Genetic And Environmental Causes Of Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a set of diseases that affect the human mind and body in similar ways. The symptoms of each of the diseases within the spectrum causes a “significant disturbance” to the person affected. These disturbances can be cognitive, psychological, or related to any process that contributes to the mental functions of the patient. The diagnoses include, but are not limited to: Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, Persuasive Developmental Disorders, Childhood Disintegrative Disease, and Rhett’s Disorder. There are many misconceptions about how ASD came to be, and about treatments for those affected. Although there has been significant research done in the ever expanding area of “autism”, there is not yet a cure for any of them; however, science has come up with many different factors that could be contributing to the more recent prevalence of these conditions. Autism Spectrum Disorders can be recognized as young as 18 months old. Parents usually begin noticing developmental delays (as is typical with the condition), but not all of them see these symptoms as signs of something more serious. Many parents are reluctant to acknowledge the symptoms as a part of something greater because they think that their child is too young, when in reality there is a series of tests that can be performed on children as young as two years old to identify if they have a place on the spectrum. One typical symptom to look for includes not correctly identifying social cues such as the significance of a smile versus a stern tone of voice. A child that does not notice, or has an extreme response to a loud noise is also showing some common signs. Eventually missing milestones will become an obvious problem. These milestones include: failure to develop gesturing, regression from cooing to silence, and the inability to express needs, resulting in screaming until they are met. As a child gets older, they may not be able to speak words in the correct context, or may repeat meaningless words. Those with ASD also tend to become obsessed with one topic and study it relentlessly. Many choose a math or science related topic. While these symptoms are common, they vary from person to person, and although multiple symptoms are a sign of potential diagnosis, one symptom is nothing to be concerned about. Diagnosis is a two-step process. The first step is to have the individual visit a pediatrician or a general practitioner to get an initial checkup. Should this doctor see significant cause, they will then refer the patient to the correct doctor for their case. The second step is an in depth evaluation performed by many different experts in a wide range of fields and specialties. These can include: psychiatrists, neurologists, speech therapists, and psychologists. These experts perform brain imaging along with gene, memory, hearing, language, and problem-solving tests. Between the years 2000 and 2010 there was an …show more content…
The proof that there is a genetic factor comes from the fact that if one sibling has Autism Spectrum Disorder, the other sibling has a 35% chance of being affected by the same disorder. If two twins are born, and one is affected, there is a 90% chance that the other sibling will be similarly affected. These high rates would not be possible if there were not genetic factors coming into play. Because there is little correlation between a person who is already knowingly infected with ASD, and their children having the same disease, one would suggest that the culprit lies in the combination of parental DNA, and recessive genes, not only the genes that we are outwardly aware of . As many as ten different genes can factor into the genetic predisposition to Autism Spectrum …show more content…
Continuing to educate the public about the actual causes of ASD and its symptoms has gone a long way. Although everyone doesn’t view a higher number of diagnoses as success, with the right tools, and an advanced knowledge base, scientists and doctors are well on their way to finding a definitive answer about Autism Spectrum Disorders. Combined, the newly developed methods of treatment, and continued research being done in many different fields have the future looking bright for those who hope to see a method of prevention, or alleviation sometime in the

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