...Abstract Every woman wants to have a healthy baby. Sometimes there are factors that may influence the growth and development of the baby in a negative way. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs the child for a lifetime. Some of the causes of this disorder can be controlled, such as Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)or drug use while pregnant. Other causes may be genetic or due to complications while pregnant. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD): according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is defined as “any of a group of developmental disorders (such as autism and Asperger's syndrome) marked by impairments in the ability to communicate and interact socially and by the presence of repetitive behaviors or restricted...
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...Review of paper by Karst and Van Hecke Parenting a child with autism is an overwhelming task. Karst and Van Hecke (2012), state that “Raising a child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be an overwhelming experience for parents and families. The pervasive and severe deficits often present in children with ASD are associated with a plethora of difficulties in caregivers, including decreased parenting efficacy, increased parenting stress, and an increase in mental and physical health problems compared with parents of both typically developing children and children with other developmental disorders”. Botout (2017) also discusses this topic and writes that, “The impact of autism on the family has been the focus of some, although few,...
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...disorder “Autism is a developmental disorder that appears in the first 3 years of life, and affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills. ( 1.PubMed Health, 2010)” Autism is also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder ( ASD). “ Health care providers think of autism as a “spectrum” disorder, since it is a group of disorders with similar features. (National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, 2011 paragraph)” A child who has autism may have symptoms that span from mild to severe. There are several types of autism that fall under the spectrum. They include Aspergers Syndrome, RETT Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD-NOS). “These disorders are characterized in varying degrees, be it difficulties in social interaction, verbal and non- verbal communication and repetitive behaviors.” ( Autism Speaks, 2011) Aspergers syndrome is a high functioning form of autism. A child with Aspergers might have difficulty interacting with others, awkwardness, and display repetitive behaviors. “Rett syndrome is a disorder of the nervous system that leads to developmental reversals, especially in the areas of expressive language and hand use.” (2.PubMed Health,2010) Childhood Disintegrative Disorder is when a child is developing normally through ages 3 or 4 and then over time will lose the language, and social and motor skills that they have developed already. Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD-NOS) is when a child shows...
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...Autism Autism is the most common condition in a list of developmental disorders known as the autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). People with autism may display impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonberbal communication, and unusual, repetitive, or severely limited activities and interests ("What is autism," 2011). As of today there is no official cure for autism but through education and training of parents most can have some sort of productive life. The word “autism” has been used for about 100 years comes from the Greek word “autos” meaning “self” (Nickolson, 2008). The term describes conditions in which a person is removed from social interaction or other words an “isolated self”. In 1911, Eugen Bleuler, a Swiss psychiatrist, was the first person to use the term autism. Austic children at one time thought or classified as schizophrenic as it was thought to be a behavioral issue. There are many key dates in the history of autism since 1911 and some more important than others. Here is a list of some of the important dates in the history of autism: * 1944 - Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger publishes his work on autistic symptoms, Autistic Psychopathy in Childhood. * 1964 - American psychologist Bernard Rimland writes in Infantile Autism: The Syndrom and Its Implications For a Neural Theory of Behavior that autism is a biological disorder. * 1967 - Bernard Rimland founds the Autism Research Institute ARI in San Diego. Bruno Bettelheim...
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...Understanding Autism Jessica Stansbury PSYC101, Online Michael Mihajlovic November 23, 2012 What is Autism? Autism, also known as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), is a developmental disability. It can cause many problems such as social, communication and behavioral challenges. People with autism process information differently in their brain than other people do. Although there are many different types of Autism, there are three that are more commonly seen currently. The first one is Autistic Disorder, also called classic autism. This is usually accompanied by substantial language delays, social and communication challenges, and odd behaviors and interests. The second is Asperger Syndrome. Asperger Syndrome is usually accompanied by some milder symptoms of autistic disorder. Although they may still have social challenges and odd or unusually interested and behaviors, they usually do not have any problems with language disabilities. The third is Pervasive Developmental disorder (PDD-NOS) or also called atypical autism. Most people that are diagnosed with PDD-NOS usually have fewer and much milder symptoms then the others. People that are diagnosed with PDD-NOS may only have challenges in social and communication areas. Although there are different types of autism, they all require the same attention to the signs and symptoms of them. Autism is usually detected in early childhood. It will appear in the first three years of life. Often the child will...
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...Autism Autism is one of the fastest growing disabilities in the United States and affects the lives of 1 in 88 children 1 in 54 affecting boys. It usually appears within the first three years of a child’s life and can affect the social and communication skills of the child’s brain. Autism cost a family on average $60,000 a year and males are five times more likely to have autism than females. Even though there is no medical cure for autism parents can educate themselves on the symptoms, treatment, and diagnosis of autism and how it affects the lives of families every day. Autism is a disorder that affects a child’s social and communication skills within the first three years of life. It is a physical condition that has been linked to abnormalities such as biology and chemistry in the brain. There is extensive research being done to discover the exact abnormalities but they continue to remain unknown. Chromosome abnormalities and genetic factors have also been linked to autism. For Ex: identical twins are more like to both have autism than fraternal twins. The diagnosis of autism is a difficult process and requires the child to undergo a series of test and observations. If a parent suspects that their child may have autism their health care provider will give the child a hearing, blood lead, and screening test. The child may also have to go through a complete physical as well as a complete nervous system (neurological) examination. There are several risk factors that have...
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...Autism and Family 2 Autism is a complex developmental spectrum disorder that affects many different developmental levels. Most delays occur in the area of social communication. Autism is also described as a certain set of behaviors that affect each individual differently in a variety of different degrees with some being more severe than others(Hall, pg 1, 2013).The lack of a single identified cause for autism leaves much to be discovered in the field. Autism is also become more prevalent, especially in the United States. In the mid-90’s the prevalence rate of a child being diagnosed with autism was 1 in 10,000 to about 1 in 110 children in 2011 ( (Hall, pg 4, 2013). That statistic shows that the prevalence for autism has risen...
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...Mental Illness - Autism HCA/240 January 19, 2014 Mental Illness - Autism This paper about a form of mental illness called autism will explore many aspects of the disease, such as the history, sign and symptoms, and diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Autism is a serious developmental disorder that shows up in early childhood, normally before the age of 3 years old. Even though over the last five years scientist have identified a number of rare gene changes, also known as mutations, associated with autism, it is still not clear what causes this developmental disorder in the brain. Furthermore, central nervous system changes have also been associated with this disease, but no definite links have yet been made (Autism Speaks, n.d.). Let us begin with the history of autism. This disorder, first described in 1943 by a psychiatrist named Leo Kanner in a paper he wrote that described how 11 children whom all shared high intelligence, a severe preference for being alone and insisting on point of being obsessive on doing things exactly at the same time each day (Autism Speaks, 2013). In addition, Autism Speaks (2013) stated, “Through the 1960s, psychiatrists continued to view autism as a form of childhood schizophrenia” (para. 4). Psychiatrists also believed during this period that the idea a mother who was emotionally distant from their child caused autism, which was found not to be factor at all (Autism Speaks, 2013). It was not until the 1970s that scientist...
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...Autism Autism is one in a group of very many developmental problems called autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Within the first three years of a child’s life a doctor will be able to tell if a child is autistic by running special test to look at their communication, language and social skills. I chose to research autism due to the fact that it is so popular and interested me more than the other topics. Autism can be found in males and females of all ages rather it is a small case or large case simple things a child does can place them on the autism spectrum. In January of 2010 the national autistic society announced that the ratio of autistic kids between boys and girls is one to four. There are many interesting facts and characteristics of autism that the people of this day and age should be aware of because you never know when a child you interact with on daily bases may be autistic. The severity of autism in a child can vary from very serious to just a minor case, but all autism disorders affect a child’s ability to communicate, talk and their social skills. It can also make them act in unusual ways. They might flap their hands, say certain words over and over, have temper tantrums, or play with only one particular toy. Most kids with autism do not like a change in their regular routine; they like to stay on a repetitive schedule that does not involve different interactions with different people or different actions they have to take to compete the routine. They...
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...imagine your child was diagnosed of having autism. The realization of your child perhaps being autistic may be lurid. You now know that your child will be found with many challenges, and may have a severe difficulty making sense of the world. Autism is an illness that can affect your communication, socialization, intelligence, and you may act in many unusual behaviors. To try to help an autistic child is being very courageous. Having a child will who is autistic will be a struggle throughout both of your lives. Autism can be described in many ways. Autism medically, is a neurological disorder, which can affect the brain from trying to properly function normally. Autism is always a childhood disorder. It is where a child is in his own world. This may be very difficult for the average person to understand. Autistic children will have a problem demonstrating many special skills like socializing, communicating, and using their sensory system. Some call autism an information processing disorder. Autism should be known that it is not a disorder that a child can catch or create. It is a neurological brain disorder that is inborn. The child will differ in many ways of a normal average person. The major issue that devastates parents is that the child will most likely not be able to make sense of the world. I think what a mother once, said is an example of how difficult this disorder can be, for the child and the parent. She said “ we start with an image-a tiny, golden child on hands and...
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...Autism Autism The term “autism” comes from the Greek word “autos” meaning “self” and describes a person who is removed from social interaction (WebMD, 2010).The term autism was first used around 1911 by a Swiss physiatrist named Eugen Bleuler referring to symptoms of schizophrenia. The term autism was not used in the United States until the 1940s. Leo Kanner identified the key feature of “autistic aloneness” among his patients, describing their apparent reluctance to engage in social interaction with other people (Autism, Psychology of, 2005). Autism was thought to be the result of unloving mothers. Not until the 1960s and 1970s, a separate understanding of autism emerged. Dr. Bernard Rimland, father of an autistic son and founder of the Autism Research Institute, helped the medical community understand autism as a biological disorder (Autism Speaks, 2010). Early treatment during the 1960s and 1970s has included medications such as Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD), electric shock, and behavior change techniques (pain and punishment). Behavior therapy and highly controlled learning environments became the primary treatments during the 1980s and 1990s. During the 1990s a concern arose that the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine contributed to the development of Autism, but a study published in 1998 that theorized there could be a link has been retracted because there is little evidence to support that theory (Mayo Clinic, 2010). Other common myths include autistic...
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...Autism Do you believe that Autism may be caused by a specific thing? Is it possible that there is a specific gene that may be present in children that have been diagnosed with Autism, which may make them more vulnerable or likely to develop Autism? Maybe Autism can develop from a vaccine or from vaccine sensitivity? Scientific research has shown that there is no direct link between the two, however how else would you explain, an otherwise perfectly developing child one day, to a child who is withdrawn and completely different the next? Because the actual cause of Autism is not known, in this paper, I will explore some of the probable causes, the signs and symptoms, as well as the treatment options that are available to a family, which may suspect their child may be suffering from Autism. Autism is a developmental disorder that is diagnosed within the ages of 1-3. Children diagnosed with Autism are known to have social and communication disorders. The exact cause is unknown, but according to the Center for Disease Control, there are some suspected causes, which include, diet, digestive changes, mercury poisoning, and vaccine sensitivity. The rising number is not known if it is due to an actual rise in cases, or if it is because, it is now much easier to diagnose the disease. Autism does affect more boys than girls. There is no link between lifestyle, income levels or education to having a child with autism. (http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines). Studies show that some children do...
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...Professor Date Autism Spectrum Disorder All around the world, there are several children and even grow ups that have or suffer from autism. Unfortunately, it is a condition that is not easily detectable especially in children. Most people either do not understand the condition that manifests itself in children or take it for something else all together. For the families that are fortunate enough to identify the condition in children, they at most times have no idea at all on how to handle the child. Most people have misunderstood autism and taken it as insanity in children. It is therefore, necessary to demystify the misinterpretations in most people and make them aware of the condition, and how to handle it when a child is found to be autistic. Autism is a spectrum of closely related conditions or disorders which all have symptoms of a shared core. Every child said to be on the autism spectrum disorder has to some degree problems with communication, social skills, flexible behavior and empathy. However, the degree of disability and symptoms combinations varies enormously from one child to another. Surprisingly, children with the same diagnosis may be very different when it comes to abilities and behaviors. It is vital to note some few facts about autism. Autism is not contagious and is not acquired through environmental contact. It is a neurological disability presumed to be present from birth and apparent before the age of three in a child. Even though, autism is a condition...
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...Autism Autism or PPD (pervasive developmental disorder) is defined by the Columbia encyclopedia as a rare neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by the inability to relate to and perceive the environment in a realistic manner. The onset of the disorder is in infancy or early childhood, generally before the age of thirty months, and males are affected four times as often as females. Symptoms include impairment in social interaction, fixation on inanimate objects, inability to communicate normally, and resistance to changes in daily routine (Anthes, 1997). Characteristics of Autism Diagnosing Autism is based on four characteristics: difficulty with language, abnormal responses to sensory stimuli, resistance to change and difficulty with social interaction. ?Other characteristics of autism may include: making the same repetitive motion for hours, repeating a sound or phrase, inability to hold a conversation, practicing unusual play patterns, and extreme sensitivity to sound and touch? (Riccio, 1999). Autistics can exhibit any combination of these characteristics in any degree. That is why autism is referred to as a ?spectrum? disorder, because at one end of the disorder a child may be inflicted with some symptoms, while at the opposite end a child may be inflicted with multiple symptoms with many areas in between. Children who display few symptoms may be characterized as ?mildly autistic?. Early signs of Autism may appear in the first months of life. Autistic infants...
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...Autistic spectrum disorder, otherwise known as autism, is a complex disorder of the central nervous system and a developmental disability that comes from a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain. (Dowshen, 2008). It is not something one can catch or pass along to someone else. It makes interacting with other people incredibly difficult. Autism was first identified in 1943 by Dr. Leo Kanner of Johns Hopkins Hospital. Autism spectrum disorder can usually be reliably diagnosed by age 3, however new research is pushing back the age of diagnosis to as early as six months. Autism is a developmental disorder that makes it very difficult for one to communicate with others and live a normal life. (What is Autism? An Overview, 2008) The cause of autism remains undiscovered, however many researchers believe autism is linked to differences in brain chemicals and neurotransmitters. No one has yet to have a definite answer as to where these differences come from, however; many believe the differences are in our genes. Some also believe that maternal rubella, PKU, encephalitis, and meningitis may predispose a child to it. It is somewhat more common in particular families, but not inherited in any recognizable pattern. Doctors often tell families who have one child with autism that research shows they have a very high risk of having another child with autism or a similar disorder. (eMedicineHealth, 2009). According to the statistics provided by the...
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