Autism is a neurobiological disorder that affects a person's
physical, social, and language
skills. An autistic's ability to interpret and use words, gestures,
and facial expressions are
impaired. No one knows what causes autism. Researchers think that
autism may be structural
abnormalities of the brain, a biochemical imbalance in the central
nervous system, or simply
genetic factors. This disorder cannot be prevented because nobody
knows what causes it.
There are many symptoms to identify autism. Social detachment
and unresponsiveness is
one way to identify it. Children (especially babies) won't smile
or reach out to be cuddled. They
don't play with other children and they live in a world of their
own. Autistics also have little
awareness of others or of others' feelings. They also may seem
unaware of pain, heat, or cold and may have self-injurious behavior.
Another symptom is abnormal language. Many autistics have problems
speaking and understanding language. Some may never speak, and
others, when they do speak, may sound mechanical or the language
may even be delayed. Also, words and phrases may be repetitive
because many autistics have an insistence on sameness. They are
very intolerant of changes in their environment and daily routines.
Another symptom of autism is having unusual movements, such as
repeating the same
motions over and over again. They may also be hyperactive and
move from one place to another
with no apparent purpose. Negativism is often associated with
autism because autistics
intentionally do not comply with the requests of their parents
or teachers. The main reason
autistics do not comply with requests or instructions are because
the request is often too complicated or the language is too advanced
for them to understand.
Some autistics have a mechanical fascination where they are more
interested in physical
objects rather than people. Many of them also have special skills,
such as being very gifted in
math, drawing precise pictures, or memorizing complex things (i.e.
phonebooks).
Autism isn't a mental retardation (like many may believe) but
the two disorders may
co-exist with each other. There are numerous treatments, however,
to help autistics learn useful
and social skills. One way to do this is to reward them when they
achieve a task. Some even need to take medication to control hyperactivity.
Pre-school and other school programs are offered to autistics
that offer a highly structured balance of academic, functional
and vocational skills.
The future of highly functioning autistics (with the right treatment)
is very good. Many are
able to hold down steady jobs, do well in school, learn to be
more socially involved, and can even
be independent and live on their own. Low-functioning autistics,
on the other hand, may never be
independent, speak, communicate, and may need constant aid and
supervision. The medical future for autism is that researchers
are currently trying to discover what causes this disorder so
that some day we can all understand autism better, develop better
treatments, and maybe even one dayfind a prevention for it.
Laura Wing
Bibliography-
- World Book Encyclopedia Copyright 1996 Volume A, pages 941-942
