Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Definition, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is dramatically escalating in numbers with one in
seventy kids aged 8 years diagnosed with ASD (Isaksson, Pettersson, Kostrzewa, Diaz Heijtz,
and Bolte, 2017). Reported incidence rates have been increasing gradually from the 1960s, and it
is uncertain to what range this is insightful of an actual rise in incidence or escalated knowledge
of ASD and its diagnosis. For instances, investigations with access to equally medical records
and the school have established considerably greater rates compared to those with access to
medical records alone. Some investigators have a conviction that the escalated incidence of ASD
might mirror variations in diagnostic procedures for ASD. It has been proven that incidence
differs by race and gender. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigation
found that incidence was 19.2 for every 1,000 which is equivalent to 1 in 55 amongst males and
5.0 for every 1,000 which is equivalent to 1 in 200 in females. Incidence amongst non-Hispanic
white kids 15.0 for every 1,000 was considerably greater compared to among non-Hispanic black
kids 11.4 for every 1,000 and Hispanic kids 8.7 for every 1,000. Cekici and Sanlier (2019) assert
that since there are no evidently recorded variations between these clusters based on risk factors
for ASD, differences in incidence evaluations propose under-documentation amongst Hispanic
and non-Hispanic black kids. Inadequate information was accessible for kids of Pacific/Asian
Island background. As a result of ASD incidence, all health care practitioners have to understand
contemporary research, symptoms, causes, diagnosis and treatment, and how to provide support
effectively.
Introduction
This research paper focuses on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a serious disorder that
affects normal brain functioning. It affects how an individual sees and interacts with others,

resulting in problems in communication and social interaction. The disorder similarly comprises
repetitive and limited behavioral patterns. The word “spectrum” in ASD designates the severity
and variety of symptoms (Chien, Chou, Wu, Tsai, Chiu, et al. 2019). Generally, this paper
addresses autism in regards to its definition and description, signs and symptoms, causes and risk
factors, diagnostic criteria, and treatment. Lastly, the paper concludes by giving a general
opinion on autism and there is also an appendix with survey questions that directed this research
paper.
Definition and Description of Autism
Autism is scientifically defined as a serious disorder related to the brain functioning
indicated by issues with intelligence, social interaction, and language, alongside irrational or
ritualistic behavior and strange reactions to the setting.
Autism is a disorder that if one has it is a lifetime sentence. It affects a person's capacity
to comprehend what they see, hear, and touch. This may lead to terrific difficulties in individual
behavior and in the capacity to communicate and relate with others. An autistic individual has to
be instructed how to communicate in a normal manner and how to nurture relationships with
other persons, events, and objects around them. Nonetheless, not every individual experience the
same level of impairment. There is a range of various symptoms that individuals may experience.
Autism happens in as many as one or two for every 1,000 kids (Eggleston, Landers, Bates,
Nagelhout, and Dufek, 2018). It is five times more frequent in boys (normally more frequent
than not, the first kid) and it does not categorize (happens globally in every race and social
classes). Whereas a person may have symptoms varying from very mild to severe, approximately
9% have an exceptional capability in one scope of the nine manifold bits of intelligence like
arithmetic, art, music, or memory skills. Such people were once labeled to as "idiot servants",

however, since the world has developed and are aware of their obliviousness, they are now
labeled as "autistic servants". Autism is normally found in a person in the initial three years of
life, but may not be identified for a very long time. Watkins, Ledbetter-Cho, O’Reilly, Barnard-
Brak, and Garcia-Grau, 2019) denote that it might be tough to tell, at times, when the condition
develops in other kids, occasionally the disorder is not identified till the kid starts attending
school and it is recognized by somebody who is around kids and might see the symptoms due to
experience they have.
Signs and Symptoms of Autism
Other kids exhibit symptoms of ASD in primary infancy, like lessened eye contact, lack
of response when they are called or triviality to caregivers. Some kids might grow normally for
the initial few months or years of life, but then unexpectedly turn out to be withdrawn or
aggressive or lose language abilities they have acquired already. Symptoms are normally
perceived by the age of 2 years (Wiggins, Christensen, Van Naarden Brawn, Martin, and Baio,
2018). Every autistic kid is possible to have exceptional behavioral patterns and level of
seriousness; from low functioning to high functioning. Some autistic children have problems in
learning and some symptoms of decreased than usual intelligence. Hungate, Gardner, Tacketl,
and Spencer (2019) affirm that other kids with the illness have usual to increased intelligence;
they learn fast, yet have problems communicating and relating what they know in daily life and
adapting to social situations. Due to the exceptional combination of signs in every kid,
seriousness may at times be hard to identify. It’s commonly based on the degree of damages and
how they affect the capacity to function. Some usual symptoms exhibited by individuals who
have ASD are discussed below.

An autistic individual might have reduced, repetitive behavioral patterns, activities or
interests, comprising either or all of these symptoms do not take part in derivative or make-
believe play; performs monotonous movements, like hand flapping, spinning, or rocking; is
abnormally sensitive to sound, touch, or light, yet might be unresponsive to temperature or pain;
has difficulties with organization or has strange patterns of movement, like walking on toes or
clumsiness, and has unusual, exaggerated or stiff body language; performs actions that may
occasion self-harm like head-banging or biting; has particular food likings such as refusing foods
with specific texture, or eating particular few foods; is captivated by particulars of an object, like
the running wheels of a toy car, but does not comprehend the general role of the item; and
preoccupies on an item or action with unusual level or concentration. As they grow up, some
kids with ASD become more involved with others and exhibit lesser behavioral distractions.
Other, often those with the least serious problems, ultimately might live near-normal or normal
lives. Other, nonetheless, still have problems with social or language skills, and the youth ages
may bring worse emotional behavioral difficulties (Mastnak, Lipsky, and Neuwirthova, 2018).
An autistic person might have difficulties with communication skills and social
interaction comprising does not bring or point at items to share attention; fails to respond to their
name or seems not to hear someone occasionally; opposes holding or cuddling, and appears to
prefer retreating into their personal world, or playing alone; has no facial expression and eye
contact; does not seem to understand easy directions or questions; has problems identifying non-
verbal signs, like understanding other individual’s tone of voice, facial expressions, or body
postures; talks with an unusual rhythms or tone and might use a robot-like speech or a singsong
voice; does not show feelings or emotions and seems unaware of other people’s feelings;
unsuitably approaches a social interaction by being inactive, violent or troublesome; cannot