Autism Spectrum Disorders

Introduction

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of developmental disorders affecting social interaction a child, his / her communication skills and behaviors and interests. Autistic spectrum disorders may also be called pervasive developmental disorders (PDD).Symptoms of ASD include mild to severe disabilities.  ASD affects approximately one in every 175 children. Researchers do not know for sure what the exact cause of these disorders.Apparently, due to genetic or hereditary factors, but can also result from prenatal problems or other nongenetic factors. Being a parent of a child that he / she suffers from an ASD can be difficult. While there is no cure for these disorders, early identification and intensive intervention when the child is young to be achieved further improvements.

Discussion and Analysis

Today, more and more necessary in scientific terminology the expression of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) to describe the variety of clinical profiles in people with autism or Pervasive Developmental Disorders.These clinical profiles, behavioral and cognitive individuals with ASD, are numerous and vary not only in terms of individuals (as they may present as normal intelligence, a profound mental retardation, upper), but also for the same person depending on the ages of his life. The common ASDs are alterations (to varying degrees) occurring before the age of three, in the following areas: reciprocal social interaction, verbal and nonverbal behavior and restricted interests. These three areas are commonly called "the autistic triad." If the profiles are so diverse, methods and intervention programs that are offered to people with ASDs are equally so. Some types of interventions or treatments also carry designs of autism etiology of their own, even in partial disagreement with the latest results of international scientific research.  (Lord, pp: 90-96)

However, the "Guides to Good Practice" European but also international exist, to know exactly what is scientifically validated and effective in working with people with ASD. These guides come from international experts who evaluated the effectiveness of each proposed treatment for people with ASD (see details in the bibliography given by the document of Autism Europe copied below). DGAS (General Directorate of Social Action) even noted in his report on the proposed therapeutic practices in autism: "This led us to describe practices widely used in France but paradoxically have not been scientific assessments and on the other hand, little or no practical use in our country but for which we have many studies on their level of effectiveness. 

Thus, since there is an international consensus of good practice for the intervention of individuals with ASD, no professional dealing with these people should ignore it. Any professional working in the care of people with ASD, should ethics and honesty by proposing another type of treatment that has been evaluated and recommended by international scientific experts, as a warranty and a maximum efficiency and development opportunities for people with ASD. The most basic therapeutic ethic, the one with all codes of professional ethics, medical, paramedical or psychological refer requires that "The establishment of a therapy is the subject of ethical reflection in the sense that it must establish the best treatment for a disease ...