Living with Autism

English Final

Rayan Tabibian
Final
English 11
According to the American Psychiatric Association, Autism is usually first diagnosed in
childhood. About 1 in 110 children are diagnosed with autism. Autism Spectrum Disorders are
three to four times more common in boys than in girls(American Psychiatric Association,
2011). Autism is a unique mental disability that can cause some substantial impairment on daily
life tasks. The thinking and learning abilities of people with ASDs can vary from gifted to

severely challenged; they can be diagnosed before the age of 3 and have ASD for their entire life.
Even though others may argue that autism does not impact their lives, I think that Autism has a
significant impact on an individual's personal life and their family members as well. Studies
demonstrate that individuals with Autism have problems connecting socially, difficulty with
language, and can engage in repetitive behavior. However, there is hope for people seeking for
help.

There are different treatments that help patients with Autism, such as Occupational
Therapy, Speech Therapy, and ABA therapy. (Talk about the process of these treatments, explain
how they help autism, and talk about how an autistic person would act in the outside world with
the help of these treatments).
Going back on history the root word "autism," which has been in use for about
100 years, comes from the Greek word "autos," meaning "self." The term self is very much
connected to the fact that individuals who have autism are very reserved to their emotions
thoughts and are not likely to connect to the people around them. Eugen Bleuler, a Swiss
psychiatrist, was the first person to use the term. From the 1960s through the 1970s, research into
treatments for autism focused on medications such as LSD, electric shock, and behavioral
change techniques. The techniques relied on pain and punishment . It is important to know what
causes autism in order to have better understanding of the syndrome, and come up with a better
cure or treatment. Autism tends to occur more frequently than expected among individuals who
have certain medical conditions, including Fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, congenital
rubella syndrome, and untreated phenylketonuria. Some harmful substances ingested during
pregnancy also have been associated with an increased risk of autism. Research indicates other
factors besides the genetic component are contributing to the rise in increasing occurrence of

autism, such as environmental toxins which are more prevalent in our environment than in the
past. Those with autism may be especially vulnerable, as their ability to metabolize and detoxify
these exposures can be compromised. People who have been diagnosed with Autism often have
difficulty with connecting to others on a social level.According to the American SpeechLanguage and Hearing Association, individuals with Autism have difficulty relating to others
and expressing empathy. Further more other research conducted in UC Davis has proved that
people with Autism have problems keeping a conversation and direct eye contact with others.
Anxiety and depression, which affect some people with ASDs, can make existing social
impairments even harder to manage. Approximately 40 percent of individuals with autism do not
speak. The fact that Autism patients have a lack of speech makes it very difficult for them to
communicate. Another very important factor that is challenging for people with Autism is that
they are not very comfortable with physical contact such as cuddling or hugging. For example, if
a child suddenly tickles another child's feet, he will most likely giggle and become excited and
happy. If that child were to tickle the feet of a child with autism, without anticipating the contact,
the result might be completely different because autistic people have sensory over-responsivity.
This means that they become easily affected by everyday sensations, which they feel more
intensely than normally developing children. Theses are just some of the many factors of ASD
that help to claim a diagnosis.

Even with todays advanced medical technology, there is still no medical test for
diagnosing autism. Parents cant just walk into a pediatricians office for autism testing, they
would need to seek out specially trained physicians and psychologists [to] administer autismspecific behavioral evaluations. The two most reliable autism-specific behavioral evaluations
are the Autism Diagnostic Interview - Revised (ADI-R) and Childhood Autism Rating Scale

(CARS). ADI-R is an investigator based interview given to caregivers and adults who care for
autistic children at a preschool age. The interviews are conducted at home or in a clinic and have
a high rate of diagnostic accuracy. CARS is an observation based behavior rating scale with 15items that helps to identify children with autism and to distinguish them from developmentally
disabled children who are not autistic.

Work Cite page

"Autism (Autism Spectrum Disorder)." Autism. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

, 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 1 June 2014. <http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/autism/>.

"Autism Signs and Symptoms." Easter Seals. N.p., 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 1 June 2014.
<http://www.easterseals.com/explore-resources/living-with-autism/autism-signs-andsymptoms.html?gclid=CjgKEAjw-6WcBRCsgNjFy2OuGYSJADf4R2suPSx5TuvTkvfTUkqox7kRQac1uHKcxdbMUdz4qrQNfD_BwE>.

"Causes - Autism Society." Autism Society Causes Comments. Autism society , n.d. Web. 1 June
2014. <http://www.autism-society.org/about-autism/causes/>.

Weintraub, MD, Alan G. "Gluten Free/Casein Free Diets for Autism." WebMD. WebMD, 12
May 2013. Web. 1 June 2014. <http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/gluten-free-casein-freediets-for-autism>.

"The 10 Best Places to Live if You have Autism." Home. N.p., 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 1 June 2014.
<http://www.autismspeaks.org/about-us/press-releases/10-best-places-live-if-you-have-autism>.