child with autism

AUTISM IN CHILDREN

. We played elaborate imaginative games based on invented worlds . these invented worlds were not retreats for us

They were shared . Play of this kind hardly exist

for George and Sam . Their play is limited , end-stopped , and

above all - unshared

Moore (2007

Critical Thinking Questions

The following questions stimulated critical thinking on the subject of autism in children

Is there consensus among medical professionals that recovery is possible with autistic individuals as a result of treatment or therapy

Do children and other individuals diagnosed with autism

exhibit the same symptoms and characteristics

Why have years of extensive research on the causes of autism yielded varying results

Can watching television or being injected vaccinations contribute to the onset of autism in children

Introduction

Research on autism is on a crossroad where one group heralds that recovery from autism is possible (Autism Society of America , n . d while another group believe it is a lifelong neurological disability (Humphries and Muggleton , 2007 Moore , 2007 Chew , 2006 . Definitions therefore , of the term autism ' largely depend on which of the two hypotheses is being supported by the author of the definition . Rudy (2007 ) described autism as a pervasive developmental and spectrum dis whose symptoms may include differences and disabilities in such areas as social communication skills , fine and gross motor skills and intellectual skills . As a spectrum dis , having autism means one being a little autistic or being very autistic . If the autism falls at the upper end of the spectrum , the medical term given is Asperger Syndrome , otherwise known as The Little Professor ' syndrome whereas at the lowest end of the spectrum , the condition is called classic autism ' Cases of classic autism are characterized with mental retardation . Between Asperger syndrome and classic autism are an array of pervasive developmental diss which includes Rett syndrome childhood disintegrative dis , and pervasive developmental dis not otherwise specified [PDD-NOS] (Waldman , Nicholson and Adilov , 2006 Hale , 2007 Stanford , 2000

There is a definite conformance among medical practitioners and researchers about the symptoms of autism in children . These include impairments in understanding and social skills , sensory issues (personal space , sounds /noises , movement , tactile , taste , smell , light or temperature , more successful interaction experiences with adults and younger children than with same-aged peers , difficulty in establishing and maintaining friendship with peers , difficulty comprehending and using body language (eye gaze , gestures and facial expressions repeating back information without understanding its meaning , failing to seek clarification for things he /she does not understand , interpreting language literally , difficulty in understanding and discussing feelings limited interest in people , strong preference for sameness , excessive time and energy devoted to special interests , attention challenges , poor organizational skills , difficulty regulating their emotions and impaired gross motor skills (Hale , 2007 Humphries and Muggleton , 2007 Autism-World , 2007 Miles , Adreon and Gitlitz , 2006 Childhood Autism Foundation , 2004 Madrona , 2000

While research on the causes of autism may not be considered a virgin area , a considerable number of researches have varied explanations (M 'ller , Kleinhans , Kemmotsu , Pierce and Courchesne , 2003...