autism

 Most reputable scientists now think that autism has existed through the history of humankind. Some have speculated that ancient legends about "changelings" are actually stories of children with autism. Celtic mythology is redolent with stories of elves and visitors from "the other side" who steal a human child and leave their very own damaged child in its place. The little one put aside is generally mute, remote and distant, staring into space and unresponsive to its adult caretakers. We ought to keep in mind that in times gone by, and in certain cultures today, children that are unlike the average expected child are seen to be victims of evil or some sort autism.

In 1801 the French physician Itard took into his care a child who had been found wandering naked in the forest. It absolutely was believed during the time that the boy had lived alone in the forest since early childhood. The boy could not speak and was unresponsive to human contact. He's come to be referred to as "sauvage de l'Aveyron," or "wild boy of Aveyron" ;.Itard's tireless efforts to greatly help this boy mark the start of special educaiton. Although autism was not a term used during the time there are those that speculate that the wild boy of Aveyron was a child with autism.

The true history of autism dates back only one century to enough time of the Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler. In 1911 Bleuler was currently talking about several people then identified as having schizophrenia. In his writing he coined the definition of "autism" to describe their seeming near total absorption with themselves and distance from others.

Writing in the early 1920's, Carl Gustav Jung introduced the terminology of extrovert and introvert. Jung viewed these personality types as being contained in all people to 1 degree or another. However he noted that in extreme cases, cases that in the language of his day were called "neurotic", an individual could become totally absorbed into himself or herself.

It was not before the late 1930's and early 1940's in America that the definition of "autism" joined the state psychiatric nomenclature. Psychiatrists Leo Kanner, who started dealing with a certain group of children in 1938, and Hans Asperger, both publishing findings and writing in 1943 and 1944, wrote about sets of children they had studied and called either "autistic" or children with "autistic psychopathy" ;.Both authors believe these children displayed a constellation of symptoms which were unique and represented a syndrome not previously identified. As the kids they studied seemed unable to take part in normal human relationships they borrowed Bleuler's term "autism" to recognize the syndrome. The defining difference between the work of Kanner and Asperger and that of Bleuler is that for the former two the problem they describe exists at birth while for Bleuler the problem appears much later in life.

Another important difference in these early pioneers of autism is that Kanner group is quite self-contained and comprised of individual all sharing the exact same "core" symptoms. Asperger's group is quite wide, including the kids like Kanner's to children with near normal characteristics. The vestiges of these two differing descriptions, now bearing the names of the illustrious "discoverers" remains to the day. In the literature and in lay terminology we still hear people described as having "Kanner's autism" or "Asperger's syndrome.

Around enough time of Kanner and Asperger another famous, indeed in autism circles infamous, name appears. This is Bruno Bettelheim. In 1944 Bettelheim directed the Orthogenic School for Children in Chicago, Illinois. There he worked out their own theory of the explanation for autism and started intervention programmes. Bettelheim believed that autism was a consequence of children being raised in severely unstimulating environments in their early years. He believed it absolutely was parents, particularly mothers, who were unresponsive to their children that caused autism. The unfortunate term "refrigerator mother" arose during this time.

Although Bettelheim's psychological theories were eventually discredited it was not for many years that science advanced to the stage that mother's were not blamed for autism. Indeed, the author's own post-graduate training in the mid to late 70's was characterised by lectures about "refrigerator mothers" having caused autism. The legacy of Bettelheim's theory is without a doubt certainly one of terrible harm inflicted on so many mothers for so many years. [I cannot help but wonder when we obviously have progressed since I have frequently heard mothers of children with autism being described as "over-anxious", "clinging", "over-involved" and "pushy or aggressive" by some educators, psychologists and physicians]

From the 1980's onward considerable research has been undertaken to uncover the "cause" of autism. So many theories have come forward: genetic, environmental, toxins, endocrine, metabolic, unusual reactions to certain foods or additives and the existing favourite, immunizations. Despite all of this theorising autism still remains a puzzle. Little scientifically valid evidence supports any particular theory and research continues into the explanation for autism.

What do we know about autism?

It is now and accepted proven fact that autism is a neurodevelopment (sometimes called neurobiological) condition. This places the site of autism within the human brain itself, not in the proper execution of physical brain abnormalities that appear on physical examination or X-ray, but instead in the chemical and electrical activity of the brain. It is understand that autism exists at birth, is more common amongst boys than girls and is a life-long condition without "cure" ;.We realize that autism may be treated effectively and there are certainly a wide amount of treatment plans available. It is now known that education is specially important in the treating autism and that early intervention is critically important. Children born with autism can improve along a number of pathways but they will will have autism irrespective of how seemingly like others they could become.

Having said that which was said about autism being incurable and a life-long condition there are those that say it may be cured. Interesting types of treatment being studied in New Orleans, Louisiana involve testing children with autism for low-level presence of lead in there system, then providing treatment to eradicate any traces of autism. This is said to possess "cured" over 1,500 children of the problem (personal conversation with the lead physician). It must be cautioned that such extreme and emphatic statements should be put to the rigorous test of scientific study and that the types of assessments being completed on these children in New Orleans are not in favour in Europe at the moment.

What is autism?

The neurodevelopment or neurobiological condition referred to as autism is highly variable. No two people with autism are alike. Having said that, all people who have autism share common characteristics. These characteristics exist along what is called the "Triad of Impairment" ;.

The Triad of Impairment includes significant deficits across three developmental areas:

1. Social impairment
2. Verbal and non-verbal communication impairment
3. Impairments of thinking and behaving

1. Impairment of Social Interaction

There are many sub-types of behaviours that characterise this group of people who have autism. They can be very aloof, behaving as though other folks did not exist at all, making little or no eye contact and have faces that seem to lack any emotional display whatever. Less common could be the passive group who will accept the advances of others, may be resulted in participate as a passive partner within an activity and who return a person's eye contact of others. Another subtype has been called the "active but odd group" ;.These people pay no attention to others, have poor eye contact and may stare too much time and often shake hands way too vigorously and strongly. The past subtype could be the overly formal and stilted group. They tend to use language really formal way when it is not required, are excessively polite and attempt to stay glued to the principles of social interaction but don't really understand then. They tend to have ripped language skills that will mask their real social deficits.

2. Impairment of Communication

Significant deficits in communication exist, to 1 degree or another, in all people who have autism. They may have problems is using speech (expressive language), including having no speech at all (about 20% of cases) to possess very ripped speech. They make repeat words spoken for them (echolalia) or repeat phrases they keep company with something they want (e.g. "Do you want to play" rather than "I wish to play"). They'll also have deficits in understanding speech (receptive language). Confusing between sounds of words may be present (e.g. meat and meet). Difficulty with irony, sarcasm and humour is often found in those with well-developed expressive language. They may have problems understanding when a thing has more than one meaning (e.g. soup bowl, toilet bowl).

Along with the problem listed about in receptive language people who have autism can frequently have significant difficulty with modulating their tone of voice and putting expression into what they say. They can sometimes sound robotic and talk to a droning monotone. Sometimes they could emphasise the intonation of certain words with unnecessary force. Sometimes they are too loud, sometimes too quiet (more frequent).

It is essential to recognise that communication is a lot more than speech. Non-verbal communication is important for human social interaction to proceed smoothly. Individuals with autism have deficits in understand non-verbal communication. They may not have the ability to interpret facial expression or to use it themselves. They may have odd and unusual body posture and gestures. They may not understand your body posture and gestures of others.

3. Impairment of Thinking and Behaving

Individuals with autism have pronounced difficulty with play or imagining. The possible lack of the capacity to play features a profound effect on the capacity to understand the emotions of others therefore sharing joy or sorrow with another may be impossible. Repetitive and stereotyped movements or activities are often contained in autism. They might want to taste, touch or smell things. They may have a need certainly to twirl things before their eyes. Sometimes they could jump up and down and make loud noises. In more severe cases they could bang their heads against walls or floor or pull and scratch at their skin. Individuals with autism have a solid dependence on consistency and sameness. They become unsettled when routine changes autism. All these behaviours and characteristics point out a pronounced inflexibility in thinking and behaving.