Why is Autism considered a Spectrum Disorder?
Autism is a developmental disability that usually appears during the first three years. Autism is classified as a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain. Autism affects normal development in the part of the brain that is associated with communication skills and social interaction. Children and adults with autism may have difficulty with communication, social interaction, and leisure/play activities.
Autism is classified along a spectrum because individuals exhibit varying levels of impairments. There are three main features that the autism spectrum consists of : impairments in social interaction, restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, and impairments in verbal and nonverbal communication. Every individual is different, not every person with autism have all three of these impairments. Individuals who do have all three will vary in the severity of their impairments. Autism is one of five disorders diagnosed under the category of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD). The five PDDs are as follows :
Autistic Disorder : This is the most common form of PDD. A child with autism appears to live in their own world, showing little interest in others and a lack of social awareness. The focus of an autistic child is a consistent routine and includes an interest in repeating odd and peculiar behaviors. Autistic children often have problems in communication, avoid eye contact and show limited attachment to others.
Asperger Syndrome : These children exhibit the same type of symptoms as Autistic Disorder, but they do not have severe impairments with language developement. Children diagnosed with Asperger have considerably stronger abilities in rote learning (learning through memorization and repetition), spelling, and vocabulary.
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD) : This is a rare condition, children develop typically around until the age of 3 to 5 yrs. Then the childs language, social skills, play, motor skills, and bladder amd bowel control decline. With CDD the decline stabilizes, and the child will show symptoms of autistic disorder.
Rett Syndrome : This is caused by mutations of a gene that is essential for early brain development. Rett Syndrome primarily affects girls. This neurological disorder is characterized by spasms in the legs, seizures, loss of purposeful hand use, small head size, and intellectual impairment.
Pervasive Development Disorders-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) : This term describes children whose behavior resembles autistic disorder or Asperger syndrome, but the behavior may be too mild to truly diagnose. Often this diagosis is made when a child has problems with social learning.
(Quill, et al.)
Autism is classified along a spectrum because individuals exhibit varying levels of impairments. There are three main features that the autism spectrum consists of : impairments in social interaction, restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, and impairments in verbal and nonverbal communication. Every individual is different, not every person with autism have all three of these impairments. Individuals who do have all three will vary in the severity of their impairments. Autism is one of five disorders diagnosed under the category of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD). The five PDDs are as follows :
Autistic Disorder : This is the most common form of PDD. A child with autism appears to live in their own world, showing little interest in others and a lack of social awareness. The focus of an autistic child is a consistent routine and includes an interest in repeating odd and peculiar behaviors. Autistic children often have problems in communication, avoid eye contact and show limited attachment to others.
Asperger Syndrome : These children exhibit the same type of symptoms as Autistic Disorder, but they do not have severe impairments with language developement. Children diagnosed with Asperger have considerably stronger abilities in rote learning (learning through memorization and repetition), spelling, and vocabulary.
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD) : This is a rare condition, children develop typically around until the age of 3 to 5 yrs. Then the childs language, social skills, play, motor skills, and bladder amd bowel control decline. With CDD the decline stabilizes, and the child will show symptoms of autistic disorder.
Rett Syndrome : This is caused by mutations of a gene that is essential for early brain development. Rett Syndrome primarily affects girls. This neurological disorder is characterized by spasms in the legs, seizures, loss of purposeful hand use, small head size, and intellectual impairment.
Pervasive Development Disorders-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) : This term describes children whose behavior resembles autistic disorder or Asperger syndrome, but the behavior may be too mild to truly diagnose. Often this diagosis is made when a child has problems with social learning.
(Quill, et al.)
Diagnose Early for a Brighter Future
The sooner a child is diagnosed the sooner they can benefit from early intervention programs. Having an early diagnosis can help in the development of the child and bring comfort to the parents or caregivers. Early intervention will help the parent/caregiver bond with the child and realize you are not alone.
