015).

In 1943 a child psychiatrist named Leo Kanner wrote about a group of children who were apathetic to their family members and made odd and repetitive movements. A year later, Hans Asperger observed similar behavior in another group of children, also noting a lack of understanding of social conventions (Lai, 2014). These two observations would be the beginning of a disorder known as the Autism Spectrum Disorder. This developmental disorder, characterized by a range of deficits in different areas, is increasingly prevalent in society and in the media. While the exact numbers vary from country to country, according to Lai (2014), 1% of the general population is diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. The range of this disorder has a detrimental effect on society, specifically the educational system due to specialized care needed for children with the disorder. Prior to being known as Autism Spectrum Disorder, the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder could be broken down into Asperger’s disorder, autism and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified; The DSM-5 combined these diagnoses. Autism Spectrum Disorder belongs to a group of disorders known as pervasive developmental disorders.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) refers to a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication, as well as behaviors (e.g. movements, interests and activities) that are restricted and repetitive1,2. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which was updated in 2013 (DSM-V), is used in the United States to diagnose ASD. DSM-V converts previously separate diagnoses (autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder – not otherwise specified, and Asperger disorder) into one single diagnosis3. There is significant clinical heterogeneity within ASD in both presence and severity of symptoms, which can lead to confusion and difficulty determining proper treatment. This paper will serve as a guide for healthcare practitioners and will examine ASD in detail, including general information, subjective and objective findings, diagnostic information and treatment.

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are a collection of heterogeneous disorders that share the characteristics of social and communicative deficits, highly focused and restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). The estimated prevalence of the disorder in 2014 was 1 in 45 (2.24%) children and adolescents age 3 to 17 (Zablotsky et al., 2015). Behavioral symptoms typically become evident in the first 2 years of life and involve abnormalities in language development, social attention, and emotional reactivity (Landa & Garret-Mayer, 2006; Dawson et al., 2004). The symptoms of this disorder often have a negative impact on the quality of life of the individual,

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.

Symptoms of autism include impairment of social communication and interactions, or repetitive behavior. A child with autism will fail to respond to their name being called. They might be isolated to their own private world or even engage in repetitive behaviors.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), also referred to as “autism”, is characterized by defects in verbal and nonverbal communication, social interactions, and atypical behaviors. The word autism is from the Greek word autos which means “self”. As the name “Spectrum” suggests, the degree of severity spans a wide range and varies by each individual. Research on this disorder dates back to 1911 when Eugen Bleuler first coined the term autism while referencing patients with schizophrenia who were “socially withdrawn” (Parks 88). Every decade the amount of individuals diagnosed with ASD rises. The Centers of Disease Control estimated about 1 in 150 children have autism. But, in the past autism was seen in 4 to 5 children per 10,000

Over the years Autism has become a widely known childhood disease that continues into adulthood. Autism first was a disease classified as “developmental retardation” in the 1887, it wasn’t until Dr. Leo Kanner’s study in 1943 that the foundation was built for autism as we know it today. Now autism is diagnosis that has become too familiar throughout the United States, affecting one in every sixty-eight children. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of developmental disorders that range between various symptoms, skills, and levels of disability. Some disorders that fall under different types of ASD is: autistic disorder, Asperger’s syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder. Few people understand what it means to have autism or the