...Health problem Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a known to be a complex brain disorder found among children during their brain development stages. An individual having difficulties in social interactions, verbal and nonverbal communications, and behavioral challenges can characterize autism spectrum disorder. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated the “1 and 68 children has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder and about 1 in 6 children aged 13-17 has developmental disability” (CDC, n.d.). Several children are not recognized to have a developmental disability until after entering grade school. The signs children that may not have been identified with developmental disability are shown when they have...
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...Research has found that children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are at an exceptionally increased risk of developing comorbid mental health conditions, with the most common comorbid mental health conditions reported alongside ASD being anxiety disorders (Brereton, Tonge, & Einfeld, 2006; Skokauskas & Gallagher, 2011). In fact, previous studies have found that anywhere from 11-84% of individuals with ASD experience clinically significant levels of anxiety (White, Oswald, Ollendick, & Scahill, 2009). The ASD population experiences much greater levels of anxiety than typically developing children (APA, 2000). The symptoms associated with anxiety can severely impact a child’s ability to participate in a variety of school,...
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...In conclusion, it is evident that each independent variable offers benefits of their own in regards to the best practices for early autism intervention. Special education programs in schools have always existed and is a fairly consistent program for a child with a considerable support system beneficial for students with high-functioning ASD. For students with low-functioning ASD, a more appropriate program would include early autism intervention. A residential, center-based option would allow for more a more personalized program tailored to a child’s needs through an intense program targeting individual goals and developmental functionality. In contrast, an ABA-based classroom within a mainstream school has proven beneficial to improving social...
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...Autism Spectrum Syndrome is a term used to describe abnormalities in neurological and brain developments. People affected by Autism suffer a wide range of symptoms with varying severities. Autism is characterized by symptoms such as social impairments, difficulties in emotional connection and communication, and repeated stereotyped behaviors such as hang flapping and rocking (as cited in Uno, Y., Uchiyama, T., Kurosawa, M., Aleksic, B, and Ozaki, N, 2012). Since the discovery of the fist vaccines up until now, thousands of lives have been saved. Contagious diseases speared so rapidly and the effects can be devastating and sometimes irreversible. Infectious diseases spread quickly in communities; in the past some of these diseases effected large...
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...Do Childhood Vaccinations Cause Autism? Jennifer Jones XBCOM / 275 August 24, 2014 Kristine Dunn Do Childhood Vaccinations Cause Autism? The idea that autism is caused by childhood vaccinations has been influencing public policy, even though rigorous studies do not support this hypothesis. Legislators are right to take into account the concerns of parent groups and other individuals who are directly affected by autism, but policy decisions should be based on hard evidence rather than unproven ideas. The hypothesis is based on the observation that the number of autism cases increased in the years of the 1980s, coinciding with a push for greater childhood vaccinations, which increased above recommended levels of a child’s exposure to mercury in the vaccine preservative, called thimerosal. The autism diagnosis continued to rise even after thimerosal was removed from the United States childhood vaccines in the year of 2001. A review by the Institute of Medicine, of over 200 studies concluded that there were no links between vaccines containing thimerosal and autism. Autism is no more common among vaccinated children than those children who are unvaccinated, and its incidence has not varied with the presence of thimerosal in vaccines across different times and locations. These findings have not persuaded supporters of the mercury autism link, whose strategies have become more extreme as the evidence against the hypothesis have mounted. Mercury is a known neurotoxin,...
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... Autistic Spectrum Disorder Clinton T. Ashe Professor: Dr. Janice Spagenburg February18, 2013 AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS 2 Autism Spectrum Disorders Autism is a disorder that use to affect an estimated 3.4 out of every 1,000 children ages 3-10. And now research suggests that autism now affects 1 out of 110 children. These types of Disorders can cause disruption in families and unfulfilled lives for many children who have this disorder. Autism Spectrum Disorders range from a severe form which is called autistic disorder to a mild form known as Asperger syndrome. The risk for this disorder is higher for males than females. In 1942 while working at John Hopkins Hospital, Dr. Leo Kanner conducted a study with a group of 11 children and at the end of the study introduced the label of “early infantile autism” into the English language. During that same time frame and half way around the world, Dr. Hans Asperger described a lesser form of the disorder that became known as “asperger syndrome”. These two disorders have been described and are currently listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as two out of five pervasive developmental disorders and are often referred to as autism spectrum disorders. These disorders are categorized by the variance in the degrees of impairment in communication skills, social...
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...Introduction Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD’s) are disabilities that affect social and communication skills, and cause behavioural changes (CDC, 2012). There are three types of ASD’s; Asperger Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, and Autistic disorder (autism). Autistic disorder will be the focus of this study (CDC, 2012). Children develop autism before the age of three years and struggle with it throughout their lives (CDC, 2012). “Autism creates many challenges in the child’s life and it negatively impacts; intellectual disabilities, language delays, social and communication difficulties and unexpected behaviour and interests” (CDC, 2012). Autism does not segregate between racial and ethnic groups, nor does it relate to socioeconomic status; however it has been proven to occur more often in males than in females (CDC, 2012). Over the past decade there has been a significant increase in the number of autistic diagnoses (CDC, 2012). Evidence has shown that the development of autism occurs during the pregnancy phase (Schmidt, 2011); which leads this study to analyze the association between intake of iron, and zinc during pregnancy and preventing autism in the offspring. Specific Aims The proposed study will be focused on whether women who take iron and zinc supplements during the three trimesters of the pregnancy will reduce the risk of autism in their offspring. The goal of this study is to develop an association between vitamin exposures and the outcome of prevented...
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...Introduction Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD’s) are disabilities that affect social and communication skills, and cause behavioural changes (CDC, 2012). There are three types of ASD’s; Asperger Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, and Autistic disorder (autism). Autistic disorder will be the focus of this study (CDC, 2012). Children develop autism before the age of three years and struggle with it throughout their lives (CDC, 2012). “Autism creates many challenges in the child’s life and it negatively impacts; intellectual disabilities, language delays, social and communication difficulties and unexpected behaviour and interests” (CDC, 2012). Autism does not segregate between racial and ethnic groups, nor does it relate to socioeconomic status; however it has been proven to occur more often in males than in females (CDC, 2012). Over the past decade there has been a significant increase in the number of autistic diagnoses (CDC, 2012). Evidence has shown that the development of autism occurs during the pregnancy phase (Schmidt, 2011); which leads this study to analyze the association between intake of iron, and zinc during pregnancy and preventing autism in the offspring. Specific Aims The proposed study will be focused on whether women who take iron and zinc supplements during the three trimesters of the pregnancy will reduce the risk of autism in their offspring. The goal of this study is to develop an association between vitamin exposures and the outcome of prevented...
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...The Effectiveness of Music Therapy in Treating Children with Autism: A Literature Review Abstract This literature review explores the use of music therapy in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and its degree of effectiveness in helping children to better develop social and communication skills. All of the sources discussed used improvisational music therapy to conduct different types of studies that address the usefulness of music therapy. Researchers used different methods of measuring children’s responsiveness to music therapy. A majority of the authors claim music therapy has a considerably positive effect in treating children with autism; however, some results indicated there is not enough evidence to confirm music therapy has a significant impact or that it is the best form of treatment for autistic individuals. There is a need for further research in order to determine whether or not music therapy is the most effective form of therapy. Future studies may be more strategically designed to minimize the difficulty in analyzing such complicated results. In addition, there should be studies that have clinical value and contain a larger number of participants so that the results may be better generalized. Introduction For years, scientists, doctors, psychiatrists, and several others have been trying to determine the cause of autism as well as a cure for the disease. Autism is a type of Pervasive Developmental Disease that is characterized by an inability...
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...Vaccines, Do They Cause Autism in Children? Michael L Eisenmenger Western Governors University Vaccines, Do They Cause Autism in Children? Vaccinations have been used for centuries to prevent the spread of some of the most dangerous diseases in humans. In 1998, a research study from Dr. Andrew Wakefield was published in the journal Lancet, suggesting common vaccinations were the cause of autism in children (Brink. 2013). That study has since been retracted by the Lancet and Dr. Wakefield has had his medical license revoked. However, the rates of vaccinations have declined because of the study and new outbreaks of diseases once considered eradicated are killing children. Research has shown that vaccines are not a cause of autism in children because the preservatives suspected of causing autism have been removed from them, research studies have shown no link between the two, the original research has been proven false, and the diagnosis of autism has changed. Ever since the debate of vaccines being a cause of autism has started, the ingredient thimersol has been one of the focus’ of study. Thimersol is a preservative that was used in vaccines until 2001. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated, “In 2001, thimersol was removed or reduced to trace amounts in all childhood vaccinations except one type of influenza vaccine, and thimersol-free alternatives are available for influenza vaccines.” (CDC, 2014) Thimersol contains the type of mercury...
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...April BEH 225 May 19, 2012 Diagnosis and Treatments Autism is a psychological disorder that affects approximately one in five-hundred children (Morris & Maisto, 2002). It is a significant disorder that is characterized by deficits in social impairments and abnormal motor behaviorisms. While there is no known cause to this disorder, it is believed that autism may stem from biological factors. Over the years Autism was speculated to have a link between vaccines that were administered to the children because of possible mercury exposure containing Thimersosal (Love to Know Everything You'd Love to Know, 2011). However, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims Office of Special Masters determined that the measles, mumps, and the rubella vaccine were not the cause of autism. In another perspective, a study done thru John Hopkins University and the Broad Institute of Harvard found a genetic code that is associated with Autism. The research studied the genetics of 1,031 families that had a minimum of two autistic members of the family. It was found that all the families exhibited the same pattern on the fifth chromosome near the gene semaphorin 5a. This gene’s expression was at a lower rate in the study with participants (Love to Know Everything You'd Love to Know, 2011). Additional studies have found that there may also be a link between Autism and autoimmune diseases. While most would advocate that Autism is a biological circumstance it is also believed that there...
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...The Link Between Vaccines and Autism Page | 1 The Link Between Vaccines and Autism Bethany P. Isaac PSYC1060: Psychology for the Health Care Professional The Link Between Vaccines and Autism Autism is a term used to describe a group of conditions that involve brain development known as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) or pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs). Autism is a regressive neurological disorder that can range from moderate to severe. Vaccines are a substance used to stimulate the production of antibodies and provide immunity against disease. What, you might be asking, is the significance of introducing these two definitions? It all began in the 1990’s, with a significant spike in autism diagnoses throughout the world. Concern, even fear spread. What was the cause? How could the trend be stopped? It is perfectly reasonable to ask questions about this increasing prevalence, which certainly suggests an environmental cause. Vaccines, therefore, were largely portayed as the environmental cause, even before extensive research had been set in motion. The media cought ahold of the idea, and just like that, the world was influenced by the idea. Even today, autism rates are rising yearly. According to the CDC, in 2000 the prevalence of autism was 1 in 150, and in 2010 it had increased to 1 in 68. But surely vaccines are not the case. The short answer is that much of the increase in the number of diagnoses can be explained by a broadening of the definition, increased...
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...consequences of the vaccines side effects have become increasingly alarming and may warrant the removal of this vaccine from the general populous. From the very beginning of the vaccines release studies have been linking numerous disorders that only occur after the vaccine has been given. One such example of this is a study published in 1973 shows that the measles virus vaccine can cause encephalitis, encephalopathy, and subacute sclerosing panencephalitis generally occurring within six to 15 days after being vaccinated with the measles vaccine. It was estimated in this report that the encephalitis risk after having being vaccinated is one case per 1000 patients. (Landrigan, & Witte, 1973). In 1995 a group studied the causality between the measles vaccine and inflammatory bowel disease. They compared 3,045 people vaccinated in 1964 against 11,470 people who did not receive the vaccine. The results of the study were astounding. The group found that people who were vaccinated were three times more likely to develop inflammatory bowel disease, three times more likely to develop Crohn's disease, and substantially more likely to develop ulcerative colitis. (Thompson, 1995). In 1998 Dr. Wakefield lead a study in an attempt to find the cause of autism in children. There were 12 children in the study, and most of the children's' parents indicated that their child had developed normally until they received the MMR vaccine. After this exhausting amount of testing...
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...between autism and vaccinations, particularly in infancy and childhood. One side contends that there is a significant relationship between vaccines containing mercury and autism, something which is claimed to have been ignored and covered up by both scientists and government officials. The other side states that no such relationship exists, and that well-meaning parents and advocates of this cause may be causing more harm than they are good. The first article, Deadly Immunity written by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declares that autism, and thimerosal, a vaccine preservative, are clearly related. Statistics are mentioned that say that the rate of autism has increased from 1 out of 2,500 children to...
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...Autism Jennifer Van Puymbrouck ENGL 112, Composition DeVry University Autism, what is autism? Autism “is a complex neurobehavioral disorder that includes impairments in social interaction and developmental language and communication skills combined with rigid, repetitive behaviors” (WebMD). Autism spectrum disorder or ASD for short; is how the doctors are recognizing any child or adult that falls within the Autism category. Clearly we have a growing problem with ASD, it is estimated that “1 out of every 88 children” will be given a diagnosis of autism (Jaslow, 2014). Why instead of decreasing, are autism cases rising? Some say it due to the ways that doctors are able to diagnose autism, but I think there is a different cause. There is one thing that most children have in common and that is the immunizations that are given to most children from birth. Doctors have found that ASD affect boys more that girls and they are “almost five times more likely” to be diagnosed with some form of ASD then girls (Jaslow, 2014). There is enough evidence at present to say that the rise in autism cases can be linked to immunizations. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism can be defined by “a group of complex disorders of the brain development” and “has roots in very early brain development” (Autism Speaks, 2015). Children typically show some signs of autism between 2 to 3 years old. Some of the most common characteristics that most ASD patients display would include: difficulties...
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