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(from the Autism Society of America)
Fact Sheet
Autism is one of five disorders coming under the umbrella of Pervasive
Developmental Disorders (PDD), a category of neurological disorders
characterized by "severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of
development," including social interaction and communications skills
(DSM-IV-TR).
The five disorders under PDD are
Each of
these disorders has specific diagnostic criteria as outlined by the
American Psychiatric Association (APA) in its Diagnostic & Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR).
Autism typically appears during the first three years of life. The
result of a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the
brain, autism and its associated behaviors have been estimated to
occur in 2 to 6 per 1,000 births (Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, 2003). Autism is four times more prevalent in boys than
girls and knows no racial, ethnic, or social boundaries. Family
income, lifestyle, and educational levels do not affect the chance of
autism's occurrence.
Autism is a spectrum disorder. The symptoms and characteristics of
autism can present themselves in a wide variety of combinations, from
mild to severe. Although autism is defined by a certain set of
behaviors, children and adults can exhibit any combination of the
behaviors in any degree of severity. Two children, both with the same
diagnosis, can act very differently from one another and have varying
skills.
Every person with autism is an individual, and like all individuals,
has a unique personality and combination of characteristics. Some
individuals mildly affected may exhibit only slight delays in language
and greater challenges with social interactions. The person may have
difficulty initiating and/or maintaining a conversation. Communication
is often described as talking at others (for example, monologue on a
favorite subject that continues despite attempts by others to
interject comments).
People with autism process and respond to information in unique ways.
In some cases, aggressive and/or self-injurious behavior may be
present. Persons with autism may also exhibit some of the following
traits.
-
Insistence
on sameness; resistance to change
-
Difficulty
in expressing needs; uses gestures or pointing instead of words
-
Repeating
words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language
-
Laughing,
crying, showing distress for reasons not apparent to others
-
Prefers to
be alone; aloof manner
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Tantrums
-
Difficulty
in mixing with others
-
May not
want to cuddle or be cuddled
-
Little or
no eye contact
-
Unresponsive to normal teaching methods
-
Sustained
odd play
-
Spins
objects
-
Inappropriate attachments to objects
-
Apparent
over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain
-
No real
fears of danger
-
Noticeable
physical over-activity or extreme under-activity
-
Uneven
gross/fine motor skills
-
Not
responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf although hearing tests in
normal range.
One of the
most devastating myths about autistic children is that they cannot
show affection. While sensory stimulation is processed differently in
some children with autism, they can and do give affection. But it may
require patience on a parent's part to accept and give love in the
child's terms.
Helpful Information:
For most of us, the integration of our senses helps us to understand
what we are experiencing. For example, our senses of touch, smell and
taste work together in the experience of eating a ripe peach: the feel
of the peach fuzz as we pick it up, its sweet smell as we bring it to
our mouth, and the juices running down our face as we take a bite. For
children with autism, sensory integration problems are common. Their
senses may be over-or under-active. The fuzz on the peach may actually
be experienced as painful; the smell may make the child gag. Some
children with autism are particularly sensitive to sound, finding even
the most ordinary daily noises painful. Many professionals feel that
some of the typical autism behaviors are actually a result of sensory
integration difficulties.
There are no medical tests for diagnosing autism. An accurate
diagnosis must be based on observation of the individual's
communication, behavior, and developmental levels. However, because
many of the behaviors associated with autism are shared by other
disorders, various medical tests may be ordered to rule out or
identify other possible causes of the symptoms being exhibited.
Research indicates that early diagnosis is associated with
dramatically better outcomes for individuals with autism. The earlier
a child is diagnosed, the earlier the child can begin benefiting from
one of the many specialized intervention approaches.
As part of a well-baby/well-child visit, your child's doctor should do
a "developmental screening" asking specific questions about your
baby's progress. The National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development (NICHD) lists these five behaviors that signal further
evaluation is warranted:
-
Does not
babble or coo by 12 months
-
Does not
gesture (point, wave, grasp) by 12 months
-
Does not
say single words by 16 months
-
Does not
say two-word phrases on his or her own by 24 months
-
Has any
loss of any language or social skill at any age.
Having any
of these five "red flags" does not mean your child has autism, but
because the characteristics of the disorder vary so much, a child
should have further evaluations by a multidisciplinary team that may
include a neurologist, psychologist, developmental pediatrician,
speech/language therapist, learning consultant, or other professionals
knowledgeable about autism.
While there is no one behavioral or communications test that can
detect autism, several screening instruments have been developed that
are now used in diagnosing autism.
1. CARS rating system (Childhood Autism Rating Scale), developed by
Eric Schopler in the early 1970s, is based on observed behavior. Using
a 15-point scale, professionals evaluate a child's relationship to
people, body use, adaptation to change, listening response, and verbal
communication.
2. The Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (CHAT) is used to screen for
autism at 18 months of age. It was developed by Simon Baron-Cohen in
the early 1990s to see if autism could be detected in children as
young as 18 months. The screening tool uses a short questionnaire with
two sections, one prepared by the parents, the other by the child's
family doctor or pediatrician.
3. The Autism Screening Questionnaire is a 40 item screening scale
that has been used with children four and older to help evaluate
communication skills and social functioning.
4. The Screening Test for Autism in Two-Year Olds, being developed by
Wendy Stone at Vanderbilt, uses direct observations to study
behavioral features in children under two. She has identified three
skills areas - play, motor imitation, and joint attention - that seem
to indicate autism.
Whether you or your child's pediatrician is the first to suspect
autism, your child will need to be referred to someone who specializes
in diagnosing autism spectrum disorders. This may be a developmental
pediatrician, a psychiatrist or psychologist. Other professionals may
be included who are better able to observe and test your child in
specific areas.
This multidisciplinary assessment team may include some or all of the
following professionals. They may also be involved in treatment
programs.
-
Developmental pediatrician - Treats health problems of children with
developmental delays.
-
Child
psychiatrist - A medical doctor who may be involved in the initial
diagnosis; can prescribe medication and provide help in behavior,
emotional adjustment and social relationships
-
Clinical
psychologist - Specializes in understanding the nature and impact of
developmental disabilities including autism spectrum disorders. May
perform psychological and assessment tests and may help with behavior
modification and social skills training.
-
Occupational therapist - Focuses on practical, self-help skills that
will aid in daily living such as dressing, eating; may work on sensory
integration, coordination of movement, and fine motor skills.
-
Physical
therapist - Helps to improve the use of bones, muscles, joints, and
nerves to develop muscle strength, coordination and motor skills.
-
Speech/language therapist - Involved in the improvement of
communication skills including speech and language.
-
Social
Worker - May provide counseling services or act as case manager
helping to arrange services.
Resources:
Autism Society of Georgia
Autism
Society of America - Northeast Georgia Chapter
Autism Society of America
Autism Spectrum Disorders (National Institutes of Mental Health)
Autism/PDD
Network
Cure
Autism Now
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The impact of a
disability can always be lessened to some degree by early intervention. |
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