subject: To This Day Autism (asd) Remains A Mysterious Condition Affecting The Lives Of Families On A Nationa [print this page] Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often a phrase commonly used to group together three developmental disabilities: autism, Disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. ASD refers to the continuum of ability levels for people who have these disorders, but is not itself a diagnosis. Certain atypical behavior patterns, including repetitive or limited behavior, are common with those suffering from autism as well as impairment to differing degrees in their social and communicative skills. In order to have a diagnosis of autism, the conditions have to surface by a child's third birthday. These symptoms usually last during the person's natural life.
Autism is thought be the outcome of an altering of how synapses and nerve cells work together, which in turns affects how the human brain processes information, but how this occurs is still not yet fully understood. In most cases, no two individuals will exhibit the exact same conditions or characteristics. Having less than optimal social interactions with other people is one of the most evident elements of having autism, although for a few the symptoms will be quite minimal while for others this will be more severe. Frequently babies are unresponsive, refusing to make eye contact or to be held. The infant may tend to fix their gaze on a single object for extended periods. Some children initially seem to be developing normally, but as they grow older they will start to show signs of indifference of withdrawal from social interactions. Children who are suffer from autism will often find it difficult to relate or talk to others, and if they do verbally communicate it may be in a form that others have difficult understanding, such as loud screeches when upset. They might also exhibit repetitive behaviors like uttering a word or phrase over and over again.
What causes autism to develop is still an unknown. Research done by various scientists has suggested a strong genetic component to the disease, but autism also cannot be explained by genetics alone. Environmental and other possible causes for the disorder are being explored by scientists too. In the 1940s, when Leo Kanner first identified the disorder, parents were often seen as the cause of children developing autism. Unfortunately, this theory was not dispelled until the late 1960s when Dr. Bernard Rimland began working hard to give evidence that the disorder's cause was not psychological. Recently, many parents and professionals became passionately involved in promoting the idea that childhood vaccinations were the cause of autism. Numerous studies have been conducted to find a link between vaccines and autism, but so far the results give no support to this speculation.
Although there is no cure for autism, there are therapies designed to target specific behaviors and help to greatly improve the development of the child. It is crucial that children with autism have early intervention, as this can lead to a significant improvement long term. Some autistic individuals may be able to find employment and be quite independent, but many will need continual support and access to services throughout their life.
To learn more about and to better understand this mysterious condition, more extensive scientific research needs to be done. More importantly, however, we must advocate for and support people who are living with the disorder, especially focusing on helping families who struggle to provide services for their loved ones.
