AUTISM

By: Kelley Hull

AUTISM- Autism is a general term for a group of

complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors.

Autism appears to have its roots in very early brain development. However, the most obvious signs of autism and symptoms of autism tend to emerge between 2 and 3 years of age.

PATIENT BACKGROUNDJoe is a 3 year old boy who came into the doctor due to a severe lack of interest in the environment and only wanting to play by himself at preschool. His concerned mother thought he could just be shy, but when he wouldn’t even speak or listen to her, she tried punishing him. He never took the punishments seriously and ran away from timeout. So, his mother took him to a childhood phycologist, thinking he would open up. After a few sessions the phycologist, Dr. Philips, diagnosed Joe with autism. To make sure she's right, the Dr. ran some tests such as developmental screening, and came to the conclusion that Joe does have autism. To help his scared mom, the Dr. suggested some therapists and people willing to give support to their family. Week by week, Joe started to learn how to stop some of his hand flapping, and even made friends at school. Joe will never be cured, but now he has a great support system to help him succeed in life.

SYMPTOMS•Social interactions and relationships.

• Failure to establish friendships with children the same age. • Lack of interest in sharing enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other

people.• Lack of empathy. People with autism may have difficulty understanding another

person's feelings, such as pain or sorrow.• Significant problems developing nonverbal communication skills, such as eye-

to- eye gazing, facial expressions, and body posture.•Verbal and nonverbal communication. Symptoms may include:

• Delay in, or lack of, learning to talk. As many as 40% of people with autism never speak.

• Problems taking steps to start a conversation. Also, people with autism have difficulties continuing a conversation after it has begun.

• Stereotyped and repetitive use of language. People with autism often repeat over and over a phrase they have heard previously (echolalia).

• Difficulty understanding their listener's perspective. For example, a person with autism may not understand that someone is using humor. They may interpret the communication word for word and fail to catch the implied meaning.

•Limited interests in activities or play. Symptoms may include: • An unusual focus on pieces. Younger children with autism often focus on parts

of toys, such as the wheels on a car, rather than playing with the entire toy. • Preoccupation with certain topics. For example, older children and adults may

be fascinated by video games, trading cards, or license plates.• A need for sameness and routines. For example, a child with autism may

always need to eat bread before salad and insist on driving the same route every day to school.

• Stereotyped behaviors. These may include body rocking and hand flapping.

AREAS OF BRAIN AFFECTED

DIAGNOSIS TESTS Presently, we don’t have a medical test that can

diagnose autism. Instead, specially trained physicians and psychologists administer autism-specific behavioral evaluations. Some tests are: The Modified Checklist of Autism in Toddlers (M-

CHAT) is a list of informative questions about your child. The answers can indicate whether he or she should be further evaluated by a specialist such as a developmental pediatrician, neurologist, psychiatrist or psychologist.

Developmental screening is a short test to tell if children are learning basic skills when they should, or if they might have delays. During developmental screening the doctor might ask the parent some questions or talk and play with the child during an exam to see how she learns, speaks, behaves, and moves. A delay in any of these areas could be a sign of a problem.

Find a doctor who will listen and refer their child to appropriate specialists for diagnosis.

DIAGNOSIS CONTINUEDA developmental and clinical history using

the Childhood Autism Raring Scale (CARS) and Autism Diagnostic Interview (ADI-R)

Observations of behaviors using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS)

Testing of cognitive functioning WPPSI-III or WISC-IV

Receptive and expressive language assessment.

TREATMENT Because there isn't a

treatment to totally cure autism, we have managements that involve behavioral treatments, medicines or both. With this, conditions can improve such as attention span, learning, and related behaviors. Here are some things to help improve autistic tendencies:

TREATMENT CONTINUED •Behavioral management therapy •Cognitive behavior therapy •Early intervention •Educational and school-based therapies •Joint attention therapy •Medication treatment •Nutritional therapy(Vitamin supplements) •Occupational therapy(helps with basic skills-

ex: buttoning a shirt) •Parent-mediated therapy •Physical therapy( using exercise and physical

measures to control body movement) •Social skills training •Speech-language therapy

PROGNOSIS There is no cure for autism; however, with

appropriate treatment and education, many children with autism spectrum disorders can learn and develop. Early intervention often can reduce challenges associated with autism, lessen disruptive behavior, and provide some degree of independence.

Treatment depends on the needs of the individual. In most cases, a combination of treatment methods is more effective. Autism disorders may require lifelong treatment

People with autism have normal life expectancies. With early intervention and appropriate treatment, many autistic people can function productively and attain some degree of independence. Some people with autism spectrum disorders require lifelong assistance.

ERROR IN COMMUNICATION It is found that autism may be a disorder

of hyper-connectivity in the brain, according to a study that found children with the condition have too many synapses(the points where neurons connect and communicate with each other.)

WHAT CAREER IS NEEDED TO DIAGNOSE THE DISEASE?

Developmental Pediatricians (doctors who have special training in child development and children with special needs)

Child Neurologists (doctors who work on the brain, spine, and nerves)

Child Psychologists or Psychiatrists (doctors who know about the human mind)

A typical diagnostic evaluation involves a multi-disciplinary team of doctors including a pediatrician, psychologist, speech and language pathologist and occupational therapist

BIOMEDICAL PROFESSION#1

Child Psychologists- Education: Child psychologists must have a doctoral degree and a

license to engage in clinical practice. Some school psychologists can practice with a specialist or master's degree and certification.

Counseling child psychologists take a behavioral approach to emotional problems with children and adolescents. These child therapists focus on helping their patients to develop ways to use their own strengths to cope with issues, and they counsel entire families when necessary

Child and adolescent therapists offer psychoanalytic treatment to children and young people with emotional or behavioral difficulties that they may have with autism, including: depression anxiety development delay phobias aggression gender dysphoria consequences of child abuse self-harming learning difficulties and disabilities eating disorders psychosomatic disorders

BIOMEDICAL PROFESSION#2

Occupational Therapist- Education: Master's degree is required, Degree Field -Occupational therapy, a

State licensure, Experience of1-2 years of experience, have excellent communication and interpersonal skills; compassion and patience; strong writing skills Additional Requirements are CPR or Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification.

The overall goal of occupational therapy is to help the person with autism improve his or her quality of life at home and in school. The therapist helps introduce, maintain, and improve skills so that people with autism can be as independent as possible. The therapist observes children to see if they can do tasks they are expected

to do at their ages -- getting dressed or playing a game, for example. Sometimes, the therapist will have the child videotaped during the day in order to see how the child interacts with his or her environment in order to better assess the kind of care the child needs. The therapist might note any odd behaviors. These are some of the skills occupational therapy may foster: Daily living skills, such as toilet training, dressing, brushing teeth, and

other grooming skills Fine motor skills required for holding objects while handwriting or cutting

with scissors Gross motor skills used for walking, climbing stairs, or riding a bike Sitting, posture, or perceptual skills, such as telling the differences between

colors, shapes, and sizes Awareness of his or her body and its relation to others Visual skills for reading and writing Play, coping, self-help, problem solving, communication, and social skills

THE END

CITED INFORMATION Autistic Brains Show Too Many Connected

Neurons. (n.d.). Retrieved November 14, 2014, from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-21/autistic-brains-show-too-many-connected-neurons.html

Benefits of Occupational Therapy for Autism. (n.d.). Retrieved November 13, 2014, from http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/benefits-of-occupational-therapy-for-autism

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/child_psychotherapist_job_description.htm

Home | Autism Speaks. (n.d.). Retrieved November 14, 2014, from http://www.autismspeaks.org/