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The Autism Spectrum: Defining A Complex Condition
Autism is an extremely complex condition, marked by impairment of social and communicational skills, though manifesting itself in different conditions which share core characteristics of the autism spectrum.
In order for effective diagnosis and treatment to be given, there is the necessity to define the range of disorders that share the main symptoms of the illness. These symptoms consist of difficulties (of varying degrees of intensity) with interaction and communication with other people, and flexibility of emotion and habit.
Consisting of classic autism, Asperger's syndrome, PDD-NOS (Prevasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, known as atypical autism, ) Childhood disintegrative disorder (rare, not usually considered part of the spectrum) and Rett's disorder (also rare, and excluded from most definitions of the term). These disorders share many of the same symptoms, though they differ in their severity.
Classic autism is characterized by profound difficulty in social interaction, including non-verbal (body language, eye contact) and verbal communication, as well as behaviour that is obsessive and repetitive. It commonly manifests itself before the age of three.
Then, Asperger's Syndrome, while it does not prove detrimental to the development of a child's intelligence and communication skills, still shares a core characteristic of the spectrum, namely difficulty in reading and giving non-verbal cues such as gestures and eye-contact.
Atypical autism, while marked by the repetitive behaviour and social difficulty presented in other disorders in the spectrum, has a late age of onset, and does not qualify for definition as any other of the illnesses previously defined, or of any schizophrenia-related disorder.
Both Rett's disorder and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder are characterized by early loss of motor and linguistic skills. In the case of the former, this results in mental retardation, and in the latter, loss of bowel or bladder control. These are both very rare, however, and are often not officially considered part of the spectrum.
It is still possible for children living with one of these illnesses to live a full life with the aid of medicine, therapy, and proper parental and educational care, despite the severity of the difficulties they face.
In order for effective diagnosis and treatment to be given, there is the necessity to define the range of disorders that share the main symptoms of the illness. These symptoms consist of difficulties (of varying degrees of intensity) with interaction and communication with other people, and flexibility of emotion and habit.
Consisting of classic autism, Asperger's syndrome, PDD-NOS (Prevasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, known as atypical autism, ) Childhood disintegrative disorder (rare, not usually considered part of the spectrum) and Rett's disorder (also rare, and excluded from most definitions of the term). These disorders share many of the same symptoms, though they differ in their severity.
Classic autism is characterized by profound difficulty in social interaction, including non-verbal (body language, eye contact) and verbal communication, as well as behaviour that is obsessive and repetitive. It commonly manifests itself before the age of three.
Then, Asperger's Syndrome, while it does not prove detrimental to the development of a child's intelligence and communication skills, still shares a core characteristic of the spectrum, namely difficulty in reading and giving non-verbal cues such as gestures and eye-contact.
Atypical autism, while marked by the repetitive behaviour and social difficulty presented in other disorders in the spectrum, has a late age of onset, and does not qualify for definition as any other of the illnesses previously defined, or of any schizophrenia-related disorder.
Both Rett's disorder and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder are characterized by early loss of motor and linguistic skills. In the case of the former, this results in mental retardation, and in the latter, loss of bowel or bladder control. These are both very rare, however, and are often not officially considered part of the spectrum.
It is still possible for children living with one of these illnesses to live a full life with the aid of medicine, therapy, and proper parental and educational care, despite the severity of the difficulties they face.
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