...Autism’s Rise Autism: Will the rise continue? Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD, is a widespread complex brain disorder that has affected many children. There are many different forms and levels of ASD, for example, Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome. According to the article Diseases and Conditions from the Mayo Clinic Staff, autistic children may possess social interaction or behavior pattern problems. Social interaction characteristics may include: little or no speech, abnormal tone or rhythm, repetition of words, little facial expressions and eye contact. Additionally, behavior pattern characteristics can include: rocking, spinning, flapping, constant movement, possible sensitivity towards light or sound, and may be uncooperative towards...
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...One of the most intriguing medical mysteries today is autism, research in this area has exploded within the past decade. Medical professionals and other researchers are looking at a variety of different areas that might provide important insight on mechanisms that may cause this disorder. Epigenetics is the study of how various changes may arise from gene expression rather than alterations in the genetic code itself. The connection between epigenetics and autism is best articulated by Dr. Alycia Halladay, the director of research for environmental sciences for Autism Speaks. Dr. Halladay explains, “because epigenetics gives us a way to look at the interaction between genes and environment, it holds great potential for identifying ways to prevent or reduce the...
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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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...Autism is a genetic disorder, that might be predisposed to changes in the parent’s genes. The more often the genes change, the greater the risk for the child to develop autism ("What Causes Autism?," 2012). According to many studies conducted by the CDC, environmental risk during pregnancy can increase the chances of autism (Grabrucker, 2013). The exposure of pesticides and valproic acid during pregnancy can increase the chances of autism as well as psychiatric medication taken by the mother during pregnancy (Grabrucker, 2013). Furthermore, other factors like having a zinc deficiency, maternal diabetes, prenatal and perinatal stress, toxins and viral infections contracted during pregnancy could influence the probabilities of a child developing autism (Grabrucker, 2013). These factors might contribute to autism, but scientists explain that “research suggests that autism develops from a combination of genetic and nongenetic, or environmental, influences” ("What Causes Autism?," 2012). Therefore, autism is determined by the parent’s genes and harmful environmental exposure before and after pregnancy. This important information should be disclosed to parents every time children go in to a clinic for well-check exams. Parents are worried and are taking matter into their own...
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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...
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... | Thesis: It is believed that the rate of children diagnosed with autism is increasing due to hereditary factors, environmental factors, and a historically new definition of the disorder. I. Heredity plays a major role in the development of autism. II. Environmental factors are believed to help trigger the onset of autism. III. The definition and diagnosis of autism has become broader in recent years. Purpose: To inform my audience of increasing autism rates and the reasons for the increase. Formal Outline of Speech Introduction: I. Autism is a rather prevalent disease in today’s society, still, most people don’t know much about this unfortunate and devastating disorder. A. The ASA, Autism Society of America, describes autism as a “complex developmental disability.” Autism keeps the brain from functioning normally and is usually diagnosed by the first three years of life. Every day 60 children in our country are diagnosed as autistic. II. Autism has no specific cause, making diagnosis a challenge. A. No medical tests are available to diagnose autism; instead a child is diagnosed after careful and strict observation of their communication, their actions, and their interactions...
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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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...Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. For a diagnosis to be made, symptoms must become apparent before a child is three years old.Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their synapses connect and organize; how this occurs is not well understood. It is one of three recognized disorders in the autism spectrum (ASDs), the other two being Asperger syndrome, which lacks delays in cognitive development and language, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (commonly abbreviated as PDD-NOS), which is diagnosed when the full set of criteria for autism or Asperger syndrome are not met. There are different unknown causes of autism but the condition is linked to biology and chemical abnormality in the brain, the children and parents affected with autism face different challenges to live a normal life. Autism is a physical condition linked to abnormal biology and chemistry in the brain. The exact causes of these abnormalities remain unknown, but this is a very active area of research. There are probably combinations of factors that lead to autism. Genetic factors are important causes of autism. Also, language abnormalities are more common in relatives of autistic children. Chromosomal abnormalities and other nervous system (neurological) problems are also more common in families with autism. Several lines of evidence...
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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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...Student’s name Teacher’s name Course name Date The impact of immunization on the development of autism In recent years, a worldwide concern over immunization and its schedule has increased dramatically. The vaccine-autism hypothesis belongs to the most extensively debated theories related to the origins of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Critics of dangerous ingredients contained in vaccines designate that such preservatives may contribute to, or cause, a range of cognitive disorders in children. When administered at early age, immunization may seriously affect neurological and not completely developed immune systems. In contrast, both biological and epidemiological studies tend to contradict the vaccine-autism theory. Given this fact, it is of vital importance to thoroughly examine both sides of the coin and come to a reasonable conclusion. PECULIARITIES OF AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER Autism, or, more broadly, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), includes a number of complex cognitive and communicational disorders. According to Richard Lathe, the molecular biologist, autism is difficult to define (20). However, there exists a range of distinctive peculiarities, by which one can recognize ASD. Repetitive patterns of behavior, a withdrawal from social relatedness and interaction, and specific movement patterns characterize autism. The symptoms occur from early childhood, usually at age of 2-3 years, and affect daily functioning (Lathe 32). The diagnosis of ASD incorporates the evaluation...
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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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...Gregory Carter Comp II Mr. Best Final Paper Is there a link between vaccines and Autism? For many years now there has been an intense debate over the link between the cause of Autism and vaccinations. Since its appearance in the medical community the cause has come under much scrutiny. Research has been conducted by many leading scientist, always to be debunked by skeptics worldwide. The historic timeline for Autism always seems to correlate to an outbreak in new treatments and vaccinations. Some communities worldwide do not receive vaccinations and have no symptoms of Autism within their population, while there are others that do receive them and show no symptoms either. Based on these factors, one cannot surely believe there if there is a link between vaccines and Autism. Although Autism has become more common today than in the past, it is still very much misunderstood. Many people think that it is a disease, something contagious however it is a disorder, not a disease. There are many forms of Autism, labeled in the Autistic spectrum disorder, however it is a very complex disorder that affects the brain, and the immune system (A Medical mystery 2). The severity varies from child to child but the symptoms are pretty typical ranging from social skills, sensory issues, to slurred speech and uncontrollable body movements. It affects children of all ages but most commonly diagnosed around the age of three (2). The disorder crosses all economic and social boundaries, however...
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...Anxiety in Autism Spectrum Disorder Aimee Kang Abnormal Psychology Research Paper #1 July 12, 2015 To the average person, it is usually very difficult to distinguish those who are diagnosed with autism. They usually ask -- Why is he talking to himself? Why is he acting so awkward? There are no obvious features that differentiate those with autism from those without autism. This is why it could usually be difficult for an average person to understand and recognize a person with autism and this can sometimes lead to excessive bullying by those who do not have much knowledge about the disorder. Autism spectrum disorder tends to be more prevalent than other conditions. This disorder is believed to be the fastest growing disorder in the US with a rate of 1 in 68 American children diagnosed, according to CDC. As the importance of understanding this disorder has become critical, research in this area has also been growing significantly. This research can be critical not only in finding the cause and therapies to better assist those on the but also understanding the point of view of those undergoing this disorder. Autism has a wide range of different types as we can see it in the DSM-5, which was published on May 2013. DSM-5 combined many subtypes together. As of now, there are no medical tests that can diagnose this disorder so it is only diagnosed through the evaluation of a professional psychologist. They seek for symptoms to diagnose autism and these symptoms usually...
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...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 may be some form of environmental factors involved...
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...nature Vs nurture Nature versus nurture have a many articles. Nature Versus nurture include inherited genes or the environmental influences and effects that develop our personality whether our behavior , or ability or our intelligence. Autism in children is a subject that can be clarified by nature or nurture. This essay will discuss the difficulties, symptoms, and the causes of autism. Firstly, many autistic children have obstruction issues in a language, social, and behavioral issues. So, we have to understand the communication and social challenges experienced by children with autism. (Wetherby and Prizant , 2000). Secondly, there's no biological test for autism. But some symptoms are behavioral and others are biological. Slow development and abnormal brain size, certain genetic indicators and many others are biological symptoms. Inability to understand the language or inability to understand human faces, these are some of behavioral symptoms. (Mary Jo & McCormick , 2006). Thirdly, the scientists thought that "specific genes" are suspected to be causal in autism. Carlson (2011) explains how in the autistic brain the value of white matter containing short range axons was increased and not connected with the brain (Wegiel et. Al., 2010, p. 755). On the other hand, some parents thought that environmental factors coursed their child's autism while other parents feel that children are affected by biological indicators (Wetherby and Prizant , 2000). Briefly, scientists...
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