Ten Common Questions About Autism Spectrum Disorders |
1. What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
Autism Spectrum Disorder, also referred to as autism, is a neurological disorder which causes developmental disability. Autism affects the way the brain functions, resulting in difficulties with communication and social interaction, and unusual patterns of behaviour, activities and interests.
There are, in fact, five Autism Spectrum Disorders described under the diagnostic category of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) that appear in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) of the American Psychiatric Association.
The term "spectrum" refers to a continuum of severity or developmental impairment. Children and adults with ASDs usually have particular communication, social and behavioural characteristics in common, but the conditions cover a wide spectrum, with individual differences in:
Number and particular kinds of symptoms
Severity: mild to severe
Age of onset
Levels of functioning
Challenges with social interactions
When speaking of ASDs, most people are referring to three of the PDDs that are
most common:
Autistic Disorder (also called "autism" or "classic autism"
or "AD")
PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified)
Asperger's Disorder (also called "AS", "Asperger's Syndrome"
and "Asperger Syndrome")
There is no standard "type" or "typical" person with an
Autism Spectrum Disorder. More on ASDs...
2. What is autism?
The term "autism" is often used in two different ways. It is used
to refer specifically to Autistic Disorder and it is also used more generally
to refer to all Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Autistic Disorder usually appears during the first three years of life and is four times more common in boys than girls. Asperger Syndrome is often diagnosed later, once a child reaches school age. In general, ASDs occur in about 1 in 200 people in Canada. Autism is not related to race, ethnicity, family income, lifestyle or parenting. More on autism...
3. What are some of the characteristics of ASDs?
People with ASDs develop differently from others in the areas of motor, language,
and cognitive and social skills. Each person with an ASD is unique and will
have different abilities. "Symptoms" or disabilities caused by ASDs
might be very mild in one person and quite severe in another. Here are some
examples of common types of characteristics and behaviours in a child or adult
with an ASD:
Difficulty with Social Skills
Some people with ASDs show no interest in other people
Others might be interested in people, but not know how to talk, play with, or
relate to them
Initiating and maintaining a conversation is usually difficult for people with
ASDs who are verbal
Problems with Communication
Speech and language skills may begin to develop and then be lost, or they may
develop very slowly, or they may never develop. Without appropriate intensive
early intervention about 40% of children with ASDs do not talk at all
People with ASDs might not be able to interpret non-verbal communication such
as social distance cues, or the use of gestures and facial cues that most of
us take for granted
Repeated Behaviours and Restricted Interests
People with ASDs may have repeated ritualistic actions such as spinning, repeated
rocking, staring, finger flapping, hitting self, etc.
Small changes in the environment or in daily routines that most people can manage
might trigger acute distress
They may have restricted interests and seemingly odd habits. They may talk about
or focus obsessively on only one thing, idea, or activity
Unusual Responses to Sensations
People with ASDs may have both auditory and visual processing problems
Sensory input may be scrambled and overwhelming
Sensory problems vary in autism, from mild to severe with over and under-sensitivities
Some Co-occurring Conditions
Neurological disorders including epilepsy
Gastro-intestinal problems
Fine and gross motor deficits
Anxiety and depression
More on symptoms and characteristics...
4. How are ASDs diagnosed?
ASDs are diagnosed in a variety of ways, using a number of different measures
and screening tools. A diagnosis of an ASD depends on the number and pattern
of typical characteristics. It is based on observation of specific behaviours
and disabilities by a multidisciplinary team of doctors and other professionals
trained in autism diagnosis.
Parents, family members or other caregivers of children with ASDs are often the first to notice delays in the usual childhood developmental milestones or differences in the ability to speak, make eye contact, play with other children or interact socially.
Autism sometimes goes unnoticed or undiagnosed in both children and adults, especially when it is a mild case or when the person has other disabilities or health problems. In some high functioning individuals, ASDs may go unnoticed for years.
It may only be diagnosed during an educational impasse or a life crisis which puts a person in contact with professionals able to recognize the disorder.
Autism varies widely in its severity and symptoms. An accurate diagnosis and early identification greatly improve the chances of establishing appropriate educational supports and any necessary treatments and interventions. More on diagnosis…
5. What causes ASDs?
The cause or causes of ASDs are still unknown. Classic Autism was first recognized
in 1942 by Dr. Leo Kanner at John's Hopkins Hospital. At nearly the same time,
an Austrian psychologist, Hans Asperger, described a similar group of patients.
ASD has been recognized as a medical disorder only in modern times, but there
are many historical accounts indicating that autism existed long before the
20th century.
It is generally accepted that ASD is a neurological disorder. Parenting styles do not cause children to have ASDs. Today research around the world focuses on possible causes such as genetics, differences in biological brain function, pre- and post-natal brain development, environmental factors, viral infections and immune responses and deficiencies. Many possible causes are being investigated. More on causes…
6. Do all people with autism need treatment?
The term "autism" is frequently used as a catch-all term for a wide
variety of symptoms, disabilities and special abilities. There are people with
Asperger Syndrome, "high functioning" autism and PDD-NOS who may enjoy
a very high level of functioning and who may need little or no special treatment
or educational programming.
In contrast there are many families who have children with seriously debilitating autism conditions who suffer deeply from a myriad of communication, behavioural, sensory and physical symptoms - children who will never reach their full potential without intensive support, special educational programming and effective evidence-based treatment.
ASC believes that early scientifically validated effective treatment can lead to great improvement for many people with autism. Without appropriate individualized treatment, many people with autism will not develop effective communication and social skills and will continue to experience serious behaviour and learning difficulties. More on approaches to treatment and education…
7. What kinds of interventions, treatments and
supports are available?
In order to choose the right treatment, interventions and other supports for
children and adults with ASDs, (from early childhood onward) people with ASDs,
parents, families and service providers will need to become well informed about
the resources that are available.
Careful on-going assessment of the needs and individual strengths and weaknesses of the person affected by ASD will be key. The availability and accessibility of effective evidence-based treatments and interventions will also be critical. At ASC we do not believe that any one single treatment, intervention or program will benefit all people with an ASD. We support professional ABA/EIBI-based treatments and educational approaches because these treatments are based on scientifically validated research and have been shown to be effective for many people.
In general, those ASD conditions that cause disabling medical, behavioural and communication problems can be alleviated with some combination of elements of the following kinds of interventions:
Behaviour analysis and intervention
Social and play related interventions
Assistance with communication
Sensory integration and motor skills therapy
Biomedical approaches
Life-skills building
Counseling and other therapies
More on approaches to treatment and education...
8. I am person with an ASD. Where do I find
information and support?
Like other Canadians with disabilities, people with autism conditions are becoming
more organized and are speaking out about their lives and their rights as disabled
individuals. There are an increasing number of support groups run by and for
adults with autism, both on-line and in support group settings. More on support
groups...
ASC has provincial and territorial member societies across the country. Our member societies provide direct support to individuals with ASDs. Follow the links to your closest Autism Society or equivalent. You will find information on support groups, scholarships, accommodations and technical supports, employment, and other helpful resources for people with ASDs, if they are availalbe in your region. More on Provincial and Territorial Societies...
9. How do I find support for myself and professional
treatment for my child/youth with ASD?
ASC has provincial and territorial member societies across the country. Our
member societies provide direct support to families and caregivers of people
with ASD. Many of these societies also have local chapters and can connect you
to other families in your region. Your provincial or territorial society can
also give you contact information about local and provincial resources that
are available to assist you, your child and your family. More on Provincial
and Territorial Societies...
Many parents, who cannot get treatment covered by their provincial government and who can't afford professional consultants and therapists, or who have no access to trained professionals, purchase parent training manuals and do a great deal of work on their own. The use of professional consultants and therapists is highly recommended. Families can accomplish a great deal themselves with accurate guidance, if they have the time and resources. More on resources: treatment and education…
10. What other resources are available?
Excellent ASD resources are now available on the web and links to many of these
can be found in our Resources and Links pages within each section of this website.
More on resources and links at Autism
Society Canada ...
Courtesy of the Autism Society Canada www.autismsocietycanada.ca.
Carol Leader | February 27, 2008 at 2:38 pm - §
I have a son with pervasive developmental disorder and I am looking for things that coould be helpful to help him learn more effectively.