Autism is a disorder that impairs a person’s capacity to interact with, communicate with, and maintain normal bonds with the outside world. Leo Kanner, an American psychologist, first described this disorder in 1943. Autism is one of the more common developmental disabilities and typically appears before the age of three. It is known to be four or five times more common in males than in females.
The most cited statistic is that autism occurs in 4.5 out of 10,000 live births. The estimate of children having autistic qualities is reported to be 15 to 20 out of 10,000. The gender statement noted before is not uncommon, as many developmental disabilities have a greater male to female ratio. Autistic characteristics are different from birth.
Two more common characteristics that may be exhibited are the arching of the back while being held to avoid contact and failing to anticipate being picked up, resulting in limpness in the body. Infants with autism are described as being either very passive or very agitated. Sometimes during infancy, there will be cases of head rocking and/or banging against the crib, but this is not always the case. Approximately one-third of children develop normally until the ages of 1 1/2 to 3, and then the symptoms emerge, referred to as regressive autism.” During childhood, there is a commonality of the affected child insisting on routine. The reasoning is that the child is not able to cope with “novel” situations.
Wearing the same clothes or eating the same foods during meals are examples. Tantrums can occur when these perseverative behaviors happen. Twenty years ago, most autistic individuals were institutionalized. Now, only the most severe cases live in institutions.
During adulthood, autistic individuals are known to live with their parents, in residential institutions, or independently. There are many forms of this disorder, making it difficult to find a single adjective to describe every type of person with autistic symptoms or autism. Research shows that there are no physiological tests to determine whether a person has autism; the diagnosis is given based on the characteristics of the disorder. In the last five years, researchers have found that those who display autistic characteristics often suffer from related but distinct disorders, such as Asperger Syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome, Landau Kleffner Syndrome, Rett Syndrome, and Williams Syndrome.
Physiological researchers have discovered abnormalities within the brain, but the reason for these abnormalities is not known, and it is unclear how they relate to autism. These abnormalities range from underdeveloped areas in the limbic system to smaller-than-average Vernal lobules VI and VII. Biochemical research has found elevated beta-endorphins, which may relate to pain tolerance in autistic individuals. In the cognitive realm, there is much discussion of the theory of mind,” or the inability to realize that other people have their own unique view of the world. Some cognitive theorists believe that autistic individuals are unable to understand that other people have different thoughts, plans, and perspectives than their own.
Cognitive theorists also examine the 10% statistic of savant skills, which are considered remarkable by most standards. These skills are usually spatial in nature. Interventions and therapies can be challenging. Family theorists work with the patient’s family to develop appropriate behaviors. There is no reported drug that can be considered primary for the patient, although Ritalin is dispensed in many cases.
Behaviorists examine behavior change through positive reinforcement, behavior recess, and self-stimulatory and self-injurious behaviors. Physiological work, such as visual training and auditory integration training, is used to reduce sensitivities to sounds above the normal range or sounds that patients may consider painful. For autism, it is important to remember that effective treatments and interventions are available, and parents and doctors in the medical field are realizing this. Additionally, Federal Law now requires states to provide early intervention services for autistic children between the ages of one and three.
The services exist to provide tools to develop children academically and socially.
