The DSM-5: Autistic Disorder (ASD)

1) explain why it is important to recognise that each individual on the autistic spectrum has their own individual abilities, needs, strengths, preferences and interests

According to the 2014 estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1 in 68 children have been identified as having an autism spectrum disorder (ASD); a rate that has been steadily growing over the past 20 years (National Autism Association, 2015). Increases in reported frequencies for ASD are most likely due to a combination of factors including broader diagnostic criteria and increased awareness as well as a true increase in the number of people with ASD (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Autism it self does not effect life expectancy and, in general, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) can expect to live as long as the non-cognitively impaired population (National Autism Association,

The DSM 5 defines autism spectrum disorder as a persistent deficit in social communication and interaction across various areas. The deficits occur in the areas of social and emotional functioning, non-verbal communicative behaviors, and fostering relationships. The DSM 5 also includes repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities as factors to consider when seeking to understand if a child has autism. The child can become fixated on specific objects, strongly adhere to schedules or ritualized patterns. When patterns are broken, the child has a difficult time transitioning to a new schedule or pattern of existence. Additionally, the child may be hyper or hyperactivity to various sensory aspects of the environment. As denoted

Autism spectrum disorder is a spectrum of psychological conditions which all consist of problems pertaining to social interactions, communication, and highly repetitive behavior. There are three main forms of Autism spectrum disorder: Autism, Asperger syndrome, and Atypical Autism. Autism is a developmental disability which results from a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain (Lord, Cook, Leventhal, & Amaral, 2013). It first appears during the stages of infancy to early childhood stages. Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three-five years of life. Autism is a result of a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain (Carter, Messinger,

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has proved difficult to define because of its complicated set of classifications and characteristics. It is a neurological disorder that is often mistaken for a mental illness. Moreover, diagnosis is long, arduous and involves long hours of testing. Furthermore, insurance may deny coverage for the cost of testing or may cover only a fraction of the fee which leaves many on the spectrum without an official medical diagnosis.

Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that is characterized by impaired communication (verbal and non-verbal), social, and comprehensive skills. Distinct features of individuals diagnosed with ASD are repetitive or restricted behaviors, for example daily or patterned routines: others may experience symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome, which delays cognitive/speech development: or other conditions similarly related to Down’s syndrome. ASD is often utilized as an umbrella term to encompass a wide range of genetic conditions and mental disorders; as such no two individuals diagnosed with ASD are alike. Because of this, researchers, therapists, and medical practitioners are still puzzled by the mysteries of ASD; however, many infants and toddlers are now beginning to show signs of ASD and many more are being diagnosed on the autism spectrum. With this increase, many people are beginning to understand and educate themselves on the effects of ASD and also cope with the lifestyles of autistic peoples. However, even with the increase of autism awareness and advocacy, individuals with ASD are discriminated against because of many stereotypes and societal myths that surround the disorder. One of the main sources that distribute these false stereotypes and myths is the media. In truth, many popular movies, like Rain Man and Forrest Gump, portray characters that are affected by ASD in stereotypical ways that overshadow the true complications of ASD and the

There is a wide variety of symptoms that have been associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD, the name adopted in 2013) including, repetitive movements, emotional difficulties, sensory problems, etc. The exact cause of these symptoms is a widely debated topic. In this paper, I will discuss the overall prevalent causes for Autism as well as the different variations and subgroups. People are familiar with other disorders such as Down syndrome or Trisomy 21. These types of disorders are discusses frequently because of the knowledge and commonality of them. However, not everybody is familiar with a disorder such as Autism. This is due to the uncertainty of the cause for Autism. The overall concept of Autism is simple, but the causes are widely disputed.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a serious disorder which affects the child’s neurological and behavior functions and may cause different levels of disability. Autism is a regressive neurodevelopment disorder that impacts social interactions, verbal and nonverbal, as well as negative behaviors. It is a disorder that is connected to abnormal biology and chemistry within the brain. Also, autism appears within the first three years of life. A child can seem developmentally normal and meeting all milestones that are age appropriate and then begins to regress. The ASD is a neurological disorder can have classified to a different level from moderate to severe. According to Reynolds and Miller “Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are a group of developmental disabilities characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication and repetitive behaviors” (166). Actually, the number of children who are diagnosed with autism increases and the Autism Spectrum Disorder becoming one of the fastest growing disorders in the USA. According to Autism statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) “identify around 1 in 68 American children as on the autism spectrum–a ten-fold increase in prevalence in 40 years. Careful researches show that this increase is only partly explained by improved diagnosis techniques and awareness. Studies also show that autism is four to five times more common among boys than girls. An estimated 1 out of 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls

Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurological disorder that includes a set of developmental and behavioral features. These features include social interaction, communication, and restricted or repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. Social interaction and communication are difficult for those who have autism. It is considered a syndrome, not and illness, because it is a collection of behaviors, that the child exhibits, not a known biological part. Children with autism may not respond to their names, may not make eye contact and may only interact with others if it meant achieving a specific goal. They may also have difficulty interacting with other children and may have trouble expressing their own feelings

Did you know that one in every sixty-eight births are diagnosed with the Autism spectrum disorder in other words (ASD), which is about one percent of the world’s population. And that more than three point five million people in America live with a person who has the Autism spectrum disorder. We all know that Autism is a spectrum disorder in which an abnormality is developed in the brain. It is a long life condition that has no cure for itself. People who have Autism face many difficulties in their communication and their social skills. They tend to also have bipolar reactions and moods in which one minute they’d be totally fine and normal and the next thing you know it they start to act differently becoming more aggressive which sometimes causes them to cause tantrums. Autism a spectrum disorder appears in the first three years of a person’s childhood and remains a mystery because of its unknown cause and unknown cure. And for that, treatments are offered by support teams and doctors, schools offer special education which help families in many ways. All these resources are to help families in need who are challenged by this diagnoses.

Per the maturational lag hypothesis, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may arise from delayed development in any of the brain areas contributing to typical symptomology. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – Fifth Edition (DSM-5), autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder and involves impairments in social communication, social interaction, as well as the presence of restricted, repetitive, patterns of behavior, interests, or activities (American Psychological Association, 2013).

There is a little boy that gets up every morning and goes to school. He goes home to his parents after school each day. He eats, sleeps, and plays just like any other child. There is one difference. He sees the world in a unique way than most other children not affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder. The boy’s life and actions are a bit different and can be challenging for him. He needs understanding parents, family members, and teachers. Autism Spectrum Disorder can be a challenge for the little boy as well as those he interacts with in everyday life.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a condition that affects a group of complex disorders of brain development. Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by difficulties with social interactions, social communication and an unusually restricted range of behaviors and interest (David R. Simmons, 2009). It seems that autism is a new condition because most of research about this condition has occurred since the 1980. However, Autism has been around for a much longer time than that, people just didn’t know about it.

Defining and understanding autism is not only difficult for ordinary people, it is very much a work in progress for the medical community, since research still has a long way to go. Autism itself is a wide umbrella term that encompasses vastly different combinations of symptoms, from mild to severe, which why it is more accurately called Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

ASD and Autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development (What Is Autism, n.d.). Prior to 2013, patients could be diagnosed under Autistic Disorder (AD), Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) or Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD). In 2013, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) merged all Autism Disorders under one umbrella termed ASD so that it will improve the diagnosis of ASD without limiting the sensitivity of the criteria or substantially changing the number of children being diagnosed. (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).