Autism is a neuro-developmental disorder. Language and communication skills are deeply affected by autism; therefore it is difficult for those with autism to interact in social situations. There is a spectrum of disabilities related to autism, sometimes called pervasive developmental disorders. These disorders can range from mild to severe (Sathrum 36).
Symptoms of autism generally appear by the time a child is three years old. Boys are much more likely than girls to have autism. Some symptoms of autism are speech problems, avoiding eye contact, impulsive behavior, need for routine, and repetitive movements (Goin and Myers 5-12).
Autism is diagnosed when a child displays all three of the following signs: delayed speech and language, difficulty with social contact, and repetitive or odd behaviors (Sathrum 36). All of the signs must occur before age three, but a child is not typically diagnosed with autism until three years of age or later. A late diagnosis may occur because the signs of autism may appear to be another childhood disorder; however, early diagnosis is important (Goin and Myers 5-12). Even though children are not typically diagnosed with autism until three years of age, autism is present from birth (Barrett 8-9).
Scientists continue to study the causes of autism, since an exact cause is not yet known for sure. It was recently thought that vaccines are the cause of autism, but scientists have proved that theory wrong (Wong 133). Currently, scientists are testing the theory that "autism is a systemwide lack of communication among otherwise functional brain areas." In other words, this theory suggests that people with autism have normal areas of the brain, but the areas are not connected to each other (Strand 26).
In a school setting, education professionals need to work with autistic children in an effort to improve social communication and behavior. In order to do this, education professionals may use a process called applied behavior analysis, also known as ABA. The ABA process involves the use of positive reinforcement, repetition, and prompting. In using ABA, an education professional discovers the reasons an autistic child behaves in a particular way and uses repetition and positive reinforcement to cause a positive change in the target behavior (O'Brien…
Sample Source(s) Used
Bibliography
Barrett, Rowland P. "Is There an Autism Epidemic?" Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter 20.4 (2004): 8-9.
Carothers, Douglas E., and Ronald L. Taylor. "How Teachers and Parents Can Work Together to Teach Daily Living Skills to Children with Autism." Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities 19.2 (2004): 102-104.
George, O'Brien. "Progress - in Small Bites." Business West 20.12 (2004): 73-75.
Goin, Robin P., and Barbara J. Myers. "Characteristics of Infantile Autism: Moving Toward Earlier Detection." Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities 19.1 (2004): 5-12.
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