Autism

Autism

Introduction

The only information that I had ever known regarding autism came from a nineteen eighties movie called Rain Man. Even then, the thought of it was quickly lost in the archives of my mind. Not until I had a child of my own did I realize the significance of autism and the effects that it has on the children of which it afflicts and their families. A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concluded that almost one out of every one hundred and fifty children was affected by Autism. Even more alarming is the fact that it affects one and every ninety-six boys. Other than its prevalence in boys, Autism has no known boundaries (Autism Society of America, 2008).

What is Autism?

Autism or Autistic Disorder as it is also often called is a neurobehavioral disorder that falls under the umbrella of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD). It and several others including; Asperger’s and Rett’s Disorders, Childhood Disintegrated Disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) fall under the general category of PDD. Each has slight variations in the symptoms (National Dissemination Center for Children With Disabilities, 2007).

It is most often diagnosed in children between the ages of one and three years old. It affects social development, communication, and cognition. There is not concrete time table for the onset of symptoms related to Autism. Many children develop at a normal pace for the first year and a half of their lives before they become symptomatic whereas some show signs at birth (Edelson, 2007).

Socially, children with Autism are often unfazed by the events that are happening around them and tend to stay focused on one particular thing. They may appear to not hear their parents when being called for and prefer to play alone. Many resist cuddling and also avoid eye contact when speaking. Children also find it difficult to communicate with others. Speech development is usually delayed. They sometimes repeat phrases, but do not understand the context in which to use them. Some children may even talk with a particular rhythm. Autistic children may find it hard communicate their feelings with others as well. Words do not come easy for many as they struggle to start or continue conversations, which can be extremely frustrating for the children and even adults who are affected (Mayo Clinic, 2006).

Many challenges often face children with Autistic Disorder, however, the families of those children also face those challenges along with them, and it can be very stressful dealing with the peculiar mannerisms and routines that come along with having an Autistic child. It puts an enormous amount of stress on families and many times leads to strained relationships between the mother and father and quite frequently divorce. Patience is a virtue that families have to have an abundance of in order lead as normal lives as possible. Autism not only directly affects the child; it also indirectly affects everyone in the family.

What Are The Causes?

You could go on and on about the effects that Autism has on a child because no two children are affected exactly the same way. This leads scientist to believe that there are several causes. Unfortunately, that is about as close to an answer as most have gotten. Researchers believe that there could be external factors that contribute to the onset of Autism as well as genetics.

Folstein and Rutter conducted the first study of Autism in twins in 1971. Their research showed that both in a set of identical twins were much more likely to have Autism than those that were only fraternal twins. Their findings have been confirmed numerous times since, however, no one has been able to pin-point the exact correlation. This leads researchers to believe that there are multiple genes involved. It is known that the brain formations of affected children are different from those of a normal child, but what causes the differences in development is still unknown (Szatmari, 2003).

One issue that has gotten a lot of media attention is the idea that some vaccines are linked to the onset of Autism. There are compelling arguments supporting the idea that there could be a link, although no studies can currently confirm the connection. Many believe that because of the amount of money being made in the selling of vaccines, the government is hesitant to step in and investigate the accusations thoroughly. Again, there are NO studies that currently confirm this idea.

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