Autism: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) GROUP MEMBERS : CHARMAINE TICSAY, AFIFA AHMED AND SIMRAN BASSI

What is Autism? Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurobiological condition that can affect the normal function of the gastrointestinal, immune, hepatic, endocrine and nervous systems. It impacts normal brain development leaving most individuals with communication problems, difficulty with typical social interactions and a tendency to repeat specific patterns of behaviour. There is also a markedly restricted repertoire of activity and interests

Autism Explained The term “spectrum” refers to a continuum of severity or developmental impairment. Children and adults with ASDs usually have particular characteristics in common, but the conditions cover a wide spectrum, with individual differences in: Number and particular kinds of symptoms Severity: mild to severe Age of onset Levels of functioning Challenges with social interactions

Autism Explained Cont. 1.According to the latest estimates (March 2014) from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 1 in 68 8-year old children in the United States has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This represents a 30% increase in the prevalence rate previously reported by the CDC.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention1 in 68 2.Individuals with autism have varying degrees and combinations of symptoms. 3.There is no standard type or typical person with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. 4.Autism can be treated.

Types of Autism There are four main sub-types of autism recognised within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, published by the American Psychiatric Association. Autistic Disorder, also known as autism, childhood autism, early infantile autism, Kanner’s syndrome or infantile psychosis.Autistic Disorder Asperger Syndrome, also known as Asperger’s disorder or simply Asperger’s.Asperger Syndrome Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, also known as CDD, dementia infantalis, disintegrative psychosis or Heller’s syndrome.Childhood Disintegrative Disorder Pervasive Developmental Disorder (Not Otherwise Specified), also known as PDD (NOS) or atypical autism.Pervasive Developmental Disorder (Not Otherwise Specified) Rett syndrome is no longer considered to be a sub-type of autism, although individuals with Rett syndrome may disp researchautism.net/autism/types-of-autism – website

Characteristics of Autism Autism is characterised by marked difficulties in behaviour, social interaction, communication and sensory sensitivities. Some of these characteristics are common among people with autism; others are typical of the disability but not necessarily exhibited by all people on the autism spectrum. Behavioural Social interaction Communication researchautism.net/autism/types-of-autism – website

Behavioural People on the spectrum may exhibit unusual behaviour due to the difficulties they have responding to their environment. Their behaviour is generally an attempt by them to communicate their feelings or to cope with a situation. Behaviour problems may occur as the result of their heightened sensitivity to a sound or something they may have seen or felt. For people with autism, rigidly sticking to routines and spending their time in repetitive behaviours are ways for them to reduce uncertainty and maintain the predictability of their environment. Other behaviours may include: unusually intense or focused interests stereotyped and repetitive body movements such as hand flapping and spinning repetitive use of objects such as repeatedly switching lights on and off or lining up toys insistence on sticking to routines such travelling the same route home each day and doing things in exactly the same order every time unusual sensory interests such as sniffing objects or staring intently at moving objects sensory sensitivities including avoidance of everyday sounds and textures such as hair dryers, vacuum cleaners and sand intellectual impairment or learning difficulties

Social Interactions People with an autism have difficulty establishing and maintaining relationships. They do not respond to many of the non-verbal forms of communication that many of us take for granted like like facial expressions, physical gestures and eye contact. They are often unable to understand and express their needs just as they are unable to interpret and understand the needs of others. This impairs their ability to share interests and activities with other people. For this reason they are likely to appear distant and aloof. Because they are often delayed in their speech and struggle to make sense of other non-verbal forms of communication, they may withdraw into repetitive play and behaviour and avoid interaction. Their difficulties with social interaction may manifest in the following ways: limited use and understanding of non-verbal communication such as eye gaze, facial expression and gesture difficulties forming and sustaining friendships lack of seeking to share enjoyment, interests and activities with other people difficulties with social and emotional responsiveness

Communication People with an autism invariably have communication difficulties in one form or another. There are some people with an autism who speak fluently, others who are speech impaired to varying degrees and others still, who are unable to speak at all. Of those who can speak, they will often use language in a very limited or unusual way. Their line of conversation may involve repeating your phrases or words back to you or asking the same questions over and over. People with an autism will usually only talk about topics that are of interest to them which makes the give and take in communication difficult. They have difficulty interpreting non-verbal forms of communication like facial expressions, hand gestures and other body language. 1.Impaired communication is characterised by: 2.delayed language development 3.difficulties initiating and sustaining conversations 4.stereotyped and repetitive use of language such as repeating phrases from television

Causes Autism Spectrum Disorder Etiology/Causes: 1. Primary ASD: no reasons on why it causes them to have ASD or why it developed 2. Secondary ASD: medical condition (premature birth) or environmental (exposure to alcohol) causes them to have ASD 3. 90% of these cases are primary ASD 4. Genetic factors, psychological factors and neurological factors can also cause ASD Website:

Treatment Autism is possible to be treated but there is no specific medical cure for it. Treatment Medical Therapies Time