Autism is a complex neurobehavioral disorder that includes impairments in
social interaction and developmental language and communication skills
combined with rigid, repetitive behaviors. The disorder covers a large
spectrum of symptoms, skills, and levels of impairment.
Autism has a strong genetic basis, although the genetics of autism are
complex and it is unclear whether ASD is explained more by rare mutations,
or by rare combinations of common genetic variants. In rare cases, autism is
strongly associated with agents that cause birth defects. Controversies
surround other proposed environmental causes, such as heavy metals,
pesticides or childhood vaccines; the vaccine hypotheses are biologically
implausible and have been disproven in scientific studies. The prevalence of
autism is about 1–2 per 1,000 people worldwide, and it occurs four to five
times more often in boys than girls.
When a child has been evaluated and diagnosed with an autism spectrum
disorder, parents may feel inadequate to help their child develop to the
fullest extent of his or her ability. As they begin to look at treatment options
and at the types of aid available for a child with a disability it is found that
there is help for you. It is going to be difficult to learn and remember
everything you need to know about the resources that will be most helpful.
Writing down everything helps. If parents keep a notebook, they will have a
foolproof method of recalling information. Keep a record of the doctors’
reports and the evaluation the child has been given so that his or her
eligibility for special programs will be documented. Learning everything they
can about special programs for children; the more parents know, the more
effectively they can advocate.
By age 3, most children have passed predictable milestones on the path to
learning language; one of the earliest is babbling. By the first birthday, a
typical toddler says words, turns when he hears his name, points when he
wants a toy, and when offered something distasteful, makes it clear that the
answer is “no.”
Some children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders remain mute
throughout their lives. Some infants who later show signs of ASD coo and
babble during the first few months of life, but they soon stop. Others may be
delayed, developing language as late as age 5 to 9. Some children may learn to
use communication systems such as pictures or sign language.
Social Symptoms:
From the start, typically developing infants are social beings. Early in
life,
they gaze at people, turn toward voices, grasp a finger, and even smile.
In contrast, most children with ASD seem to have difficulty learning to engage
in the give-and-take of everyday human interaction. Even in the first few
months of life, many do not interact and they avoid eye contact. They seem
indifferent to other people, and often seem to prefer being alone. They may
resist attention or passively accept hugs and cuddling. Later, they seldom
seek comfort or respond to parents’ displays of anger or affection in a typical
way. Research has suggested that although children with ASD are attached to
their parents, their expression of this attachment is unusual and difficult to
“read.” To parents, it may seem as if their child is not attached at all. Parents
who looked forward to the joys of cuddling, teaching, and playing with their
child may feel crushed by this lack of the expected and typical attachment
behavior.
Children with ASD also are slower in learning to interpret what others are
thinking and feeling. Subtle social cues—whether a smile, a wink, or a
grimace—may have little meaning.
Asperger’s Disorder:
Asperger’s Disorder — also known as Asperger’s Syndrome or just AS — is a
mild form of autism, recognized as a mental health concern that sometimes
requires treatment. Asperger’s is usually diagnosed in childhood or as a
young teenager, and is characterized by social impairment, isolation, and
what others might see as eccentric behavior.
Information on the prevalence of Asperger’s Disorder is limited, but it
appears to be more common in males.
Asperger’s Disorder and Difficulty in Communication with others:
Unlike autistic individuals, those with AS don’t usually have significant
speech problems, but their language and speech skills still differ from people
without the disorder. As a whole, people with AS have an odd way of using
language. Specifically, their communication differs in three major ways:
