According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological condition that affects communication, social interaction, and leisure skills. It’s characterized by three symptom domains, social relatedness, communication, and repetitive & ritualistic behaviors. It occurs before three years of age. ASD is a general term used to communicate an individual’s challenges. Persons functioning on the autism spectrum share similar features but their skills and deficits may vary widely. A person living on the autism spectrum will display varying degrees of challenges in the area of social functioning, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors.
Social relatedness
- Impair their ability to interact with peers or adults
- Affect their desire to
- Autism appears to have its roots in very early brain development. However, the most obvious signs of autism and symptoms of autism tend to emerge between 2 and 3 years of age
- Individuals with ASD suffer from cognitive impairments, though some have typical or above average IQs.
- About 40 percent of people with ASD have average to above average intellectual abilities.
- About one third of people with ASD are nonverbal but can learn to communicate using other means.
Communication
- Difficulties with vocal verbal communication (30-40% can’t speak)
- Difficulties with nonverbal communication (eye contact or body language)
- All communicate differently
- Vocally with speech
- Augmentative communication device (ipad)
- Sign language or a modified version
- PECS
Repetitive & ritualistic behaviors
- Motor stereotopy ( hand flapping, rocking, spinning, etc.)
- Lining up objects – may appear like OCD but these are quite different
- Vocal stereotopy (squeals, noises, matching pitch)
- Echolalia
Other signs & symptoms – behaviorally
- Motor hyperactivity – like ADHD
- Difficulty focusing
- Self-injury
- need for helmet, gloves, etc
- Behavioral challenges, in some cases, such as aggression, pica, etc.
- Elopement/wandering/bolting
- Lack of safety awareness
- Tracking/monitoring devices
- Insistence on sameness, resistance to change
- Inflexibility with routines
- Schedule oriented
- Difficulty with change
- Trouble waiting
- Other medical conditions
- Wheelchair
- Stroller
- Other medical equipment
- allergies
Other points
- Autism now affects 1 in 68 children
- Boys are nearly five times more likely than girls to have autism
- An estimated 1 out of 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls are diagnosed with autism in the United States.
- ASD affects over 3 million individuals in the U.S. and tens of millions worldwide.
- Autism is one of the fastest-growing developmental disorders in the U.S.
- Associated Medical Conditions with ASD:
- Genetic Disorders (Fragile X syndrome, Angelman syndrome, tuberous sclerosis)
- Gastrointestinal (GI) Disorders
- Seizure Disorders- Between 30-50%of people with autism have seizures.
- Sleep Dysfunction
- Sensory Processing Problems
- The most effective treatments available today are applied behavioral analysis (ABA) and occupational, speech and physical therapy, which have proven to be the most effective.
- There is no cure for autism, and most individuals with ASD will need support and services throughout their lifetime.
- Many supposed “cures” for autism advertised on the internet are not backed through scientific studies and can be harmful.
