Autism
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Autism
Children with autism will grow and can learn, even if it might be at a different development rate than other children. Many professionals in the field of autism agree, developing an appropriate community-base education and treatment program for an individual with autism at an early age is an important step to ensure the child will reach his or her potential. Not to say that older children or adults cannot learn or develop.
Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life. The result of a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain, autism and it’s associated behaviors have been estimated to occur in 1 in 500 individuals (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1997). Autism is four times more prevalent in boys than girls and knows no racial, ethnic, or social boundaries.
Researcher’s from all over the world are devoting considerable time and energy into finding the answers to the disorder. Although a single specific cause of autism is not known, current research links autism to biological or neurological differences in the brain. In many families there appears to be a pattern of autism or related disabilities—which suggest there is a reason to suspect genetic disorders, although at this time no gene has been directly linked to autism. It has been proven that autism is not a mental illness, it is not unruly kids who choose not to behave , nor is it caused by bad parenting, and it has no been proven to be caused by psychological developments.
An accurate diagnosis is based on observation of the individual’s communication , behavior and development. However, because many behaviors are shared by other disorders, various medical tests may be ordered to rule out or identify other possible causes of the symptoms exhibited. Ideally, a child would be evaluated by a team of professional’s to include a neurologist, psychol...