Thursday 28 June 2012

Autism Understanding Furthered by International Genetic Study

Autism Understanding Furthered by International Genetic Study Autism understanding begins when a person realizes that autism is a disorder that affects people differently. Although autism affects the normal functioning of a person's perception, attention and thoughts, autism is not characterized by one type of perception, attention and thought. Instead, it covers a broad spectrum of disorders that may be mild or severe. Due to the fact that autism is such a complex disorder, medical research is still in the process of understanding how it develops and why it affects certain individuals. One particular medical project with the aim to find better autism understanding by identifying the gene that causes autism, is the 5 year Autism Genome Project (AGP). So far, phase I of the AGP has identified a gene and parts of a chromosome to be linked with the occurrence of autism. The findings of this particular autism study was published online in the Nature Genetics February 18, 2007 issue. The Autism Genome Project is a global research consortium that is funded by Autism Speaks and the National Institute of Health. Autism Speaks is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to raising the awareness of autism and raising funds to help research it. Autism Understanding Furthered by International Genetic Study By Rachel Evans Ads by Google Belgravia Hairloss Centre www.BelgraviaCentre.com Superior Hair Loss Treatments. Call Us Today For Free Assistance! Clinical Trials www.flucamp.com Healthy, aged 18-45? Be a paid clinical trial volunteer. Looking for Home Study? www.rdi.co.uk/Distance_Learning Top UK University Qualifications. Browse and Apply Easily Online Now! Autism understanding begins when a person realizes that autism is a disorder that affects people differently. Although autism affects the normal functioning of a person's perception, attention and thoughts, autism is not characterized by one type of perception, attention and thought. Instead, it covers a broad spectrum of disorders that may be mild or severe. Due to the fact that autism is such a complex disorder, medical research is still in the process of understanding how it develops and why it affects certain individuals. One particular medical project with the aim to find better autism understanding by identifying the gene that causes autism, is the 5 year Autism Genome Project (AGP). So far, phase I of the AGP has identified a gene and parts of a chromosome to be linked with the occurrence of autism. The findings of this particular autism study was published online in the Nature Genetics February 18, 2007 issue. The Autism Genome Project is a global research consortium that is funded by Autism Speaks and the National Institute of Health. Autism Speaks is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to raising the awareness of autism and raising funds to help research it. The AGP involves more than 120 scientists from 50 institutions in 19 countries around the world. The researchers who have collaborated on the project combined their autism expertise, and shared all of the data and samples they had to help identify autism-related genes. As was mentioned, phase I of this project began 5 years ago in 2002, and it allowed the team of medical experts to gain autism understanding by identifying a single specific gene known as neurexil 1, and part of chromosome 11 which could likely be the cause of autism in children. These findings are based on the largest autism genome scan that has ever been done. Scientists have known for many years that autism is a genetic disorder, but only until the AGP have they been able to use special "gene chip" technology to search for genetic similarities in autistics. Genetic similarities were found in practically all of the autistic individuals within each of the twelve hundred families that that were made part of the project. The scientists also checked the DNA of each family to look for copy number variations that are believed might be connected to autism and similar disorders. What the researches discovered in their study was that one particular gene known as neurexin 1 plays a significant role with glutamate; a neurotransmitter that has been formerly linked to autism. Researchers also uncovered an area of chromosome 11 that is suspected to contain a gene that may be involved in the occurrence of autism. However, this particular gene in chromosome 11 has yet to be identified which is required for further autism understanding. Based on previous research, and the research that has been uncovered by the study so far, scientists speculate that there may be as many as 6 main genes and 30 additional genes linked to autism. However, these numbers are only theories, as scientists point out that the actual number of genes could exceed their theory. Nevertheless, despite the number of genes that may be involved, researchers admit that it is still far too early to dictate how these genes may be responsible for autism. Currently, phase II of the Autism Genome Project has been announced. The promising discoveries found in phase I makes scientists hopeful that discovering the genes that cause autism will provide new steps toward autism understanding. With greater understanding, more effective methods of diagnosis, preventing and treating the disorder can be taken. By Rachel Evans. Sign up for a free newsletter and discover more about understanding autism. On the site you'll find more information about high functioning autism and autism research. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rachel_Evans

Sunday 24 June 2012

How to Create an Optimal Learning Environment for Your Child with Autism

How to Create an Optimal Learning Environment for Your Child with Autism Understanding the way your child's brain works is crucial to being able to provide an optimal learning environment. Below is a brief overview of some of the research about the brains of people with autism. Then you'll find easy, practical ways to implement this knowledge and create an optimal learning environment at home. The Science Autism is referred to as a "spectrum disorder" because there is such a wide variation among people with the diagnosis. Researchers using technology that allows them to be able to see how our brains are structured also see that the brains of people with the label 'Autism' are vastly different from one another. Because of this, some scientists have suggested we need to look below the level of the brain's structure to the way individual neurons (brain cells) are wired to find the "miss-wiring" that affects all people with autism. Researchers have found evidence that the way some neurons are connected in the brain of people with autism may lead to a low signal-to-noise ratio. This means that many of the signals brain cells are sending to each other may be accompanied by "noise", like static in a radio signal. This is one explanation for why children with autism become hyper-aroused (overwhelmed) by sensory information and why they may find it more challenging to choose between two different sources of information. For example, it is often more difficult for a child with autism to be able to listen to the teacher when other children in the class are making noise. Studies recording brain electricity in autistic people have shown that even when they are trying to ignore certain aspects of their environment (such as noise in the classroom) their brains respond to this information in the same way they respond to the information the child is trying to attend to (the teachers voice). The problem for many children with autism seems to be one of "filtering", that is, they are less able than typical children to filter out sensory information that is irrelevant to what they are trying to focus on. The result of this is that all stimuli are given equal priority by the brains of those with autism, causing an overwhelming flood of sensory information that the child must handle. The brains of typical children learn to filter out irrelevant stimuli early on in life, so by the time that they go to school, children are able to focus their attention on what they are asked to focus on. It is very hard for many children with autism to learn in environments where there is a lot of competing sensory information (including noises, sights, touches, smells, etc.) such as a classroom. Children with autism are taking in a lot of information all the time; this means that at some stage, they have to sort through this information to see what they really need. Studies have seen that people with autism tend to do the sorting through at a much later stage in processing than neurologically typical people. This is like going down the aisles in the supermarket and putting one of everything into your cart, then arriving at the checkout and discarding what you do not want to buy. This causes a "processing bottleneck". Studies using technology that allows us to see which parts of the brain are being used in particular tasks help us to see that this is what is happening inside the brains of people with autism. There is more activity in the brain regions designed for lower-order processing (going through the supermarket aisles) than in brain regions for high-order processing (moving through the checkout and going home with the items on your list). This may explain why children with autism often show significant challenges in areas of high-order processing (e.g. memory, attention, organization, language, etc.), because they spend so much time trying to deal with the basic incoming sensory information that they don't get time to practice the high-order thinking processing other children their age are practicing. Thus the brain of the child with autism starts to develop differently than the brain of his typical brother. There is some evidence that this processing style is already present when children with autism are born, even though the concurrent behaviors may not be recognized until 18-24 months later. Psychologists call this style of processing (over-relying on lower-order processing) "weak central coherence." Central coherence describes the ability to process incoming information in context, pulling information together for higher-level meaning often at the expense of memory for detail. Weak central coherence then is the tendency of those with autism to rely on local feature processing (the details) rather than taking in the global nature of the situation. For instance after viewing identical pictures and then being asked to remember what was in the picture a typical person might describe the scene as "a forest at sunset" while a person with autism might remember "shiny leaves, orange light and a branch you could hang a swing from". This processing style is the reason people with autism outperform people without autism on specific tasks. One of these tasks is The Embedded Figures task. In this task, people might be shown a line drawing of a car which everyone can identify as such. When asked to point out the three triangles in the picture, people without autism are much slower than those with autism. This is because the typical people can not see "past" the car to label all it's constituent parts. The people with autism will identify the three triangles quickly because this is how they are practiced at seeing the world. Research involving people with autism ranging from studies of how individual brain cells are connected to how people perform in psychological tests paints a picture of the world occupied by those with autism as fragmented, overwhelming and filled with "noise". This is corroborated by autobiographical reports from people with autism. Understanding the autistic child's fragmented and overwhelming world shows how important a child's external environment is when designing treatment and education for children with autism. It also explains why children with autism crave order and predictability in their physical environments. Physical environments with higher amounts of sensory stimulation (e.g. bright visual displays, background noise, etc.) will add to the "noise" in an already overloaded sensory system making any new learning extremely challenging--like trying to learn Japanese in a shopping mall. The extent to which rooms can be tailored to meet the needs of these children is highly limited in a typical classroom setting, mainly due to the presence of other children and the subsequent size of the room. Even fluorescent lighting has been shown to affect the behavior of children with autism. These environmental considerations are either overlooked and their importance underestimated when placements are suggested for children with autism or it is beyond the scope of the school district to provide any other type of physical environment. The Easy Part The FIRST STEP along the road to building a comprehensive treatment program for your child is providing him or her with an appropriate environment in which to learn. Usually this means SIMPLIFY! Here's what to do: 1. Dedicate one room in your house to you child with autism. It could be your child's bedroom or another room (not too big, 12' x 12' is plenty, and smaller is fine depending on the age of your child). The room might even only be dedicated to your child with autism for part of the day (for instance if he or she shares a bedroom with a sibling) this is OK too. Do the best you can with the situation you have. 2. Remove all electronic toys from the dedicated room. This includes televisions, video-games, and anything battery powered (including singing / talking books and things that flash!) These toys can be over-stimulating for a child with autism and do not encourage social interaction. 3. Make sure you have incandescent light bulbs not fluorescent one. Fluorescent light bulbs flicker at a rate most of use tune out but that can be highly over-stimulating for people with autism. 4. Clear some space. Ideally you want the floor to be a free, clear open space on which you can play with your child. Have the minimal amount of furniture you can in the special room. Also simplify the amount of toys you have in the room and if possible put them all on shelves or in a closet. These are the first step towards creating an optimal learning environment in which to work with your child. Parents running a home-based Son-Rise Programs are coached further on how to create a customized learning environment and Son-Rise Program playroom. The simple measures described here will aid in soothing your autistic child's over-active nervous system by making the world digestible and manageable and set the stage for social interaction and subsequent learning. Kat Houghton is an autism treatment consultant specializing in The Son-Rise Program, a relationship-enhancement method of approaching autism. She is the founder and director of Inspired by Autism Consulting http://www.inspiredbyautism.com, director of research at The Autism Treatment Center of America and completing a PhD in Psychology at Lancaster University in the UK. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kat_Houghton Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/717244

Autism Signs and Symptoms - How to Know If Your Child Has Autism

Autism Signs and Symptoms - How to Know If Your Child Has Autism What is autism? Autism is a neurological disorder, meaning you are born with it. It affects the way the brain develops. Autism has a few other name--sometimes called infantile autism or autistic disorder. But regardless of what you call it, autism is something you are born with and something that you will live with for the rest of your life. Autism is one of five pervasive development disorders (PDDs) that are categorized as either... •autism •Asperger's syndrome •childhood disintegrative disorder •Rett disorder, and •pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) Basically, these are categories that psychologists and therapists will use to try to categorize your child in order to begin a treatment regimen. While a child is born with autism, it is typically not officially diagnosed until the child shows clear outward signs, usually around age 3 or so. But everyone is different and generalizations should be viewed cautiously. Early intervention is very important. It has been shown that early and proper treatment and therapy can allow many of those with autism to learn and prosper in life and carry on a normal and productive life. While this is true for many autistic patients, others may require lifelong help with daily living activities. What are the symptoms of autism? While every person with autism is a unique individual in his or her own way, there are some common traits of autism. These include: •Poor social skills and difficulties interacting with others •Difficulties with communication •Repetitive actions or restricted interests •Abnormal response to sensory issues such as sound, touch, light even smell •Some show aggressive or self-injurious behavior such as head banging or biting themselves What is the intelligence level of someone with autism? Many individuals with autism have moderate mental retardation while roughly one-third have normal intelligence levels (IQs). In addition, those with autism will have a higher likelihood of developing epilepsy than the general population. Those with Asperger's syndrome (which is often referred to as high-functioning autism) will typically have higher-than-average IQs and function similarly to those who do not have autism. More about that later. Are all autistic people alike? Children and adults with autism can vary quite a bit in their skills and the extent to which they exhibit the symptoms of autism. Many show affection and emotions and are respond to friends, family and situations similarly to non-autistic people. Some may be bright and have good communication skills while others may be mentally retarded and nonverbal. Because autism varies so much from person to person, there are varying labels often used to explain the degree along the "spectrum" where a person falls (this is why autism is described as a spectrum disorder). These descriptions include having autistic tendencies, autistic-like, being on the autism spectrum, high-functioning autism and low-functioning autism. Regardless of where a child falls along spectrum, they are likely to exhibit problems with social communication such as lack of eye contact, difficulty carrying on a conversation, and trouble taking another person's perspective. Some who have seen the movie Rainman or a TV show about autism have a vision in their mind of the "typical" autistic person. But autism can vary greatly from person to person. Some will talk your ear off, while others are nearly silent. Some cannot deal with loud music and noisy environments while chaotic environments do not affect others. Avoid pigeon-holing someone with autism-each person is very different in their own unique way. What is high-functioning autism and Asperger's syndrome? Those individuals who can be described as high-functioning (Asperger's syndrome falls here) may have the symptoms of autism to a much lesser degree. They may be only somewhat slower to develop language skills but still typically have difficulty interacting with others socially (they cannot get along with their peers on the playground, for example). They may have difficulty carrying on conversations with others and they often will focus on one or two topics to the exclusion of any other subject. Because of this they may be viewed as "talking at" rather than "talking to" others because they talk endlessly about their favorite topic irrespective of attempts by others to change the subject. The main difference between high-functioning autism and Asperger's syndrome is that those with Asperger's usually develop verbal speech skills right on time while people with high-functioning autism usually have speech delays. People with Asperger's are generally seen as bright and verbal but with problems in social communication skills. Some with Asperger's earn the nickname "geek." Are people with autism cold and unfeeling? Myths and generalities abound about people with autism. Resist believing any of them! Autistic children and adults are unique individuals. Some are outgoing, others are aloof. Some do well in school, others don't. Some will get a steady paying job while some will never be able to hold down a typical job. Some will marry, others won't. If you want to understand a person with autism, you have to spend some time with them and get to know them, just like any other person. Some see the term autism as entirely negative. But everyone on the autistic spectrum has something to offer the world. Children and adults with autism are among the most honest, non-judgmental, passionate people you are ever likely to meet. And they are also ideal candidates for certain types of careers, as we will discuss later. The world is a better place because of them. Once we understand how a child or adult with autism behaves, and understand that sensory issues as well as the need for routine motivate their actions, we can devise treatments and training to help them cope with an ever-changing world. Many treatments allow those with autism to succeed and thrive. Hopefully treatments can make life a little easier especially for those with autism and the people who love them. There are many tips and suggestions that can help your loved one live a fulfilling and happy life. A great site to find additional information is the web site www.AmericanAutismSociety.org. There you will be able to sign up for the FREE Autism Newsletter as well as get additional information to help your loved one be happy and succeed in life. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_Kendall Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5907725

Coping With Autism - Support For Families

Coping With Autism - Support For Families Based on the U.S. Department of Education's 2002 report to Congress on IDEA the number of students with autism in U.S. schools has increased by 1354% in an eight-year period from 1991-1992 to 2000-2001 (as cited by the Autism Society of America, 2003). This increase is almost fifty times higher than all disabilities (excluding autism), which has increased in the U.S. by 28.4%. From 1991-1992 to 2000-2001 school years, the number of students with autism that are being served under IDEA has increased from 5,415 to 78,749 respectively (as cited by Autism Society of America, 2003). According to the Center for Disease Control in 2001, autism affects an estimated 2 to 6 per 1,000 individuals and it is the most common of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (as cited by the Autism Society of America, n.d.). Based on these statistics, it is estimated that 1.5 million Americans are believed to have some form of autism (Autism Society of America, n.d.). Autism has been found to affect all races, cultures, socioeconomic statuses, and educational backgrounds (Autism Society of America, n.d.). This rate of growth in autism not only signifies a need for more professionals to be trained to teach individuals with autism, but the need for increased training and support for families of children with autism. Parents of children with autism are coping with a considerable amount of stress and an overwhelming amount of information about the disability. Families of children with autism can benefit from support from professionals, other family members, and society, in order to manage the stress effectively. Parents of children with autism take on many roles in their child's education. They must first recognize and pursue a diagnosis for their child. Once an accurate diagnosis is made, they must find a suitable program and services for their child. Parents need to also act as teachers in the home so that their children learn to generalize skills in the home that they are taught at school. In order for parents to be effective teachers, they need to have specialized knowledge, skills, and information about the efficacy of different treatment programs (Educating Children with Autism, 2001). Because parents are also advocates for their child, they need to have knowledge of special education law and the available services. Due to the stress level of raising a child with autism, parents need coping skills (National Academy Press, 2001). According to a study by Gallagher, (as cited by National Academy Press, 2001), the multiple roles of the parent as teacher, advocate, loving parent, and family member can be extremely demanding for parents. In 2000 Nissenbaum, Tollefson, and Reese (as cited by The National Autistic Society, n.d.), studied the impact of an autism diagnosis on families. They found that parents actually felt relieved at having an explanation for their child's unusual behaviors (National Autistic Society, n.d.). The diagnosis alleviated concerns that they were doing something wrong (National Autistic Society, 2000). As with other parents of children with disabilities, many parents or children with autism go through a grieving process after receiving the diagnosis of autism. Based on research, the education of children with autism is a source of a great deal of stress for many families. Research conducted by Holroyd and McArthur in 1976 and by Donovan in 1988 (as cited by the Autism Society of America, n.d.) found that parents of children with autism experience greater stress than parents of children with mental retardation and Down Syndrome. This stress may be a result of the maladaptive and antisocial behaviors a child with autism may exhibit (Autism Society of America, n.d.). Because individuals with autism often have difficulty expressing even basic wants or needs, parents may feel frustrated when they are unable to determine the child's needs (Autism Society of America, n.d.). The child with autism may exhibit frustration through self-injurious behaviors, aggression, or tantrums that threaten the safety of others (Autism Society of America, n.d.). Parents may feel that the stereotypic or self-stimulatory behaviors (ie: hand-flapping, tapping, lining things up, perseveration on an object), of their child with autism are strange and interfering with functioning (Autism Society of America, n.d.). Because children with autism usually have severe deficits in social skills, such as playing appropriately with peers, parents may find themselves stressed with finding appropriate leisure activities for the child at home (Autism Society of America, n.d.). Some children with autism have difficulties sleeping and may only eat limited food items, which causes another source of struggle for parents (Autism Society of America, n.d.). Family dinners may be disrupted or shortened and bedtimes may be interrupted. Sleep deprivation is common in both the child with autism and the parents of the child. Society reactions can also have a major impact on family stress and may cause the family to avoid community outings or family events (Autism Society of America, n.d.). Families may not go to family get-togethers because the child has difficulty interacting with others (Autism Society of America, n.d.). Families are sometimes embarrassed around extended family members and may have difficulty relating to other family members. Another stress for parents is learning about all of the methods and strategies to teach children with autism. They must learn about these methods so that they can help to determine an appropriate educational placement for their child with autism and so that they can be active members in the IEP process. There are currently many treatment approaches and strategies to teach children with autism. Current methods include Applied Behavior Analysis, Discrete Trial instruction, Picture Exchange Communication System, TEACCH, Floortime, RDI, Social Stories, and Sensory Integration. Once strategies are determined, using some of these methods has potential to reduce family stress and enhance the family's quality of life. Because many children with autism have difficulty generalizing skills, it is extremely important for parents to carry over the child's skill training from school to the home. Parents can also be effective teachers. Families that are taught effective behavioral intervention strategies to manage challenging behaviors, are taught and involved in the functional assessment process, are trained in facilitating functional communication (both verbal and non-verbal), have been found to have greater success at home with the child with autism (Moes & Frea, 2002). When determining behavior plans, professionals need to take into consideration family routines when analyzing challenging behaviors (Moes & Frea, 2002). Behavioral interventions are more successful and meaningful to families when their beliefs, values and goals are taken into consideration (Moes & Free, 2002). A family centered educational approach may be the most beneficial to a child with autism and their families (National Academy Press, 2001). Formal support may come from teachers, IEP team members, doctors, the local education agency representative, and other professionals that treat the child. Informal support may come through parent networking, parent support groups, families, and neighbors. According to Bristol in 1987, "parents found a positive relationship between adequacy of social support, the use of active coping behaviors, and family adaptation for parents of children enrolled in the TEACCH program" (National Academy Press, 2001, p.34). Coping with a child with autism is difficult and stressful for many families. As with the impact of socioeconomic status and ethnicity of the parents, there is not yet a lot of research on the stress levels of parents based on the child's cognitive level and communication level. Based on current research, in order to cope with the stress of having a child with autism and to experience gains in their education at school and at home, parents need to learn specialized skills and teaching methods that can be implemented at home. Successful collaboration and training with professionals working with the child with autism has the capability of reducing family stress and an increase in the child with autism's communication, socialization, cognitive, adaptive skills and a reduction in maladaptive behaviors in the home environment. Professionals working with students with autism must include the parents as advocates in the IEP process, functional behavior assessments, and behavior intervention plans. Professionals must provide opportunities for parents to be trained in teaching methodologies used at the school. Professionals must also consider themselves a source of support for families of children with autism and be knowledgeable about special education law, treatment methods and scientific research. As a teacher of young children with autism, I have witnessed first hand the benefits of conducting parent trainings and support groups, whether they are on a group basis or an individual basis. Based on parent feedback, parent trainings and support groups are extremely beneficial to those that attend, and most parents express that there is never enough time to talk with the teachers and other parents--there is always a desire to learn more and for more opportunities to collaborate. Christine Dugan works in the special education field and is a contributing author to the health information site http://health.divinfo.com as well as the article submission site http://www.articlemotron.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christine_Dugan Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/231576

What is Autism?

What is Autism? Most reputable scientists now believe that autism has existed throughout 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 own damaged child in its place. The child left behind is usually mute, remote and distant, staring into space and unresponsive to its adult caretakers. We must bear in mind that in times gone by, and in some cultures today, children who are unlike the average expected child are seen to be victims of evil or some sort. In 1801 the French physician Itard took into his care a boy who had been found wandering naked in the forest. It was believed at 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 has come to be known as "sauvage de l'Aveyron," or "wild boy of Aveyron". Itard's tireless efforts to help this boy mark the beginning of special educaiton. Although autism was not a term used at the time there are those who speculate that the wild boy of Aveyron was a child with autism. The real history of autism dates back only one hundred years to the time of the Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler. In 1911 Bleuler was writing about a group of people then identified as having schizophrenia. In his writing he coined the term "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 present in all people to one degree or another. However he noted that in extreme cases, cases that in the language of his day were called "neurotic", a person could become totally absorbed into himself or herself. It was not until the late 1930's and early 1940's in America that the term "autism" joined the official psychiatric nomenclature. Psychiatrists Leo Kanner, who started working with a particular group of children in 1938, and Hans Asperger, both publishing findings and writing in 1943 and 1944, wrote about groups of children they had studied and called either "autistic" or children with "autistic psychopathy". Both authors believe these children displayed a constellation of symptoms that were unique and represented a syndrome not previously identified. As the children they studied seemed unable to engage in normal human relationships they borrowed Bleuler's term "autism" to identify the syndrome. The defining difference between the work of Kanner and Asperger and that of Bleuler is that for the former two the condition they describe is present at birth while for Bleuler the condition 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 same "core" symptoms. Asperger's group is quite wide, ranging from the children like Kanner's to children with near normal characteristics. The vestiges of these two differing descriptions, now bearing the names of their illustrious "discoverers" remains to this day. In the literature and in lay terminology we still hear people described as having "Kanner's autism" or "Asperger's syndrome. Around the 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 his own theory of the cause of autism and started intervention programmes. Bettelheim believed that autism was a result of children being raised in severely unstimulating environments during their early years. He believed it 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 point 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 undoubtedly one of terrible harm inflicted on so many mothers for so many years. [I cannot help but wonder if we really have progressed since I have so often 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 current favourite, immunizations. Despite all this theorising autism still remains a puzzle. Little scientifically valid evidence supports any particular theory and research continues into the cause of autism. What do we know about autism? It is now and accepted fact that autism is a neurodevelopment (sometimes called neurobiological) condition. This places the site of autism within the human brain itself, not in the form of physical brain abnormalities that appear on physical examination or X-ray, but rather in the chemical and electrical activity of the brain. It is know that autism is present at birth, is more common amongst boys than girls and is a life-long condition with no "cure". We know that autism can be treated effectively and there are a wide number of treatment options available. It is now known that education is particularly important in the treatment of autism and that early intervention is critically important. Children born with autism can improve along a number of pathways but they will always have autism no matter how seemingly like others they may become. Having said what was said about autism being incurable and a life-long condition there are those who say it can be cured. Interesting forms 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 eliminate any traces of autism. This is said to have "cured" over 1,500 children of the condition (personal conversation with the lead physician). It has to be cautioned that such extreme and emphatic statements must be put to the rigorous test of scientific study and that the sorts 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 known as autism is highly variable. No two people with autism are alike. Having said that, all people with autism share common characteristics. These characteristics exist along what is called the "Triad of Impairment". The Triad of Impairment consists of 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 several sub-types of behaviours that characterise this group of people with autism. They can be quite aloof, behaving as if other people did not exist at all, making little or no eye contact and have faces that seem to lack any emotional display whatever. Less common is the passive group who will accept the advances of others, can be led to participate as a passive partner in an activity and who return the 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 long and often shake hands far too vigorously and strongly. The last subtype is the overly formal and stilted group. They tend to use language in a very formal way when it is not called for, are excessively polite and try to stick to the rules of social interaction but don't really understand then. They tend to have well developed language skills that can mask their real social deficits. 2. Impairment of Communication Significant deficits in communication are present, to one degree or another, in all people with autism. They may have problems is using speech (expressive language), ranging from having no speech at all (about 20% of cases) to have very well developed speech. They make repeat words spoken to them (echolalia) or repeat phrases they associate with something they want (e.g. "Do you want to play" instead of "I want to play"). They will also have deficits in understanding speech (receptive language). Confusing between sounds of words can 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 an object has more than one meaning (e.g. soup bowl, toilet bowl). In addition to the problem listed about in receptive language people with autism can often have significant difficulty with modulating their tone of voice and putting expression into what they say. They can sometimes sound robotic and speak with a droning monotone. Sometimes they can emphasise the intonation of certain words with unnecessary force. Sometimes they are too loud, sometimes too quiet (more frequent). It is important to recognise that communication is more than speech. Non-verbal communication is important for human social interaction to proceed smoothly. People with autism have deficits in understand non-verbal communication. They may not be able to interpret facial expression or to use it themselves. They may have odd and unusual body posture and gestures. They may not understand the body posture and gestures of others. 3. Impairment of Thinking and Behaving People with autism have pronounced difficulty with play or imagining. The lack of the ability to play has a profound effect on the ability to understand the emotions of others therefore sharing joy or sorrow with another can be impossible. Repetitive and stereotyped movements or activities are often present in autism. They may want to taste, touch or smell things. They may have a need to twirl things before their eyes. Sometimes they may jump up and down and make loud noises. In more severe cases they may bang their heads against walls or floor or pull and scratch at their skin. People with autism have a strong need for consistency and sameness. They become unsettled when routine changes. All these behaviours and characteristics point to a pronounced inflexibility in thinking and behaving. Although every person with an autistic spectrum disorder has deficits in all three parts of the triad each varies significantly in the nature of their deficits. This makes is imperative for people working with children with autism to individualise their interventions. Autism is a highly variable condition with no two children alike and with some children, seemingly near normal but having subtle deficits. Problems that may accompany autism In addition to deficits across the triad there are a number of problems often associated with autism, though it is not known yet if they are caused by autism. Among the most common are: epileptic seizures (particularly in adolescence), sensory integration deficits (difficulty integrating the reception of sensations such as sound, sight, taste, hearing or movement), general learning disabilities, Fragile X syndrome (about 2-5% of people with an ASD), tuberous sclerosis (benign tumours in the brain or other organs, occurs in about 2-4% of people with an ASD), ADHD, Tourette's syndrome and dyslexia. Proper treatment of autism must include appropriate treatment of any associated condition. Education of children with autism Many children with autism can be educated in the mainstream with appropriate supports. These supports typically include speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, psychological services and special education. Though they perceive the world differently from those around them they benefit from placement in mainstream classroom and the other children benefit from having them in their class. People with autism vary to an enormous degree as has been said above. As they progress through the educational system the types of supports they require and the intensity of these supports can vary as well. It is important to recognise that children with autism can be educated and reach their optimum level of potential. The task may be difficult and progress may be slow but progress will be made when supports are present and all work cooperatively together. When autism is severe and accompanied by extremely challenging behaviour such as aggression, self-harm, extreme disorganisation and complete lack of language the education being provided often must take place in a specialist setting. The goal in these settings is to attempt to re-integrate the child back into the mainstream. For children whose autism is of such a severe nature psychiatric services may be required as an adjunct to the educational programme. People with autism can be educated and a great many of them can enter the work force, sometimes independently and with great success, at other times requiring the support of a job coach and in some cases may require sheltered work settings. As well as entering the work force many people with autism can live independent lives, some will require structured and supported accommodation and some will require accommodation is specialist settings. Autism and the brain Considerable research is underway to investigate the exact nature of brain functioning in a person with autism. A lot is being learned but there is more to be learned in the future. What is known now is that there seems to be differences in the brain functioning of people with autism. With advances in nuero-imaging it is now possible to look at the brain with performing an autopsy. This makes it possible to study how the brain works while it is working. These imaging methods (CT scans, MRI scans PET scans and others) have shown that there seem to be a number of brain structures associated with autism and autistic spectrum disorders. These include the cerebellum, cerebral cortex, limbic system, corpus callosum, basal ganglia, and brain stem. These structures are responsible for cognition, movement, emotional regulation and coordination as well as sensory reception. Other studies are looking into the role of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin and epinephrine. There seems to be a genetic factor involved in some of these brain dysfunctions and some research indicates that unusual brain growth may take place in the first three months of life, is a genetic factor and that results in autism appearing in early childhood. What is being learned turns other theories, such as Bettelheim's, upside down. Autism is no one's fault. It is a neurodevelopment disorder affecting more boys than girls (4:1), occurring in about 3-6% of the population. This makes autism less common than general learning disabilities but common than cerebral palsy, hearing impairment and visual impairment. Translating these statistics into something more comprehensible it can be said that about 1 in 500 to 1 in 150 people will be born with autism. The implications for these figures are alarming because it means that virtually every school in the country has a child on the spectrum and that the vast majority of these children have not been diagnosed and are perceived in a pejorative light by their teachers, sometimes seemingly odd or obstreperous and sometimes lazy or unable to learn. Autism and the family Autism is a family condition. When there is one child in the family with autism there is a condition present that affects every single-family member including those who do not live in the same home. On receiving a diagnosis of autism parents sometimes feel a certain relief, now knowing that it isn't their fault the child is different. Others react with anger, grief, shame, denial or rage. Sometimes they become angry with the diagnostician and refuse to believe the findings. Although diagnosis at an early age is a good predictor of successful outcome if appropriate treatment is provided it is always accompanied by considerable trauma to family life. The impact of the diagnosis is always greatest on the mother. The impact of living with a person on the spectrum has been shown to be harder on the mother than the father. The lessened paternal impact has a lot to do with factors associated with the gender role of the man in the traditional family: out of the home and working much of the time. Mothers are left in the major caretaker role and face the day-to-day stress of rearing a child with autism. For fathers the major impact of autism in the family is associated with the stress it puts on the mother. Figures in the US seem to indicate that the divorce rate in families of children with autism is not higher than in other families. This is something that has not been studied extensively in other countries however one study conducted in the UK indicates that the lone parent rate in families with autism is 17%, compared with 10% in other families. Studies have shown that the emotional impact of autism on the mother can be quite severe. Many mothers experience enough emotional distress to require medication or psychotherapy. One study showed that 50% of mothers of children with autism screed positively for significant psychological distress and that this was associated with low levels of family support and brining up a child with challenging behaviour. Another study raised this figure to 66%. The emotional stress on the mother appears to have a significant effect on the work status. Many cannot work outside the home. For those that manage to work outside the home there is an increased incidence of tardiness, missed days and reduction to part-time status. Mothers are also the person most likely to be held responsible for their child's behaviour by others outside the family including neighbours and teachers. Mothers tend to cope differently with these stresses than fathers. Fathers tend to hide their feelings and suppress them, the result often being increased episodes of anger outburst. Mothers tend to cope by talking about their difficulties with friends, particularly other mothers of children with autism. They also cope by becoming avid information seekers, often knowing more about autism then the educators of their children. The impact of autism on the siblings is not to be underestimated. They know from an early age that their brother or sister is "different". They will have a great many questions but most often don't ask them for fear of hurting the parent's feelings. The will have a deep love of the sibling with autism but this love is sometimes associated with anger and resentment due to the increased time the parents spend on the sibling with autism. They will often worry about their own future and obsess about whether or not they will "get" autism or will they pass it on to their own children one day. The impact is not always negative and several studies have shown that being a sibling of a child with autism is associated with greater self-confidence and social competence. Care-taking skills often improve as well. Levels of tolerance to difference can be higher than in the siblings of children who do not have autism. So, what do we know about the impact of autism on the family? It is a mixed bag of results. At times is can be devastating, at other times it can lead to higher levels of coping skills and a sense of self-mastery. A lot depends on the family itself and the community in which it is embedded. A lot more depends on the supports and treatments available, especially the educational interventions and supports that can be provided. One this is certain: autism is a family condition affecting everyone. David J. Carey, Psy.D. 297 Beechwood Court Stillorgan Dublin, Ireland http://www.davidjcarey.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._David_Carey Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2935871