The symptoms of autism and the definition of autism is covered
by a few different organizations. The following will help you discover
what some typical autism symptoms are and will give you a better
understanding of the autistic disorder.
The following definition is from the Autism Society of
America:
AUTISM is a severely incapacitating lifelong developmental disability
that typically appears during the first three years of life. It
occurs in approximately fifteen out of every 10,000 births and is
four times more common in boys than girls. It has been found throughout
the world in families of all racial, ethnic and social backgrounds.
No known factors in the psychological environment of a child have
been shown to cause autism.
The symptoms are caused by physical disorders of the brain. They
include:
Disturbances in the rate of appearance of physical, social and
language skills.
Abnormal responses to sensations. Any one or a combination of senses
or responses are affected: sight, hearing, touch, pain, balance,
smell, taste, and the way a child holds his body.
Speech and language are absent or delayed while specific thinking
capabilities might be present.
Abnormal ways of relating to people, objects and events.
Autism occurs by itself or in association with other disorders which
affect the function of the brain such as viral infections, metabolic
disturbances, and epilepsy. It is important to distinguish autism
from retardation or mental disorders since diagnostic confusion
may result in referral to inappropriate and ineffective treatment
techniques. The severe form of the syndrome may include extreme
self-injurious, repetitive, highly unusual and aggressive behavior.
Special educational programs using behavioral methods have proven
to be the most helpful treatment.
AUTISM IS TREATABLE -- Early diagnosis and intervention are vital
to the future development of the child.
Note: an example of a dictionary-definition of autism is: "absorption
in fantasy as escape from reality". Obviously there is a big
difference between the traditional definition documented by dictionaries
and the syndrome this memo addresses. The difference stems from
changes in word usage: in the 30s and 40s, psychologists first observed
a number of children with the above symptoms and called it "early
infantile autism", borrowing the word "autism" which
had already been applied by psychologists to describe people who
try to escape from reality. Today, most discussion of autism (at
least in the USA) centers on children diagnosed as having "early
infantile autism" and everyone refers to it simply as "autism".
But occasionally there is confusion when someone who means "early
infantile autism" talks to someone who is thinking of the original
definition. In this document, we will use the term "autism"
in the sense of "early infantile autism" and refer explicitly
to "early infantile autism" only when discussing both
senses of the word.
The definition of the syndrome listed above is oriented to children,
but note that such children do not outgrow their autism. Much of
the literature on autism deals with children because educating them
is such a big issue that more research, education, and writing on
autism is about children than adults.
The following is from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM IV):
DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA FOR 299.00 AUTISTIC DISORDER
A. A total of six (or more) items from (1), (2), and (3), with at
least two from (1), and one each from (2) and (3)
(1) qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested
by
at least two of the following:
a) marked impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors
such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body posture, and
gestures to regulate social interaction
b) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to
developmental level
c) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests,
or
achievements with other people, (e.g., by a lack of showing,
bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)
d) lack of social or emotional reciprocity ( note: in the
description, it gives the following as examples: not actively
participating in simple social play or games, preferring solitary
activities, or involving others in activities only as tools or
"mechanical" aids )
(2) qualitative impairments in communication as manifested by
at
least one of the following:
a) delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language
(not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative
modes of communication such as gesture or mime)
b) in individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the
ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others
c) stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic
language
d) lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social
imitative play appropriate to developmental level
(3) restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior,
interests and activities, as manifested by at least two of the
following:
a) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and
restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in
intensity or focus
b) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional
routines or rituals
c) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g hand or finger
flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
d) persistent preoccupation with parts of objects
B. Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following
areas, with onset prior to age 3 years:
(1) social interaction
(2) language as used in social communication
(3) symbolic or imaginative play
C. The disturbance is not better accounted for by Rett's Disorder
or Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
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