Autism Spectrum Disorder: Perception and Treatment

This assignment delves into the complexities of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), highlighting its varied characteristics in terms of intensity, amount, degree, and manifestation. It emphasizes the need for equal treatment of individuals with ASD, challenging societal perceptions that often view them as solely having psychological disorders. Research findings indicate that individuals with ASD can have high IQ levels and more, necessitating a change in how we approach and understand ASD.

Autism and Learning

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
1. Myths..................................................................................................................................1
2. History and diagnostic of ASD...........................................................................................1
3. Characteristics and Impact for individuals on the autism spectrum...................................2
4. Neuro diversity movement and it impacts on the way of approach research and practice for
individuals on the autism spectrum........................................................................................3
5. Why autism is a known as a “spectrum” condition and how individuals can manifest
different strengths and needs depending on the environment................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Autism spectrum disorder can be defined as a range of conditions that are characteristic
by challenges like speech and non-verbal communication, social skills, repetitive behaviour and
more (Dimitrova, Özçalışkan and Adamson, 2016). The present report is made a discussion
about characteristic, history and myths-criteria that diagnose autism spectrum disorder. It also
shows impact of historical changes
1. Myths
Autism Spectrum Disorder refers to a developmental disorder which affects
communication and behaviour, because this kind of issue can be diagnosed at any age. In genera,
symptoms are appeared within first two years after birth of a baby (Gao and et. al., 2016). It
includes difficulty in communication and make interaction with others, repetitive behaviour and
more. There are many myths surrounds with spectrum of autism as-
Myth 1: Individual with autism are intellectually disabled.
Fact: Autism often times brings many exceptional abilities like normal to high IQs, excel at
music, maths and more.
Myth 2: Autism is only a mental disorder issue.
Fact: As per research, it has proved that autism may also some co-occuring issues as allergies,
food sensitivities, epilepsy and more.
2. History and diagnostic of ASD
Eugene Bleuler was a Swiss psychiatrist who describes autism as schizophrenia, a long
term mental disorder (What is the history of Autism Spectrum Disorder, 2019). Perceptive of this
author and from various researches as well as long history of Autism, it has concluded 'Autism
refers to a developmental order which is marked as social communication deficits.
Leo Kanner (an Australian-American physician and psychiatrist) has first time described
the concept of autism in 1943 (The evolution of ‘autism’ as a diagnosis, explained, 2018).
According to research, children having autism were often intelligent and had extraordinary IQ
skills. This had shaped the research and practices of others, where one of the researcher Kanner
has defined autism in 1952 as a psychiatric condition that was completely different from
schizophrenia.
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Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder:
The current version of DSM-V has replaced all previous researches and changed entire
criteria of perception related to Autism Spectrum Disorder (Linstead and et. al. 2017). As in
DSM-IV, researchers have adopted the criteria of one-size-fits all by believing that subtypes of
autism are distinct on the basis of causes. But in DSM-V, diagnostic criteria has become
narrowed and aid investigators to sort symptoms with greater clarity and consistency. Along with
this, DSM-IV includes behaviour for autism across a triad of social interaction, impairment and
restricted interest. While DSM-V includes a dyad of impairment and social communication,
repetitive patterns and activities etc. Thus, DSM-5 criteria for autism is taken as better define
phenotypes within the spectrum, because it has a clear diagnostic term as well as dimensional
system, which includes a severity rating.
DCM 5:
This criteria for autism spectrum includes a clear diagnostic term and a severe rating (Yakubova,
Hughes and Shinaberry, 2016). Therefore, it considered as better dimensional system that helps in better
defining phenotypes within spectrum. The changes in diagnostic study within DSM-5 has better describe
different types of behaviours that individual exhibit. As previous theory of DCM-IV that adopts one-fit-
size criteria, DCM-V adopts better methods for classified autism disorder on the basis of IQ level,
adaptive skills, repetitive behaviour, loss of skills, communication and other medical problems. Such
changes results in studying diagnosis more specific and appropriate, but potentially more limiting.
3. Characteristics and Impact for individuals on the autism spectrum
Autism can be characterised by some market difficulties in terms of communication, social
interaction, behaviour and information sensitivities (Yakubova, Hughes and Shinaberry, 2016) .
Autism characteristics Impact on individuals
Communication  Delayed in language development
 Difficulties in sustaining conversation
Social Interaction  Difficulties in forming and sustaining
friendship
 Limited understanding of non-verbal
language
Restrictive and Repetitive Behaviour  Unusual interest
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 Repetitive use of certain objects like
switching off and on lights.
Sensory  Avoidance of basic sounds and textures
like hair dryer, vaccum cleaner, juicer
and more.
 Intentionally staring at some moving
objects
Information Processing 
4. Neuro diversity movement and it impacts on the way of approach research and practice for
individuals on the autism spectrum
Neuro diversity movement refers to an approach to learning as well as mental health
which argues various neurological conditions. It also considered as an international civil rights
movement, in which autism right movement refers to most influential one. According to
perception of Webb, Neuhaus and Faja (2017), neurodiversity also shows neurological
differences that should be treated and recognized as other human variation. Such differences
include those symptoms which are labelled with Dyslexia, Tourette Syndrome, Dyspraxia,
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autistic Spectrum and so on. In this regard,
neurodiversity has advocated that autism spectrum is a genetic therefore, should be accepted and
treated as a natural expression of genome. This kind of perceptive seems to be distinct from
previous myths of autism as- it is caused due to genetic defect therefore, can be addressed by
targeting genes (Happé and et. al., 2016). The another belief of individuals for autism is that it is
caused due to environmental factors and should be addressed by environmental causes only.
Thus, concept of neuro-diversity has changed the above two perspective of individuals related to
autism. It describes autism as an intrinsic part of identity.
As per views of Happé and et. al. (2016), neurodiversity's proponents strive to re-
conceptualize the autism and it can be measured by- restricted and changing behaviour of
individuals, disorder and illness-based nomenclature. It change the perception of individuals that
autism is a way of being pervasive that colours every sensation, experience, aspect of existence
and more. Along with this, neurodiversity also support the medical model of disability and
identify mental difference with conditions like deficits, dysfunction, disorders and more. All
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such conditions causes impairments in various aspects of life (What is The Neurodiversity
Movement and Autism Rights?, 2019). Thus, neurodiversity movement has brought a new
perspective in individual related to a number of diagnosed cognitive as well as neurological
issues. Therefore, autism spectrum disorder has undertaken as a centre stage within a research.
As per the lens of neurodiversity rights advocates, it has analysed that symptoms and behaviours
of individuals who are ordinarily classified as non-neurotypical are normal expressions of
function of human beings, in despite of disorders that to be diagnosed and treated.
5. Why autism is a known as a “spectrum” condition and how individuals can manifest different
strengths and needs depending on the environment
Autism refers to a complex development disorder which defines three main core features
that are- difficulties with social interaction, pattern of restricted and repetitive behaviour with
narrow interest, impaired in verbal and non-verbal communication (Prino and et. al., 2016). This
disorder generally begins in early childhood age but symptoms do not show until the individual
reaches at school age. Here, behavioural characteristics evident at the time of aged 3 years which
can be measured in terms of communication, typical and repetitive behaviour, social interaction
and more. Thus, all these expressions or conditions are considered as spectrum disorders which
widely among affected persons. In this regard, children having significant impairment include all
above three core functioning areas (Goldstein and Ozonoff, 2018). Through research, it has been
analysed that number of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders are appeared to be
increasing. All individuals having ASD exhibiting social communication impairment like lack of
appropriate interaction or eye contact, inability to initiate and more. Along with this, lack of
speech and an effective way of communication like sign language, pictures, visual input
sensitivities like staring at moving objectives, covering ears during loud voice and so on. All
such characteristics are vary in terms of intensity, amount, degree and manifest as per person to
person.
CONCLUSION
It has been concluded from this assignment that an individual having autism should be
treated equally and people have to change their perception related to such type of disorders.
Through various researches it has been proved that autism is not limited to psychological
disorder only because individuals having such type of condition, often have high IQ level and
more.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Dimitrova, N., Özçalışkan, Ş., & Adamson, L. B. (2016). Parents’ translations of child gesture
facilitate word learning in children with autism, Down syndrome and typical
development. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46(1), 221-231.
Gao, J. and et. al. (2016). Neuroprotective effects of docosahexaenoic acid on hippocampal cell
death and learning and memory impairments in a valproic acid-induced rat autism
model. International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience, 49, 67-78.
Linstead, E. and et. al. (2017). Intensity and learning outcomes in the treatment of children with
autism spectrum disorder. Behavior modification, 41(2), 229-252.
Yakubova, G., Hughes, E. M., & Shinaberry, M. (2016). Learning with Technology: Video
Modeling with Concrete–Representational–Abstract Sequencing for Students with
Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 46(7),
2349-2362.
Happé, F. G. & et. al. (2016). Demographic and cognitive profile of individuals seeking a
diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in adulthood. Journal of Autism and
Developmental Disorders, 46(11), 3469-3480.
Webb, S. J., Neuhaus, E., & Faja, S. (2017). Face perception and learning in autism spectrum
disorders. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 70(5), 970-986.
Prino, L. E. and et. al. (2016). The Effect of Autism Spectrum Disorders, Down Syndrome,
Specific Learning Disorders and Hyperactivity and Attention Deficitson the Student-
Teacher Relationship. Electronic Journal of Research in Educational
Psychology, 14(1), 89-106.
Goldstein, S., & Ozonoff, S. (Eds.). (2018). Assessment of autism spectrum disorder. Guilford
Publications.
Online
The evolution of ‘autism’ as a diagnosis, explained. 2018. [Online] Available Through:
<https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/evolution-autism-diagnosis-explained/>.
What is the history of Autism Spectrum Disorder. 2019. [Online] Available
Through:<https://harkla.co/blogs/special-needs/history-of-autism>.
What is The Neurodiversity Movement and Autism Rights?. 2019.[Online] Available Through:
<https://www.appliedbehavioranalysisedu.org/what-is-the-neurodiversity-movement-
and-autism-rights/>.
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