Autism

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Articles from an alternate point of view:

Most autistic people see autism as a unique way of being. They do not see autism as a disorder and do not want a cure. They see autism as a subculture, with a similar spirit as Deaf culture.

To psychiatry and the medical community, autism is a complex pervasive developmental disorder that involves the functioning of the brain. It is a neurological disability and not simply a psychiatric disorder, even though typical characteristics include problems with social relationships and emotional communication, as well as stereotyped patterns of interests, activities and behaviors. It also involves problems with sensory integration. Typically, it appears during the first three years of life. It is estimated that it occurs in approximately 2 to 6 in 1,000 individuals, and is diagnosed 4 times more often in males than females (source: The Autism Society of America [1]).

As of 2004, autism is treatable, but not curable (although there is an organization called "Cure Autism Now"). Early diagnosis and intervention are vital to the future development of the child.

Contents

Severity of symptoms

Autism presents in a wide degree of severity, from those who are nearly dysfunctional and apparently mentally retarded to those whose symptoms are mild or remediated enough to appear unexceptional to acquaintances.

"Low" and "High-functioning"

In terms of both classification and therapy, autistic individuals are often divided into those with an IQ<80 referred to as suffering from "low-functioning autism", while those with IQ>80 are referred to as having "high functioning autism" (HFA).

Asperger's and Kanner's syndrome

Of the most common presentations of autism, Kanner's syndrome is often described as classical autism, implying low-functioning, while Asperger's syndrome is described as a high-functioning form of autism, but this is not necessarily the case.

In the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) the most significant difference between Autistic Disorder (Kanner's) and Asperger's Disorder is that a diagnosis of the former includes the observation of "[d]elays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years: (1) social interaction, (2) language as used in social communication, or (3) symbolic or imaginative play[,]" [2] while in these areas a diagnosis of Asperger's observes "no clinically significant delay." [3]

The DSM makes no mention of level of intellectual functioning, but the fact that Asperger's sufferers as a group tend to perform better than those with Autistic Disorder has fed the popular conception that Asperger's Syndrome is synonymous with HFA, or that it is a lesser disorder than autism.

Autism has evolved in the public understanding, but the popular identification of autism with such severe cases as accurately presented in Rain Man is an encouragement for relatives of family members diagnosed in the autistic spectrum to speak of their loved ones as suffering from Asperger's rather than autism.

Autism as a spectrum disorder

Another view of these disorders is that they are on a continuum, so can be known as autistic spectrum disorders. Another related continuum is Sensory Integration Dysfunction which is about how well we integrate the information we receive from our senses. Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, and Sensory Integration Dysfunction are all closely related and overlap.

Some high-achieving individuals are thought to have suffered from autism to some degree. However, autism is more frequently found in individuals with learning disabilities.

There are two main types of autism, regressive autism and early infantile autism. Early infantile autism is present at birth while regressive autism begins at 18 months.


Aspects of autism

Some things to mention here:

  • Autism, asperger increasingly seen as a continuum of social capability.
  • Recent (very controversial) research in the UK suggesting a possible link between autism and the MMR vaccine.
  • The analysis of autism as "mind blindness"—the inability to create models of other people's thoughts. the typical example of this is "where does X look for the object they stored, but which was moved by Y"—see theory of mind.
  • Recent claims that autism is probably precipitated by mercury/heavy metal toxicity (is there any confirmation for this in the mainstream medical literature?)
  • RDI is a treatment program targeting the core social/relationship deficits of autism.

Autism in adults

Autobiographies of autistic adults

Both Oliver Sacks and Torey Hayden have written about their autistic patients or pupils, respectively. Temple Grandin has also written about her own life as a person with autism. Donna Williams (Autism: an inside-out approach, ISBN 1-85302-387-6) gives an interesting perspective on the experience of the autistic person.

See also

External links


References

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