Feinsinger 1

Blaine Feinsinger

Whitney Gilchrist

ENC 2135

23 March 2017

An Insight on ASD

All every parent truly wants is comfort. Comfort in the fact that they are doing everything

right, that their child is okay and that this is the best situation for them. Becoming a parent comes

with many second-guesses and toss-ups as to what is the best choice to benefit the child in terms

of health and happiness in the long run. If you take all these small dilemmas and multiply them

by one hundred, you still wouldnt be able to compare to the amount of decisions a parent with a

child living with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) must go through.

When hearing those words, I bet the first thought in your head was Im glad that isnt

me thinking about all of the problems that come with these children. Perhaps an image of a

child who is physically awkward or not mentally sound popped up also. Yes, these images and

thoughts might describe some children with Autism Spectrum Disorder but does it describe all of

them? The answer to that question is certainly no.

This disorder is based on a large spectrum, hence the name. By definition a spectrum is

used to classify something, or suggest that it can be classified, in terms of its position on a scale

between two extreme or opposite points. In this case, the positions on the scale used to diagnose

those with ASD are represented with a multitude of conditions and specifics. The main

conditions that are taken into account include: the childs overall measured intelligence, their

ability to interact socially, their communication skills (including their unusual or disruptive

behaviors), their responses to senses, and their motor skills. Some may even experience varying
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combinations of symptoms, making it very difficult to place them on the spectrum. (Nordqvist)

By rating these children on their different deficits within each of these skill groups, professionals

are able to get a close grip on what exactly this child is living with.

ASD must be present from infancy or early childhood, but in the new DSM-5 the age

criteria for the diagnosis will not be further specified and it is recognized that the deficits of ASD

may not be detected until later in life because of minimal social demands and because the deficits

may be compensated for by parents or caregivers earlier in life. (Frith) So, ultimately, it is in the

hands of these worry-some adults and caregivers when they should bring in their children to get

checked. According to Davidovitch, some red flags to look out for are lack of eye contact,

poor response to name (in the absence of an identified hearing loss), lack of pointing or showing

(joint attention) poor pretend play, limited use of gestures (waving goodbye, so big), and

regression of any language or social skill at any age.

Once the child is brought in, those specialists with a trained eye will be able to properly

diagnose and accommodate these children. [The] child may [be] diagnosed by a developmental

pediatrician, a neurologist, a psychiatrist or a psychologist. ("Diagnosis, Causes & Symptoms.")

When the findings are clear and all other explanations have been properly ruled out, the child

will be evaluated to determine their diagnosis. These diagnoses encompass: Asperger Syndrome,

Autistic Disorder, Retts Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and Pervasive

Development Disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). Each different diagnosis makes one

child vastly different from the next. Ultimately, it is a heterogeneous condition; no two children

or adults with autism have exactly the same profile. (Lord) Which is why, each child or adult

must be treated and helped in different ways.

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Although as of now the disease is incurable, there are many ways to help alleviate

symptoms or keep their bodies and minds occupied so they can carry out these day to day

functions. Overall, the goal of intervention is to optimize the functional independence of the

individual with ASD by minimizing the core ASD features. (Lauritsen) While many tactics work

for some, others may be trickier to help and try to alleviate these symptoms and features. Thus,

there are few special educational needs that are uniform across the ASD group (and distinct from

those without an ASD) and none that can be considered out of the context of the individuals

pattern of strengths and weaknesses (including interests), learning style, personality, the learning

environment and supports. (Norwich 112) Since there are so many differences within each

individual, there are a multitude of strategies to help each and every child.

The interventions include behavioral interventions, medical interventions, developmental

interventions, family-based interventions, therapy-based interventions, alternative interventions,

and psychodynamic interventions. (Raising Children Network) These tactics use tools such as

incidental training, antipsychotics, responsive teaching, sign language, and music therapy to try

to help overcome the symptoms the child has. Each individual must be looked at closely for their

symptoms, how they respond to help and what works for each of them in order to find the best

help for them. They each respond to certain stimuli a different way.

One example of this is Jack and Bradley who are in the fifth grade at Allamanda

Elementary School. These two boys are analyzed to be have different diagnoses within Autism

Spectrum Disorder. Their unique traits and disabilities show immense distinctions and must be

helped in completely different ways.

Every day I see Jack sitting at lunch with a cup of applesauce and the smallest spoon.

Thats all he likes and all he eats. Every day. At lunch he will sit between two people and not say
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a word, just eat his apple sauce taking painstakingly small bites. Deborah Feinsinger shares,

Usually you hear about the rowdy fifth grade boys but not Jack, he didnt even begin to speak

until the fourth grade and when he did he would cover his mouth and whisper to you. One of the

more common symptoms of ASD is the individuals lack of ability to interact in a social setting.

Or, rather more, their lack of ability to interact properly. It seems that they are not able to

properly read what is occurring in the social world. Although Jack may not communicate well in

a social setting, he does have skills in other areas.

You may be wondering why Jack chooses to eat only applesauce. It is very common for children

with ASD to have an over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity within their senses. Over-sensitive

taste can lead children to only indulge in certain foods and discard any other food. Things such

as texture and taste are intensified much more and may overwhelm the child. ("Sensory

Differences.")

Apart from these quirks, what many dont know about Jack is that he is also the fastest

runner in Allamandas running club. In each race I have entered with him, he has either won or

placed right in the top of his age group, spoke Feinsinger, It doesnt surprise me though with

the hard work he puts in. He goes to running club twice a week and will not stop running until he

has run a complete 5k, every time. You couldnt stop him if youve tried and believe me I have.

His face could be pale and he will not even take a sip of water for a break. If youre shocked,

you shouldnt be. Obsession can be a common thing for children with ASD and while it may be a

hindrance to some, in Jacks case it has blessed him with a healthy lifestyle. Jack shows more

dedication and perseverance than majority of kids at this age. Perhaps some lesson could even be

taken away from Jacks story.

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Another child that is in the same grade at Allamanda Elementary as Jack is Bradley.

Bradley had become fixated on planes. No, not the kind where he likes to play with planes or

look at planes flying overhead, the kind where he could tell you the length of runways at any

airport in the world. 7,170 feet he would tell me, thats how long the runway would be if we

landed at the Ronald Regan National Airport in Washington DC on runway 01/19. 5,000 feet if

we landed on 04/22 and if we landed on and I had to stop him there, Feinsinger said, he

could have listed the feet at any airport in Washington DC or in any state for that matter. That

was his passion- to remember the amount of feet on each airport runway.

In Bradleys case, he was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome. Aspergers is a

condition characterized by borderline or normal IQ; social isolation or nave, inappropriate social

interaction; intensive interest in one or two subjects; a narrow, repetitive life style; limited or

inappropriate intonation and body language; and poor motor coordination. (Wing) Yet, like

Bradley, these children diagnosed can carry out all normal functions of everyday life. Although

socialization may be an issue due to the very exclusive amount of topics they are interested in,

like the distance of plane runways, they can do all other things if they choose too.

Like the previous mentioned cases, there are many other children who simply have a

passion and just need the help finding it rather than being held back for a simple diagnosis that

they have been given. Autism is known to be one of the fastest-growing disorders in children in

the United States. The reported prevalence rates of autism and its related disorders have been

increasing worldwide over the past decades, from approximately 4 per 10 000 to 6 per 1000

children. The reasons for this increase include wider public awareness of these disorders,

broadening of the diagnostic concepts, reclassifications of disorders and improved detection.

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(Faras) Since there is such a vast increase in diagnoses, there has also been a vast increase in

classes opening up for ASD children as well as jobs opening up for ASD children.

As of 2009, it was found that for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder between the

ages of 23 and 26 had a 32.5% of current workers for pay versus an average of 59.0% for all

respondents. Only one disability group had a lower rate of employment participation.

(Employment Research and Reports.) There is no reason for these numbers to be so low.

With help from an early age and guidance to take the right paths through education, these

children with ASD can be made into working adults. If you dont believe that just look at

Temple Grandin. She is an autism advocate who rose to fame as an author of several books on

autism, in addition to the 2010 HBO Film on her life titled 'Temple Grandin'. She speaks

across the country about her life growing up with autism and is a professor at Colorado

University. What about Satoshi Tajiri? While you may not know the name, I am sure many of

you know the game he created, Pokmon. He was actually diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome

and he turned his fascination as a young child about bugs into the worldwide phenomenon of

Pokmon. ("8 Successful People with Autism.")

As seen by these examples, when given the opportunity to follow their passion, like Tajiri,

these kids can turn into something extraordinary. Perhaps Bradley and Jack can follow their

passion of planes and running to make something of themselves as well. Its the small things

that can affect their life the most and the simple knowledge of who they are and what they are

going through that can help you to help them.

There are now so many possible ways to help children or even adults who are diagnosed

with Autism Spectrum Disorder. They have set up fundraisers, walks, and races to raise

awareness and money to put towards finding new treatments. There are even large
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corportations who will raise money for ASD like Mazda. Tri-State Dealerships from Mazda

raised $43,500 with their nationwide holiday campaign "Drive for Good" for Autism Speaks.

("Autism Speaks.") There are so many ways to help and the first step is just understanding and

getting involved.
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