Causes Of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism, also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder, is a neurodevelopmental disorder that limits social and communicative abilities. Autism is becoming more prevalent in our society. More and more children are being diagnosed with the disorder and there have been conflicting views on the actual causes of the disorder. Autism has gained national awareness and with this awareness, there is research being done to improve the lives of the people that live this disorder. Autistic disorder, sometimes called autism or classical ASD, is the most severe form of ASD, while other conditions along the spectrum include a milder form known as Asperger syndrome. Although ASD varies severity, it occurs across races and socioeconomic status. While autism can happen …show more content…
Doctors and other health professionals may check for symptoms and decide to diagnose the child with autism. However, there are many other medical disorders that maybe confused with autism. Many children with autism are often mistook for having learning disabilities or other disorder. When it is hard to determine the exact cause, many physicians use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, a manual guide created by the American Psychological Associations, to diagnose patients (Autism-Society.org). The newest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual classifies the disorder into three different levels. After evaluation the criteria, they decide if the patient falls under any of the categories provided by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. Psychologists classify the first level of the autism spectrum as Requiring Support. This is shown in children who have difficulty switching between activities and staying organized. Most of the time, on this level children have the necessary verbal skills needed to communicate but they have limited social interactions. They have a hard time initiating conversations and friendships because they seem to want to be left alone. The next level is classified as Requiring Substantial Support. On this level, children often display repeated behaviors and anxiety coping with new situations. They also have some difficulty in both verbal and nonverbal communications. In this level, they generally do not initiate social interactions with other unless it is part of the few special interests the child has. They also display inappropriate responses to social situations and often speak in simple sentence. The last level of the spectrum according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual is referred to as Requiring Very Substantial Support. This level is the extreme level of the autistic spectrum.