Autism and Dance Therapy

Essay by sweetdin14College, UndergraduateA, November 2009

download word file, 6 pages 5.0

Autism is one of the most serious disorders that concern us to study because there are still many unanswered questions. Understanding the possible causes of autism is essential, for quick approach to treatment in situations. As of yet there is no specific cause or cure for autism however, only a variety of treatments are available. One of these traditional teaching methods used in the quest to cure autism is dance therapy. Dance therapy is a form of therapy that has been popular within different groups of people, but most importantly it has become a good go to for autistic children.

First, it makes sense to answer the question of what exactly is autism and how does one distinguish the difference between an autistic child and a normal functioning child. As stated in the book Dance and Other Expressive Art and Therapies: When words are not enough, that "autism is not a disease.

It is a behaviorally defined developmental disability that affects sociability, language, and a variety of brain functions" (Levy, 191). Autism is not something that can be transmitted from person to person. It is a brain development disorder where a child falls behind in speaking and functioning in day-to-day situations. The disparity between an autistic child and a normal functioning child is in behavior, "the autistic pattern of behavior can be associated with mental retardation of varying degrees of severity, with average intelligence, or even, in rare cases, with above average intelligence"(Erfer, P.194). Unfortunately there is no definite explanation as to why this growing disability is becoming more prominent and common amongst young children. However it is evident that this problem arises from genes and is hereditary but doctors as of now are unable to pinpoint which gene. It is also apparent that autism is "some form of organic...