Autism

The term autism (gr. autos-self) was introduced at the beginning of the
20 century by Bleuer; he defines it as a detachment from reality, being
accompanied by a predominant interior life. Autism is a pervasive alteration of
development. Persons with autism have qualitative alteration of social interactions
and communication. The severe deficiency of learning diminishes their capacities to
interpret and to understand messages from the surrounding world- words, gestures,
signs, numbers, letters and even love. Until now, it hasnt been discovered a
specific cause of autism. There is still enough scientific evidence that says that the
symptoms of autism are neuronal-biological. Autism can appear in any family, no
matter the race, ethnic group, social environment.
th

The most common criteria used to diagnose autism were pointed by the
World Health Organization, recorded in ICD-10 (International Classification of
Diseases, 10th edition) and the one of the American Association of Psychiatry,
registered in DSM-IV (Diagnostic Statistical Manual, 4 th edition).
The diagnose criteria of the autistic disorder (DSM-IV)
A. Totally, there are at least 6 items necessary from the groups 1, 2, 3,
including at least 2 items from group 1, at least one item from group 2
and at least one item from group 3:
1. A qualitative alteration of social interactions manifested through at
least 2 from the following items:
a) A depreciation marked in many nonverbal behaviors, like eye
contact, facial expressions, body language
b) The incapacity to bound relations appropriate with the development
level with people the same age
c) The incapacity to share spontaneous joy, interest and success (for
example, the incapacity to point or indicate objects of interest)
d) The lack of social-emotional reciprocity
2. Qualitative alteration of communication, manifested in at least one of
the items:
a) A delay or total lack of the development of verbal language, that
arent accompanied by attempts to compensate this lack through
alternative forms of communication, like gestures or mimic
b) The persons with adequate language abilities may have: a
considerable limitation of the abilities to imitate or maintain
conversation with other people
c) The use of language in a stereotypical and repetitive way or the
development of a idiosyncratic way of speaking
d) The absence of various and spontaneous activities that are meant
to persuade, or activities that prove social initiation: activities due
to the level of development

3. Considerable restraint of the field of activity and interest, manifested

through at least one of the items:
a) An abnormal fixation for one or more limited and stereotypical
interest
b) A strong attachment for routine activities
c) Stereotypical and repetitive moves (for example, repetitive
movement of the hands or fingers or complex moves of the hole
body)
d) The attention is drawn out to some particular parts of the objects
B. Abnormal or insufficient development, before the age of 3, represented by
delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the next domains:
1. Social interaction
2. The use of language for social communication
3. Symbolic or imaginative game
Autism is not a mental disease or a psychosis. Its a development alteration.
The concept of mental disease implies the fact that the main way of treatment is
psychiatric. In case of autism, the first approach in practice is special education.
Only exceptional cases need also psychiatric assistance.
Autism is not a disease. A mentally ill was normal in the past, so the
purpose is to bring that person back to that normality. Autism is a permanent
alteration. The way specialists help them is not to cure them, but to develop their
capacities for an easier social integration.
Its important that the people with autism get a good diagnose. There are a
lot of adults with autism that are committed in mental institution because of this
bad labour.