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Teaching an Autistic Child

Teaching an Autistic Child


Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder which affects person's ability to social interaction, communication, interests and behavioral patterns, understanding language, symbolic or imaginative play etc. Autism is a behavioral syndrome likely to have its onset before the age of 3. It is based on the patterns of human behavior and is not the contagious disease or illness. The disease affects the functioning patterns of the brain often resulting in person's living in "own world".

The autism spectrum disorders are common in the United States and affect the children at an early stage of development. With regard to plurality of syndromes and types of disorders generalized into autistic spectrum there is no precise single treatment for patients. The number of teaching strategies and medications are used to reduce the non-desired and improve and strengthen the desired behaviors in patients. The autism spectrum disorders pose real threat to the younger population as they are more common that the widely-known disorders like diabetes or Down syndrome. With regard to the disease's prevalence the number of researches was undertaken and the hypotheses proposed in order to find better ways for treatment. Nevertheless, the problem remains acute and requires advanced studies in order to find the true cause of autism which remains unknown until today.

The term "autism" comes from Dr. Leo Kanner, who firstly introduced it in 1943. The disease can also be identified as the: "tendency to daydream, to fantasize, to view life in terms of one's own needs or desires regardless of reality" (Wolff, R., 2002). Since the introduction of the term the disease known as autism was given greater number of descriptions and included broader spectrum of symptoms encompassing childhood developmental disorders. This day physicians apply the term "autism" mainly to the pervasive developmental disorder.

The data reflecting the prevalence of autism differs among sources. Some estimate the incidence of the disease in the United States as one child in every 166. The National Institute of Mental Health inclines to the figure of one per 1000 (Autism, 2006). At the same time in 1997 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found the disease were present in one out of every 500 persons (Dunlap, G., & Bunton-Pierce, M., 1999). The prevalence of autistic boys was found to be four times greater than that of the girls. The recent studies have also identified that the men aged over 40 have six times greater chance to father an autistic child than the younger fathers (Autism, 2006). There are however no definitely established racial, cultural, economic or social criteria to be known to have an influence on the disease incidence.

The causes of the disease are unknown till today. The theories and hypotheses differ, arising heavy debate in scientific community. Many scholars believe autism is the result of genetically mediated vulnerabilities to specific factors of environment. The researchers have discovered seven genes the prevalence of which is typical in autistic patients but the nature, mechanisms and magnitude of assumed environmental factors remain unknown. Some scholars assume that autism is not the single condition but the group of disorders and conditions which reveal themselves in the similar way. For example, the research conducted by the University of Pennsylvania has discovered the correlation between autism, oxidative stress and abnormal blood vessel function (Autism, 2006). Such researches can help to determine the links apparent in various diseases and in such way define the possible disorders' causes, providing for the development of the therapy.
The symptoms of autism can be monitored and determined at early stages and vary in their number. Autistic individuals can exhibit the set of behaviors and moods like: repetitive, unusual, stereotyped movements, self-stimulatory behaviors, unwillingness for changes in routines, oversensitivity or undersensitivity to precise ways of stimulation, resistance to alteration of environment they live in, aggression, extreme tantrums etc. Their development can vary in different spheres. Some exhibit superior talents in music, arithmetic etc., while other areas of development remain significantly delayed (Dunlap, G., & Bunton-Pierce, M., 1999). The children with autistic disorder can exhibit unusual responses to exogenous irritants like specific sounds or the objects. The symptoms are present differently in different children. One can have no problem with reading but have complicated communication capacities.

The early indicators of possible autism in children can involve: the absence of babbling, the child not saying a word by 16 months, inability to combine two words by the age of 2, unresponsiveness to name, poor eye contact, not smiling, attachment to only one toy or inability to play with toys, exhibiting precise behavioral patterns like excessive lining up toys etc. (National Institute of Mental Health, 2006). There is also great number of other symptoms depending on social, behavioral, speaking and other patterns exhibited by the autistic child. That can be poor ability to make friends, excessive trustfulness, little desire for friendship, social awkwardness, formal language style, low understanding of non-verbal communication, taking things literally, reduced ability to understand metaphors, hyper- or hyposensitivity etc. (Autistic spectrum, 2006).

In modern practice the whole totality of autistic symptoms are commonly addressed as Autistic Spectrum Disorder, regardless of the fact that the signs and symptoms of classical autism are definitely different from those of the entire spectrum. This definition includes the classical disorder as well as the related disabilities with similar characteristics. The autistic spectrum disorders involve: Pervasive Developmental Disorder, the number of symptoms similar to autism but much less severe and not extensive; Rett's syndrome, the disorder typical for girls, accompanied by seizures and other hard neurological symptoms; Asperger syndrome, characterized by the presence of autistic signs but relatively non-influenced language; Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, with the development of children regressing until the signs of autism become apparent and speech and other skills are lost (Dunlap, G., & Bunton-Pierce, M., 1999).

While it is considered that the children could be diagnosed at early stages the diagnosticians are mainly reluctant to deduce on the formal diagnosis until the age at which the complex language abilities are expected to be exhibited. The key source for diagnosing autism in the United States is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Organization. The standard diagnosing procedure involves two stages. The first is the screening tests like Checklist of Autism in Toddlers or Social Communication Questionnaire. If the screening has found possible traits typical for autism the advanced Comprehensive Diagnostic Evaluation is to be undertaken. Such evaluation is to be carried out by a team comprised by psychologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, speech therapist etc. The deeper evaluation involves comprehensive neurologic and genetic assessment, in-depth language and cognitive tests, specific tests like Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Autism Diagnosis Interview-Revised or Childhood Autism Rating Scale (National Institute of Mental Health, 2006).

There is no single treatment for the autism patients. However, the one of most common and widely accepted methods of autistic people education is Applied Behavioral Analysis. The effective treatment applies tête-à-tête teacher-child interaction for 40 hours a week. Such education allows the specialist to reduce the undesirable symptoms and strengthen the desirable behaviors in children. The teaching programs are called to attract child's interest, draw the young patient's attention and engage him into highly structured activities, regularly reinforce behavior etc. The interventions and teaching programs can take place at home or at the child care centers. Their goal is to close the gap in patients' learning, language, attention, initiative, imitation etc. The puzzles, painting, the series of motor skills activities accompanied by physical exercises are the inevitable part of the therapy.

For some patients the gluten-free, casein-free diets were found to be helpful. The food allergies and vitamin insufficiency caused by some types of nutrition were found to serve possible reason for autism. In different cases the use of special medications can be appropriate. The medications prescribed to treat various symptoms like anxiety, depression, behavioral problems, seizures, inattention etc., are: fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, sertraline, clomipramine, haloperidol, chlorpromazine, haloperidol, carbamazepine and many others (National Institute of Mental Health, 2006).

The whole spectrum of autistic disorders poses a threat to the nation and especially its younger population. There is the need for comprehensive, detailed research which would be possible to find out the initial cause of the disease. Unless the cause remains undiscovered no treatment and no teaching methods will be able to reduce the prevalence of the disease.







References
Autism. (2006). Retrieved October 12, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autistic_spectrum
Dunlap, G., & Bunton-Pierce, M. (1999). Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Retrieved October 12, 2006, from http://ericec.org/digests/e583.html
National Institute of Mental Health. (2006). Autism Spectrum Disorders (Pervasive Developmental Disorders). Retrieved October 12, 2006, from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/autism.cfm
Wolff, R. (2002). More Autism Information. Retrieved October 12, 2006, from http://pediatricneurology.com/autismde.htm
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Posted by: Sancha Haysbert

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