Autism

Essay by jasmyn76University, Bachelor'sA+, August 2007

download word file, 8 pages 3.0

When the topic of Autism is brought there are many thoughts that run through people's minds, some of them are true and some of them are not. There are also many different levels of severity when it comes to Autism, or Autism spectrum disorder. This paper will help to better explain what Autism is and what people who live with it face on a daily basis.

What is AutismAutism is a developmental disability characteristically disturbing the processing, integrating, and organizing of information that considerably impacts communication, social interaction, functional skills, and educational performance. Autism generally appears during the first three years of life. Autism is a spectrum disorder and it affects each person differently. (Autism Society of America, n.d.)Autism affects boys 3 to 4 times more often than girls. However, the exact number of children is unknown but believes to more common than previously thought by the United States Disease Control and Prevention.

(MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, 2007)Autism spectrum disorder exhibits differing forms. The most common is The Pervasive Development Disorders (PDD) defined in the DMV-IV by the American Psychiatric Academy. (Autism Society of America, n.d.) These disorders are the most severe and include critical disorders in verbal and nonverbal language and unusual behaviors. Another PDD disorder is Asperger's Syndrome, which involves relatively good verbal language, with "milder" nonverbal language problems and restricted range of interests and related behaviors. Other PDD disorders are Rett's Disorder and Fragile X Syndrome.

DiagnosisThere are many different ways to diagnosis autism. Some of the screenings are: 2) CARS rating system (Childhood Autism Rating Scale) is based on observed behavior. CARS rating system uses a 15-point scale to evaluate a child's relationship to people ,his or her body use and adaptation to change, listening responses, and verbal communication; 2) The Checklist for Autism in...