Complexity Under One Umbrella : A Definition Of Autism
The typical definition of autism is that it is a neurological impairment that acts on the patient's verbal and social abilities. This unfortunately impairs the ability of a person with autisum to perform effectively when it comes to their education. Teaching autistic children is thus highly specialized, and should be done with their needs and capabilities in mind. Because each case differs quite drastically from the next, it is often difficult to come up with generic ways of coping with the condition. Cases range from incredibly severe to those that display only mild symptoms of autism. As it stands at the moment, there is no cure for it. There are, however, many available autism treatments. Again, different cases have to be treated differently, as each sufferer will display unique symptoms. It is known as a wide spectrum disorder, which essentially refers to disorders that manifest themselves in a variety of different ways. Thus, finding a very specific definition of autism and how it operates is often quite challenging.
One of the key aspects mentioned in the federal definition of autism is that it effects verbal and non-verbal communication. Not only do autistic people struggle when it comes to speech, they also battle with other forms of communication such as the gestural. They are highly prone to repetitive movements. Thus, you may identify one of the symptoms in an autistic person as the way in which they carry out a repetitive gesture for an extended period of time. This could be something like tapping a pencil on a table over and over again for an extended period of time. Verbally, this may mean that they often repeat phrases many times. In more severe cases, linguistic communication can be majorly effected. Autistic children often start talking a lot later than other children, and when they do, battle to make meaningful associations.
One of the treatments, known as ADA, attempts to rectify this through reward based therapy. If the child is able to form the correct linguistic association, he or she is rewarded, usually with sweets. This is the oldest form of treatment, and, while it has been in operation for a long period of time, is criticized by many parents. The argument against it is that it does not have the ability to ensure that the child is making complex neurological connections, and rather acts on treating the surface of the problem. Other more alternative methods are available, many of which have caused controversy in the medical world.
Exact autism causes have not been proven beyond the shadow of a doubt. Many experts believe that it has strong genetic ties, and can vouch for the fact that if there is an autistic person in your immediate family, your child is more likely to have the disorder. Because it has been difficult to come up with a conclusive source for the condition, it therefore follows that the cure has also been hard to come by. At least we have an umbrella definition of autism that can help us understand it slightly better.
