Posted on 03/29/2014 6:42:23 AM PDT by Star Traveler
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by:
Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts;
Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities;
Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period (typically recognized in the first two years of life); and,
Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning.
The term “spectrum” refers to the wide range of symptoms, skills, and levels of impairment or disability that children with ASD can have. Some children are mildly impaired by their symptoms, while others are severely disabled. The latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) no longer includes Asperger’s syndrome; the characteristics of Asperger’s syndrome are included within the broader category of ASD.
Information on ASD can also be found on the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development website and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
No, I’m not familiar with him, but then, I didn’t start really talking until I was about 5 years old. However that was because English was my second language, and ASL (American Sign Language) was my first language (since my parents were deaf). I was taken out of my home to a relative’s home for about one year to immerse myself in English. It was okay after that.
But “ASL” and the deaf culture have altered my thinking processes since that time.
Why does it affect boys at such a high rate?
I have a son that was diagnosed with aspergergers when he was young. Other than being socially inept and “odd”, he is very high functioning. Group therapy has helped him to interact better with others.
His is a case that it is hard to tell from a distance as well. Most people just think he is weird. He has improved with a lot of patience in trying to teach him little things like saying nothing when it might hurt someones feelings. We cannot get him to tell a little white lie of any sort, which I think we could all learn something from.
The most difficult thing for me was other kids making fun of him, especially in elementary school. I used to cry myself to sleep at night.
I agree on all three accounts. 4 generations in my husband's family (including him and our oldest son). None of them know, they just know that is some ways, they aren't like other people, and that they don't like to be around people much. Our oldest son just became a father in February, and I will be watching to see that little guy has Asperger's.
They have their quirks, to be sure - but then, we all do. But they are marvelous. loyal, trustworthy people with often great insight into others.
I am also highly involved in a biblical ministry to adults with special needs and although there are some similar characteristics, Asperger's is not autism.
You will begin to see the percentage of those having autism increase even more rapidly because Asperger's.
Well ... I’ve heard some say, “I’m going to beat the Devil out of you!” ... But now we have ... “I’m going to beat the ASD out of you!” ... LOL ...
It sounds like we’ve encountered another “treatment methodology” here! ... :-) ...
Sowell, of course, is best known as a prominent black conservative economist. Brilliant mind. He was also a late-talker and has explored that area in some of his work. As far as I know, he doesn’t necessarily focus on Autism as such, but as a general observation he feels that late-talking is not such a bad thing and some people worry about it unnecessarily — if there are no other reasons to believe there is an actual problem. Problems are problems. But late-talking, by itself, is not always a problem.
Ditto’s on “Late-Talking Children”. One of our kids barely said a dozen words for the first three years of his life - we were kinda concerned, but were reassured by the fact that by the time he was two, it was clear he understood pretty much everything we said to him (and most of what we said to each other).
I had heard of Sowell’s book, so my wife and I read it - the situation Sowell described for his son very much paralleled what we saw in ours. Sowell’s message was pretty much if your kid seems normal in every other way, don’t panic.
And sure enough, shortly after our son turned three (and just before he started pre-school) he started talking like any other kid that age, and pretty soon you couldn’t shut him up. As he grew up, you couldn’t ask for a better, smarter or more articulate kid.
Maybe he just didn’t see any point in talking until he had something to say (not that we all couldn’t use more of that).
For one thing, I have a hard time believing that something that affects 1 out of every 60 in a group is anything that remotely qualifies as a "disorder." We are dealing with something whose very name (Autism Spectrum Disorder) suggests an inherent vagueness and lack of clarity in diagnosis. As a result, there's no question in my mind that lot of what has been diagnosed as a "disorder" is really nothing more than normal variations in human behavior and psychological makeup.
Flame away, if you will!
I would think I am category 4. Acknowledges its existence ( and has family members with it), but wonder why the increase. Has the existence gone up? Or is the existence the same, but more people are being diagnosed? Or has the criteria changed? I ponder the same thing about other things, too, like peanut allergies, etc.
Crypto Sensitivity Syndrone
http://backlash.com/content/disab/2003/rvm1203.html
Diagnostic Criteria
http://www.backlash.com/content/disab/reference/CryptoSensitivitySyndrome.pdf
There are many other articles about this, but this is the short version.
I think the key here is simply being respectful ... :-) ...
I do believe that if someone is on the higher end of the spectrum they can outgrow it or learn to cope.
My grand son was DX'ed on the low end. He was less than 2 years old and they use a scale of 0, no autism to 26. most severe. He was at 23 or 24. Since they use the same scale, no matter the age of the person, I am hoping that some of the reason for the severe DX was just because of him immaturity. He has made a lot of progress with therapy. He has great parents and his papaw and I are very involved with him and his therapy. He seems to have a special bond with his papaw (sometimes hard for me to accept) and seems to have more breakthrough progress when papaw takes him to therapy.
IMO, it is a combination of both.
I had a friend (male) who told me he didn’t talk until he was 6...but he also had 5 or 6 older siblings...said he didn’t need to talk!
Ignorance of Autism doesn't help the kids that have it.
I should be clear that I'm not referring to obvious cases at the outer edges of a typical bell curve (regardless of what you are measuring), but to those areas where the increase in "incidence" is really just a matter of adding more "disorders" to the ASD profile.
According to a CDC report, it affects 1 in 42 boys
Can you explain that? It could be seen as people from both sides.
My sympathy.
I understand the challenge.
My uncle lived with his parents until he was 40. He married and lived a pretty good life. He was a farmer and depended on my father from childhood for most analytical things. He generally had a very mild kind nature.
My son is 38 and still lives with my wife and I most of the time. We own a house at the farm where he stays part of the time. He has other health issues, due to a fall from his cutting horse about 8-9 years ago. 3rd disc in back had burst fracture. Spent months in back brace and still has issues.
It’s more easily observed. Do a quick search for “Autism” on Free Republic and look at two threads from just the last couple of days. As you read the various posters, you’ll see the ones mentioned here.
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