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Effects and Management of Autism in Children

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Submitted By bhowe1019
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Effects and Management of Autism in Children
Autism now has a diagnosis rate of 1 in 50 with the occurrence in boys being five times greater than in girls (Edeiken-Cooperman). With such a high rate of diagnosis, there has been an increased awareness into the effects of this neurodevelopmental disorder and the ways to help manage it. Autism negatively affects socialization and communication and is usually noticed by age three (Edeiken-Cooperman, Berk).
Children with autism can be self-absorbed and may struggle in three core areas of functioning. First is their non-verbal abilities such as reading facial expressions that aid in social interaction. The second area in which children with autism are behind is the engagement of make-believe play. The third are is language, which is delayed, and often only used to get what they want versus taking part in an exchange of ideas. These social struggles show that children with autism have a theory of mind and ideas about mental activities that are not at the same level of the average child. “As early as the second year, children with Autism show deficits in emotional and social capacities believed to contribute to an understanding of mental life.”(Berk 342)
One of the more noticeable effects of autism in children is the lack of social awareness. They have trouble relating to others’ thoughts and feelings. They just see the world as it pertains to them. A child with autism has trouble comprehending when someone is talking about something other than what the child is looking at or doing.
These deficiencies make it difficult for a child affected by autism to integrate acceptably with other children. Lack of social skills and a competent theory of mind can be barriers to forming normal relationships with people. As a result, there are some methods that have become popular treatments for the effects of autism.
Popular methods

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