UNRAVELING THE MYSTERY OF AUTISM

Transcription

1 UNRAVELING THE MYSTERY OF AUTISM Autism is a lifelng disability affecting nearly 1 in 250 children brn in the wrld tday. With the diagnsis f autism reaching epidemic prprtins, it is imprtant that accurate infrmatin is made available t anyne wh will be wrking with, living with, r lving a persn with autism. And let's face it, with numbers as small as these, it is becming mre likely than nt that each and every ne f us will be tuched by a persn with autism in ur lifetime. It is with this in mind that I assembled my PwerPint Presentatin. It is a cmprehensive presentatin that includes statistics, symptms, causes, and treatments regarding the subject f autism, as well as prviding a brief glimpse int the life f a child with autism. The fllwing is a synpsis f what yu will find in this presentatin: DEFINITION Autism is a cmplex develpmental disability that typically appears during the first three years f life. It impacts the nrmal develpment f the brain in the areas f scial interactin and cmmunicatin skills. It is a spectrum disrder, meaning that the symptms and characteristics can present themselves in a wide variety f cmbinatins, frm mild t severe. Autism is widely recgnized as a neurdevelpmental disrder that affects the functining f the brain. It is nt a behaviral, emtinal r cnduct disrder. It is nt a mental illness. There are n medical tests that can be used t diagnse autism. (Shriver, 1999) STATISTICS 1 in 1000 individuals are diagnsed with "classic" autism. 1 in 500 individuals are diagnsed within the autism spectrum, including Pervasive Develpmental Disrders. 1 in 200 individuals are diagnsed within the autism spectrum, including Pervasive Develpmental Disrders and Aspergers Syndrme. (Autism Sciety f Wiscnsin) Pervasive Develpmental Disrder-Nt Otherwise Specified is the diagnsis made fr children wh d nt meet the criteria fr a specific diagnsis, but there is a severe and pervasive impairment in specified behavirs. Asperger's Syndrme (Disrder) is characterized by impairments in scial interactins and the presence f restricted interests and activities, with n clinically significant general delay in language, and testing in the range f average t abve average intelligence. Every day 53 babies are brn in the United States wh will later be diagnsed with Autism Spectrum Disrders. (Autism Sciety f Wiscnsin) Autism is fur times mre prevalent in bys than in girls. It has n racial, ethnic r scial bundaries. Family incme, 1

2 lifestyle, and educatinal levels d nt affect the chance f autism's ccurrence. Research shws that 50% f children diagnsed with autism will remain mute thrughut their lives. (Natinal Institute f Mental Health) Apprximately 10% f autistic individuals have savant abilities. (Edelsn) Savant abilities refers extrardinary skills nt exhibited by mst persns. SYMPTOMS The Natinal Institute f Mental Health listed many f the symptms that might ccur with an autistic individual. Deficits in the area f cmmunicatin, scial interactin and explratin f envirnment are the three main areas cited. (Natinal Institute f Mental Health) Children and adults with autism typically have difficulties in verbal and nn-verbal cmmunicatin, scial interactins, and leisure play r activities. Steretypic (self-stimulatry) behavirs may be present, and in sme cases, aggressive and/r self-injurius behavirs might be present. CAUSES A specific cause f autism is unknwn. Current research links autism t bilgical and neurlgical differences in the brain. Studies f twins in the UK cnfirm that autism has a heritable cmpnent but suggest that envirnmental influences play a rle as well. By examining the inheritance f the disrder, researchers have shwn that autism des run in families, but nt in a clear-cut way. Siblings f peple with autism have a 3 t 8 percent chance f being diagnsed with the same disrder. (Rdier, 2000) Autism is nt caused by bad parenting. Autism is nt caused by "refrigeratr mms" as suggested by psychiatrist Brun Bettelheim in the 1950s. (Jnes, 1999) TREATMENTS Sensry Integratin Integratin and interpretatin f sensry stimulatin frm the envirnment by the brain. (Hatch-Rasmussen) Behaviral Interventins Early, intensive behaviral interventins may imprve utcmes fr children with autism and help them t achieve their maximum ptential. (Center fr Disease Cntrl) Diet 2

3 Peple with autism are mre susceptible t allergies and fd sensitivities than the average persn. (Edelsn) The mst cmmn fd sensitivity fr children with autism is t gluten and casein. Special diets, as described in Karyn Serussi's bk, may be helpful t sme children. (Serussi, 2000) Vitamin Therapy parents have reprted that they have tried B6/magnesium and /r DMG ften with gd r spectacular results (Rimland, 1994) TEACHING TIPS FOR CHILRDEN WITH AUTISM Use visuals Avid lng strings f verbal instructin Encurage develping child's special talents Use child's fixatins t mtivate schl wrk Use cncrete, visual methds t teach number cncepts Let child use a typewriter instead f writing Prtect child frm sunds that hurt their ears Place child near a windw and avid using flurescent lights Use weighted vests t calm nervus system Interact with child while they are swinging r rlled in a mat Dn't ask child t lk and listen at the same time Teach with tactile learning materials (sandpaper alphabet) Use printed wrds and pictures n flashcard Generalize teaching (Grandin, 2001) PARENTING A CHILD WITH A DISABILITY Seek the assistance f anther parent Rely n psitive resurces in yur life (church, cunselrs) Take it ne day at a time Learn the terminlgy Seek infrmatin (internet, supprt grups, library) D nt be intimidated Maintain a psitive utlk Find prgrams fr yur child Take care f yurself Decide hw t deal with thers Keep daily rutines as nrmal as pssible Knw that yu are nt alne Mst imprtantly, keep yur sense f humr (Smith, 2000) There are n knwn causes, n knwn cures and n gd answers as t hw t wrk with children with autism. Hwever, it is imprtant t dispel sme f the myths and mysteries f autism. View the enclsed PwerPint Presentatin regarding this subject. My gal is t d just that. 3

4 References Autism Sciety f America (2002) What is Autism? Retrieved March 17, 2002, frm Autism Sciety f Wiscnsin Autism Spectrum Disrders Statistics. Retrieved March 17, 2002, frm Center fr Disease Cntrl. FAQs abut Autism. Retrieved March 17, 2002, frm Edelsn, Stephen M. Allergies and Fd Sensitivities. Edelsn, Stephen M. Autistic Savant. Retrieved March 17, 2002, frm Grandin, Temple (2001) Teaching Tips fr Children and Adults with Autism. Hatch-Rasmussen, Cindy Sensry Integratin. Retrieved March 17, 2002, frm Jnes, Nancy (1999) Abut Autism: A Severe Disrder f the Nervus System. Nv99/jnes.pdf

5 Natinal Institute f Mental Health. Autism. Retrieved March 17, 2002, frm Rimland, Bernard (1994). The Secnd Great Autism Watershed. Retrieved July 23, 2003, frm Rdier, Patricia M. (2000). Early Origins f Autism. Scientific American, 282, Serussi, Karyn (2000). Unraveling the Mystery f Autism and Pervasive Develpmental Disrders. New Yrk, NY: Simn & Schuster Shriver, Mark D., Allen, Keith D., Mathews, Judith R. (1999). Effective assessment f the shared and unique characteristics f children with autism. The Schl Psychlgy Review, 28, Smith, Patricia McGill (2000) Yu Are Nt Alne: Fr Parents When They Learn That Their Child Has a Disability. Retrieved March 26, 2002, frm 2.html