Introduction
Autism is the most rapid growing developmental disorder in the U.S. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both similar terms for a group of complicated disorders of brain development. Spectrum Disorders are characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and communication skills with the presence of extremely odd behaviors. Autism is a spectrum condition meaning that while all individuals with autism share somewhat common challenges in their conditions they will all be affected differently. Social communication, interaction and imagination are three main areas of which all of those with autism share. Numerous individuals with ASDs have distinct ways of learning and behaving towards certain situations. Autism …show more content…
The word "autism" comes from the Greek word "autos" meaning "self" describing conditions in which the individual isolates him or herself from social interaction. In the 1940s, researchers in the U.S began to use the term "autism” to describe children with social and emotional problems. Dr. Leo Kenner of the John Hopkins hospital used the term to describe the withdrawn behavior of the several adolescents he studied in 1943. Dr. Leo Kenner reported that the children showed a marked lack of interest in other people but a highly unusual interest in the inanimate environment. Initially, autism was thought to be an early form of schizophrenia, which led to the belief that its onset could be cause by bad parenting or negative experience. In the 1960s researchers began to have a better understanding of autism in children. Research into treatments for autism focused on medications, electric shock, LSD (hallucinating drug) and behavioral change techniques from the 1960s through 1970s.The role of highly controlled learning environments and behavioral therapy became the primary treatments for multiple forms of autism related conditions during the 1980s and 1990s. Currently, autism therapy consists of language and behavioral …show more content…
In many families, there appears to be a pattern of autism or related disabilities further supporting the theory that the disorder has a genetic basis. Other researchers are looking into problems during pregnancy or delivery as well as environmental factors such as metabolic imbalances, viral infections and exposure to chemicals. Some harmful substances ingested during pregnancy also have been associated with an increased risk of autism. Researchers are investigating a number of theories, including the links among heredity, genetic and medical problems. According to officials at the National Institutes of Health, while there is most likely a genetic predisposition there must be an environmental factor in autism. The great increase in the rate of autism over the last 20 years cannot be attributed entirely to genetics. The theory that parental practices are responsible for autism has been disproven. While current science diminish vaccinations as a cause, members of the National Autism Association feel that vaccinations can trigger or worsen autism in some individual. Members of the National Autism Association also feel that an overly aggressive vaccination schedule linked with toxic adjuvants in vaccines could affect those who have a family history of autoimmune
Autism is the most rapid growing developmental disorder in the U.S. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both similar terms for a group of complicated disorders of brain development. Spectrum Disorders are characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and communication skills with the presence of extremely odd behaviors. Autism is a spectrum condition meaning that while all individuals with autism share somewhat common challenges in their conditions they will all be affected differently. Social communication, interaction and imagination are three main areas of which all of those with autism share. Numerous individuals with ASDs have distinct ways of learning and behaving towards certain situations. Autism …show more content…
The word "autism" comes from the Greek word "autos" meaning "self" describing conditions in which the individual isolates him or herself from social interaction. In the 1940s, researchers in the U.S began to use the term "autism” to describe children with social and emotional problems. Dr. Leo Kenner of the John Hopkins hospital used the term to describe the withdrawn behavior of the several adolescents he studied in 1943. Dr. Leo Kenner reported that the children showed a marked lack of interest in other people but a highly unusual interest in the inanimate environment. Initially, autism was thought to be an early form of schizophrenia, which led to the belief that its onset could be cause by bad parenting or negative experience. In the 1960s researchers began to have a better understanding of autism in children. Research into treatments for autism focused on medications, electric shock, LSD (hallucinating drug) and behavioral change techniques from the 1960s through 1970s.The role of highly controlled learning environments and behavioral therapy became the primary treatments for multiple forms of autism related conditions during the 1980s and 1990s. Currently, autism therapy consists of language and behavioral …show more content…
In many families, there appears to be a pattern of autism or related disabilities further supporting the theory that the disorder has a genetic basis. Other researchers are looking into problems during pregnancy or delivery as well as environmental factors such as metabolic imbalances, viral infections and exposure to chemicals. Some harmful substances ingested during pregnancy also have been associated with an increased risk of autism. Researchers are investigating a number of theories, including the links among heredity, genetic and medical problems. According to officials at the National Institutes of Health, while there is most likely a genetic predisposition there must be an environmental factor in autism. The great increase in the rate of autism over the last 20 years cannot be attributed entirely to genetics. The theory that parental practices are responsible for autism has been disproven. While current science diminish vaccinations as a cause, members of the National Autism Association feel that vaccinations can trigger or worsen autism in some individual. Members of the National Autism Association also feel that an overly aggressive vaccination schedule linked with toxic adjuvants in vaccines could affect those who have a family history of autoimmune