AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS

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Autism spectrum disorders

About Autism spectrum disorders

The term pertains to a complex health disorder that refers to mental disabilities. It is defined as “a lifelong mental disability that affects the way a person communicates and relates to people around him”. It has several other definitions, such as, it is a mental disorder that refers to a perplexed set of mental disorders that leads an individual to the difficulties in communication, socialization, as well as, interest in the world around him. It is found out that the disorders often follow the course of the development of the child, and usually appear sometime after birth (Worth, 2005).

The disorders are often identified from the unusual and unexpected delays in the development, as well as, abnormal functioning behavior. They are also termed as “pervasive developmental disorders” entailing that they have to do with the mental and cognitive developmental abilities. The term 'Spectrum' refers to a wide range of functions, behaviors and skills that are impaired. The impairment of skills, as well as, the extent of disability varies from person to person. For some individuals, the impairment is mild and manageable, whereas, for others it could be severe ranging to multiple skills, functions and behaviors.

In the year 1991, autism became a special category in schools, and therefore, children suffering from any of the Autistic disorders would be treated with special care in school and other public places. The disorder is a product of brain functioning along with other factors such as environment, as well as, genetic factors. These disorders are mostly found in children born with normal brain functioning, and therefore, they are diagnosed a little later than the time of birth in such cases (Worth, 2005).

Types of autistic spectrum disorders

These disorders are classified into three broader categories. Each category pertains to a different level of impairment and functioning difficulties. These are enlisted and explained as under;

Autism

It is often termed as 'the classic autism'. It comprises of neural development problem leading to impairment of social interaction, as well as, verbal and non-verbal communication, as well as, stereotyped and repetitive behavior.

Scope

The autism disorder has a strong genetic base, that is, it is often caused by the genetics of the child. The disorder is caused due to the disturbance of the information processing mechanism in the brain. It changes the way nerve cells and their synapses organize and connect with each other. The disorder is classified under a type of neuro-developmental disorders (Ruble & Gallagher, 2004).

Asperger's disorder

The disorder that comprises of difficulties in social interaction, as well as, nonverbal communication, the subjects lack nonverbal communication skills, have limited tendency to get along with their peers, as well as, stay physically clumsy. It is a high-functioning autism, whereas, the effectiveness of medical interventions have not been so productive in supporting the treatment.

Scope

The disorder begins in infancy or early childhood and has a steady growth. The disorder supports genetic causes; however, it is characterized by impairments of social interaction, repetitive ...