"For success in Science and Art a dash of Autism is Essential" - Hans Asperger
Autism is not a
tragedy.
Ignorance is the
tragedy.
tragedy.
Ignorance is the
tragedy.
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| Autism Directory |
DISCLAIMER: This page is not science, it's just some thoughts by a Dad who has done a bit of reading and is lucky enough to spend lots of time with two great kids
by Richard Saffran
Autism (or PDD, PDD-NOS, "autism spectrum disorder")
Autism (and the related pervasive developmental disorders) is a severe developmental disorder which, left unchecked, usually progresses to
developmental disability at a young age. The causes of the disorder are largely unknown; they include genetic and environmental (chemical and
biological) factors, or some interaction of the two. (Many in the psychoanalytic community once believed that lack of parental nurturing was the cause, but
that is perhaps the only factor we now know is not important.) Read The Myths Symptoms may be present from or even before birth (yes, Moms can
tell), or appear gradually or suddenly after two or more years of apparently normal development. Although some related conditions such as
Landau-Kleffner syndrome cause measurable changes in brain activity, in most cases the only diagnostic information is the child's behavior. Other
biological markers are sketchy: there is some evidence of altered neurotransmitter (serotonin) levels; some children show slight physical changes, such
as the shape of their ears; there is a strong correlation with maleness and non-right-handedness; and there is correlation with certain genes. There is
about a one in nine chance that a sibling will also have autism.
The early symptoms may include grossly delayed language or motor development; atypical play, such as spinning, lining up, staring at, or feeling toys (but
no pretend play); lack of peer play or friendships; stereotyped (repeated unchanging) body movements; or pronounced fears, crying fits, sleeplessness,
or noise sensitivity. In place of the typical progression of skills, the young child with autism may develop some skills early, such as the ability to recognize
letters and signs (or even read), or the ability to make people smile by flirting or acting silly. These strengths may mask the severity of the many real
deficits. (It is a common misconception that children with autism must be withdrawn; some are, but others are perfectly friendly. Real, and tragic, isolation
sets in later if they do not develop the social and communication skills expected of older children.)
Older children may develop aggressive, hazardous, or self-injurious behavior to such a degree that they require institutional care. Most do develop
language, but it may consist largely of "echoed" words and phrases. If functional language appears, it is frequently missing important social context.
Asked to talk about a picture of an activity, for example, the child may say "The boy's shirt is red and he has five fingers on his left hand and five fingers
on his right hand." He may insist on extreme sameness, counting every step to the kitchen, tantruming if interrupted or the number of steps is not exactly
16. Although not all suffer severe symptoms, individuals with autism frequently have difficulty achieving independence, forming stable relationships, or
being free of anxiety.
There is strong evidence that many or even most children with autism are actually able to learn as much as typically developing children, given the right
environment. For many, there may be no deficit at all in the 'underlying' (cognitive) brain functions , but for some reason the information does not get in
and skills do not develop normally. There is, in effect, a learning 'blockage.' Some research points to the attention mechanism as a factor. As infants,
children who later are diagnosed with autism are unable to switch attention from one stimulus to another as readily as their peers. (Can you read this and
make sense of it while you are talking on the phone?)
We also don't understand well the 'subtypes' or boundaries of autism. For any individual, professionals will differ on what deficits may be due to autism,
and what may be due to other disorders, such as ADHD, "nonverbal learning disorder," or other cognitive and learning difficulties. This leads to a
proliferation of related official and not-quite-official diagnostic labels for people with different mixes of skills and deficits: hyperlexia, semantic-pragmatic
disorder, Asperger's Syndrome, sensory integrative dysfunction, and so on. Many people put these into the bucket "autism spectrum disorder."
It is a very mysterious disorder. No one understands why our kids are the way they are, or can explain why their responses to everyday things can be so
very strange. The particular excesses and deficits vary so greatly from one child to another that an explanation or strategy that seems to work for one
child may be a disaster for another. We know mostly how little we know. One measure of a professional's ability to help your child is a willingness to admit
how little he knows, and a commitment to use your child's progress as the only sure guide.
Having said all this, here are a few things that are mostly true - likely to apply to most - or mostly false - concepts that may work for an individual child here
or there but probably don't apply to most.
*Autism (and the related pervasive developmental disorders) is...
1. Uncommon but not rare. The "accepted" incidence is around one per thousand, but many parents in the USA report a "head count" in their schools that
gives an incidence closer to one in every two or three hundred. Research in England gives a total incidence of all autism spectrum disorders at one in
160.
2. A severe disorder. When an evaluator or administrator speaks of "mild autism" or "mild PDD," ask, "What is a mild severe disorder?"
3. Genetically linked to some degree.
4. Evidenced as an impairment in learning by social imitation. Spoken language, body language, the rules of play and friendship, are all typically learned at
an amazingly early age by observing and imitating other's behaviors. If our kids are to learn those things at all, they need a lot of expert help.
5. Related to overall brain functioning rather than one specific site. See Scientists Discover Biological Basis for Autism.
*Autism is probably not...
1. Caused by entirely genetic or entirely environmental factors
2. A "sensory disorder," or a dysfunction of any specific sense (hearing, balance, vision, and so on). Exaggerated responses (fear, anxiety) to normal
sensory stimuli are very common, but the response is probably not simply a normal response to an exaggerated or distorted sensation. (There may be a
disorder in how sensory information is processed, but it is not likely as simple as "too loud" or "not clear.")
3. Caused by vaccinations. The symptoms of autism often show up suddenly after one to three years of apparently normal development. Kids get lots of
vaccinations during this time so the odds are significant that "sudden autism" will follow a shot. This is a case where only careful statistical analysis can
untangle the facts.
4. Highly treatable by drugs. There is no medication specific to autism. Some individuals do benefit from psychoactive medications such as SSRIs (used
to treat depression and OCD), anti psychotics (schizophrenia), stimulants (ADHD), or anticonvulsants (bipolar disorder). Some get a lot of benefit, so
careful trials may be warranted. The dosages may be different - often lower - than those used for the associated clinical condition.
by Richard Saffran
Autism (or PDD, PDD-NOS, "autism spectrum disorder")
Autism (and the related pervasive developmental disorders) is a severe developmental disorder which, left unchecked, usually progresses to
developmental disability at a young age. The causes of the disorder are largely unknown; they include genetic and environmental (chemical and
biological) factors, or some interaction of the two. (Many in the psychoanalytic community once believed that lack of parental nurturing was the cause, but
that is perhaps the only factor we now know is not important.) Read The Myths Symptoms may be present from or even before birth (yes, Moms can
tell), or appear gradually or suddenly after two or more years of apparently normal development. Although some related conditions such as
Landau-Kleffner syndrome cause measurable changes in brain activity, in most cases the only diagnostic information is the child's behavior. Other
biological markers are sketchy: there is some evidence of altered neurotransmitter (serotonin) levels; some children show slight physical changes, such
as the shape of their ears; there is a strong correlation with maleness and non-right-handedness; and there is correlation with certain genes. There is
about a one in nine chance that a sibling will also have autism.
The early symptoms may include grossly delayed language or motor development; atypical play, such as spinning, lining up, staring at, or feeling toys (but
no pretend play); lack of peer play or friendships; stereotyped (repeated unchanging) body movements; or pronounced fears, crying fits, sleeplessness,
or noise sensitivity. In place of the typical progression of skills, the young child with autism may develop some skills early, such as the ability to recognize
letters and signs (or even read), or the ability to make people smile by flirting or acting silly. These strengths may mask the severity of the many real
deficits. (It is a common misconception that children with autism must be withdrawn; some are, but others are perfectly friendly. Real, and tragic, isolation
sets in later if they do not develop the social and communication skills expected of older children.)
Older children may develop aggressive, hazardous, or self-injurious behavior to such a degree that they require institutional care. Most do develop
language, but it may consist largely of "echoed" words and phrases. If functional language appears, it is frequently missing important social context.
Asked to talk about a picture of an activity, for example, the child may say "The boy's shirt is red and he has five fingers on his left hand and five fingers
on his right hand." He may insist on extreme sameness, counting every step to the kitchen, tantruming if interrupted or the number of steps is not exactly
16. Although not all suffer severe symptoms, individuals with autism frequently have difficulty achieving independence, forming stable relationships, or
being free of anxiety.
There is strong evidence that many or even most children with autism are actually able to learn as much as typically developing children, given the right
environment. For many, there may be no deficit at all in the 'underlying' (cognitive) brain functions , but for some reason the information does not get in
and skills do not develop normally. There is, in effect, a learning 'blockage.' Some research points to the attention mechanism as a factor. As infants,
children who later are diagnosed with autism are unable to switch attention from one stimulus to another as readily as their peers. (Can you read this and
make sense of it while you are talking on the phone?)
We also don't understand well the 'subtypes' or boundaries of autism. For any individual, professionals will differ on what deficits may be due to autism,
and what may be due to other disorders, such as ADHD, "nonverbal learning disorder," or other cognitive and learning difficulties. This leads to a
proliferation of related official and not-quite-official diagnostic labels for people with different mixes of skills and deficits: hyperlexia, semantic-pragmatic
disorder, Asperger's Syndrome, sensory integrative dysfunction, and so on. Many people put these into the bucket "autism spectrum disorder."
It is a very mysterious disorder. No one understands why our kids are the way they are, or can explain why their responses to everyday things can be so
very strange. The particular excesses and deficits vary so greatly from one child to another that an explanation or strategy that seems to work for one
child may be a disaster for another. We know mostly how little we know. One measure of a professional's ability to help your child is a willingness to admit
how little he knows, and a commitment to use your child's progress as the only sure guide.
Having said all this, here are a few things that are mostly true - likely to apply to most - or mostly false - concepts that may work for an individual child here
or there but probably don't apply to most.
*Autism (and the related pervasive developmental disorders) is...
1. Uncommon but not rare. The "accepted" incidence is around one per thousand, but many parents in the USA report a "head count" in their schools that
gives an incidence closer to one in every two or three hundred. Research in England gives a total incidence of all autism spectrum disorders at one in
160.
2. A severe disorder. When an evaluator or administrator speaks of "mild autism" or "mild PDD," ask, "What is a mild severe disorder?"
3. Genetically linked to some degree.
4. Evidenced as an impairment in learning by social imitation. Spoken language, body language, the rules of play and friendship, are all typically learned at
an amazingly early age by observing and imitating other's behaviors. If our kids are to learn those things at all, they need a lot of expert help.
5. Related to overall brain functioning rather than one specific site. See Scientists Discover Biological Basis for Autism.
*Autism is probably not...
1. Caused by entirely genetic or entirely environmental factors
2. A "sensory disorder," or a dysfunction of any specific sense (hearing, balance, vision, and so on). Exaggerated responses (fear, anxiety) to normal
sensory stimuli are very common, but the response is probably not simply a normal response to an exaggerated or distorted sensation. (There may be a
disorder in how sensory information is processed, but it is not likely as simple as "too loud" or "not clear.")
3. Caused by vaccinations. The symptoms of autism often show up suddenly after one to three years of apparently normal development. Kids get lots of
vaccinations during this time so the odds are significant that "sudden autism" will follow a shot. This is a case where only careful statistical analysis can
untangle the facts.
4. Highly treatable by drugs. There is no medication specific to autism. Some individuals do benefit from psychoactive medications such as SSRIs (used
to treat depression and OCD), anti psychotics (schizophrenia), stimulants (ADHD), or anticonvulsants (bipolar disorder). Some get a lot of benefit, so
careful trials may be warranted. The dosages may be different - often lower - than those used for the associated clinical condition.
Points of View
1. What is autism? Autism Society of America
2. Is Asperger’s syndrome/High-Functioning Autism necessarily a disability? Simon Baron-Cohen
3. DIAGNOSING AUTISM AND PDD-NOS PER THE DSM-IV IN LAYMAN’S TERMS Demystifies the "official" Diagnostic and Statistical Manual definition
4. National Institute of Mental Health USA
5. Personal views Autism Network International
6. What is Aspergers by Barb Kirby
7. The Neurodevelopment of Autism: Recent Advances by George Niemann
8. Mitochondrial Disease, Autism and Vaccines Category: Theory
9. SICK MONKEYS: RESEARCH LINKS VACCINE LOAD, AUTISM SIGNS BY DAN OLMSTED
10. Aspergers -Genius May Be an Abnormality by Temple Grandin, Ph.D.
11. Gifted children with Asperger's Syndrome By Maureen Neihart
12. The Geek Syndrome By Steve Silberman
13. What is Mitochondrial Disease? UMDF
14. How To Understand Autism By eHow Health Editor Amanda Ford
15. http://www.kylestreehouse.org/index.aspx Kylestreehouse
16.
2. Is Asperger’s syndrome/High-Functioning Autism necessarily a disability? Simon Baron-Cohen
3. DIAGNOSING AUTISM AND PDD-NOS PER THE DSM-IV IN LAYMAN’S TERMS Demystifies the "official" Diagnostic and Statistical Manual definition
4. National Institute of Mental Health USA
5. Personal views Autism Network International
6. What is Aspergers by Barb Kirby
7. The Neurodevelopment of Autism: Recent Advances by George Niemann
8. Mitochondrial Disease, Autism and Vaccines Category: Theory
9. SICK MONKEYS: RESEARCH LINKS VACCINE LOAD, AUTISM SIGNS BY DAN OLMSTED
10. Aspergers -Genius May Be an Abnormality by Temple Grandin, Ph.D.
11. Gifted children with Asperger's Syndrome By Maureen Neihart
12. The Geek Syndrome By Steve Silberman
13. What is Mitochondrial Disease? UMDF
14. How To Understand Autism By eHow Health Editor Amanda Ford
15. http://www.kylestreehouse.org/index.aspx Kylestreehouse
16.
Autism Videos and More
1. Adult Aspies Talking about Autism 2. MMR and Theory of Autism link via Measles Staying in the Gut
Kim Dean Studios - copy right 2009
Fixers and Accepters. Knowing when to be which.
ASD (Autism) 101
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