What are our current knowledges about autism?
Now, it is accepted that autism is a neurodevelopmental (sometimes called neurobiological). The brain is the place where autism occurs, and not through physical abnormalities such as X-rays or physical examinations. Instead, the brain’s chemical and electrical activity is what makes it possible. Autism is more common in boys than girls, and it is a condition that can be treated. Autism can be effectively treated and there are many treatment options. We now know that early intervention is crucial in the treatment and prevention of autism. Although children with autism may progress along many paths, they will still have autism regardless of how similar they appear to others.
After all the talk about autism being an incurable condition and a lifelong condition, there are still people who believe it can be treated. New Orleans, Louisiana is currently studying interesting treatments. These include testing children with autism to determine if there is low levels of lead in their system and then treating them accordingly. According to the physician, this treatment has “cured” more than 1,500 children. Be aware that extreme and emphatic statements should be subject to rigorous scientific investigation. The types of assessments being done on these children in New Orleans do not favor Europe at the moment. check it out more about autism
What is autism?
Autism is a neurodevelopmental or neurobiological condition that can be described as highly variable. Autism is not the same for everyone. All people with autism share some common traits, however. These characteristics are known as the “Triad of Impairment”.
The Triad of Impairment is a group of three areas of development that has significant deficits.
1. Social impairment
2. Communication impairments, verbal and non-verbal
3. Impairments in thinking and behavior
1. Social interaction impairment
This group of autistic people can exhibit a variety of behaviors. These people can act very detached, acting as if they don’t exist, making little to no eye contact, and having faces that lack emotion. The passive group, which accepts the advances of others and can be made to join an activity as a passive participant, is less common. They are more likely to return eye contact with others. The “active but odd” subtype is another. These people are not attentive to others and can stare too long. They also tend to shake hands too often and too loudly. This last group is overly formalized and stilted. They are more formal than necessary, use language in a formal manner when they don’t need it, and are polite but not understanding social interactions. They have well-developed language skills, which can hide their social deficiencies.
2. Communication impairment
All people with autism have significant communication deficits. Their speech problems (expressive language) can range from not having any speech (about 20% of autism cases) to very well-developed speech. They repeat the words or phrases that are spoken to them (echolalia), or associate what they want with it (e.g. Instead of saying “I want you to play”, they will say “Does it interest you to play?” They may also be unable to understand speech (receptive languages). There are many things that can cause confusion between the sounds of words, such as: meat and meet. People with a well-developed expressive language often have difficulty with irony, sarcasm, and humor. Some people may struggle to understand when an object has multiple meanings (e.g. soup bowl, toilet bowl).
Autism sufferers can have difficulty with their voice modulation and expression, in addition to the receptive language problem. Sometimes they can sound robotic or speak in a monotone. Sometimes they may emphasize certain words’ intonation with excessive force. Sometimes they can be too loud and sometimes too quiet (more often).
Communication is not limited to speech. Human social interaction can only be smooth if non-verbal communication is understood. Autism sufferers may have difficulty understanding non-verbal communication. They might not be able interpret facial expressions or use them themselves. They might have unusual and bizarre body postures and gestures. They might not be able to understand the body positions and gestures of others.
3. Impairment in Thinking and Behaving
Autism sufferers have difficulty with imagination and play. It can make it difficult to share joy and sorrow with others because of the loss of ability to play. Autism is often characterized by repetitive and stereotypical movements or activities. They might want to touch, taste or smell things. They might be able to move things around in front of their eyes. They may also jump up and make loud noises. In severe cases, they might bang their heads on the floor or walls. Autism sufferers are driven to be consistent and maintain the sameness of their routines. People with autism are often anxious about routine changes. These behaviours and characteristics all point to a marked inflexibility in thinking or behaving.
Each autistic spectrum patient has a different set of deficits. It is important for autism professionals to personalize their intervention. Autism is a complex condition. There are no two autism cases alike. Some children may appear normal, but have subtle deficits.
