ASD

Today, autism is a severe form of a broader group of disorders
These are referred to as pervasive developmental disorders
Typically appears during the first 3 years of life
Expressed very differently – a wide range of abilities, strengths and limitations.

What is ASD?

Neurological in origin – not emotional, not the refrigerator mom.
Prevalence figures vary (1 in 166 in text) 1:110 NOW.
4 times more prevalent in boys.
No known racial, ethnic, or social boundaries.
No relation to family income, lifestyle.
Autism impacts normal development of the brain in areas of social interaction, communication skills, and behavior.
Difficult to communicate with others and relate to the outside world.
Occasionally, aggressive and/or self-injurious behavior may be present.
May exhibit repeated body movements (hand flapping, rocking).
Unusual responses to people.
Attachment to objects.
Resistance to change in routine.
Sensory sensitivities.

Autism is a spectrum disorder.
This means that symptoms and characteristics can present themselves in a wide variety of combinations, from mild to severe.
Individuals with autism can be very different from each other.
Kluth “2003” “If you know one person with autism, you know ONE person with autism”
Paula Kluth on Autism.
“Autism” is still commonly used to refer to any of the 5 PDDs.

Good agreement in general that autism is caused by abnormalities in brain and central nervous system development (typically result in over or under reactions to various sensory stimuli)
May include chemical exposure, viral and genetic factors
Vaccines? – NO NO NO
Currently no medical test to confirm
A diagnosis is made by behavioral observations