Autism Spectrum Disorder - Historical Context, Diagnosis, Difficulties and Implications on Teaching and Learning

Running head: AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER
AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER
Name of the Student
Name of the university
Author’s note

AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER1
Question 1
The historical context and current research relating to autism spectrum disorder
The history of autism is plagued by several misconceptions or distortions. This is due to
the fact that the diagnosis of the autism spectrum disorder is based on observations and
descriptions. Many scientists are of the idea that the autism was first described by Leo Kanner in
the 1943 in one of his articles, where he provided information about the clinical manifestation of
the disease1. The clinical manifestation was never noticed in infancy and not before the third
years of the life or later. The main clinical manifestations identified at that time was – abnormal
content of the speech. The most obvious characteristics was impairment of a social interaction
that is two way. Both Asperger and Kanner had reported certain skills like impairments such
excellent rote memories and the interest in one or two subjects 1. For many years there had been
a confusion between the terms ‘autism’ and ‘childhood schizophrenia” as some of the symptoms
of both the conditions were similar2. Thirty years before autism was regarded as a rare childhood
disorder, associated with several problems like intellectual disabilities, absence of expressive and
meaningful languages.
The currently used fourth edition of the Diagnostic and the Statistical manual (DSM).
The broader category of DSM involves a wider range of deficit or unusual behaviors within the
three domains- reciprocal social interaction, restricted communication repetitive interests and
behaviors. New edition of the DSM contained the revised criteria that included only two
symptoms domain (social communicated and fixated, repetitive interest. although the concept of
ASD had become quite familiar but the etiology of the disease is still not properly known3.
The processes of establishing a diagnosis of ASD
1 Hobson, R. Peter. Autism and the development of mind. Routledge, 2016.
Goldstein, Sam, and Sally Ozonoff, eds. Assessment of autism spectrum disorder. Guilford Publications, 2018.
2 Hobson, R. Peter. Autism and the development of mind. Routledge, 2016.
3 Goldstein, Sam, and Sally Ozonoff, eds. Assessment of autism spectrum disorder. Guilford Publications, 2018.

AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER2
The screening of the autism spectrum disorder can be difficult because of the insidious
nature of the disease. The symptoms of the disease come and go slowly and parents are seldom
interested to guess the worst about the atypical behavior of the children. Traditionally, behavioral
observation was preferred to be the best method for the identification of autism and other
developmental disorder3. Children’s lack of eye contact, social reciprocity, presence of
stereotyped repetitive movement characteristic of children with autism and related disorders.
Cognitive assessment including the unique profile of the skills of an individual is taken.
Behavioral and the mental health assessment in the comorbid neurodevelopmental disorder and
psychiatric disorders should be made. A physical examination will also be conducted. The
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development has provided some guidelines to
understand the red flags and milestones all revolving around the crucial theme of the
communication deficit3. The presence of any one of the signs should raise the red flags and a
professional helps should be taken. For children, a child will not be able to babble or coo by
twelve months, or the child is unable to grasp objects or point towards the object by one year or
if the child lacked social skills at any age. The two history based diagnostic tool for the screening
of autism are Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders and Autism
Diagnostic Interview Revised. These tools provides the structure for a detailed developmental
history, with special focus on the symptoms and diagnostic algorithms 4. Another tool is the
autism Diagnostic Schedule, which is a semi structured play based assessment that can be
applied across the age and the ability range from the preverbal children to adolescents.
The main difficulties experienced by students with ASD
Children suffering from autism faces from a large number of difficulties like the
persistent difficulties with social communication and social interaction. Children and young
people suffering from autism spectrum disorder suffer from several comorbidities that might
complicate the problems related to autism 5. Students often have to suffer from the co-occurring
conditions like cognitive problems, developmental and neurological condition, central coherence
4 Fein, Deborah, et al. "Optimal outcome in individuals with a history of autism." Journal of child psychology and
psychiatry 54.2 (2013): 195-205.
5 Henninger, Natalie A., and Julie Lounds Taylor. "Outcomes in adults with autism spectrum disorders: A historical
perspective." Autism 17.1 (2013): 103-116.