What is Autism?
An overview by Ron Leaf, PhD
Co-Director, Autism Partnership
Autism is a severe disruption of the normal developmental
processes that occur in the first three years of life. It leads to
impaired language, play, cognitive, social and adaptive
functioning, causing children to fall farther and farther behind
their peers as they grow older. The cause is unknown, but evidence
points to physiological causes such as neurological abnormalities
in certain areas of the brain.Autistic children do not learn in
the same way that children normally learn. They seem not to
understand simple verbal and nonverbal communication, are confused
by sensory input, and withdraw in varying degrees from people and
the world around them. They become preoccupied with certain
activities and objects that interfere with development of play.
They show little interest in other children and tend not to learn
by observing and imitating others.
Although children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, or “Autism,”
exhibit common behavioral deficits (i.e., communication and
social) and excesses of self-stimulatory behaviors, there are
tremendous differences among children. For example, although many
children with Autistic Disorder may have limited understanding and
use of language, there are those children who may be able to
understand complex language, express their needs or even converse.
Their language deficit may involve difficulties of grammar or
speaking in a robotic fashion. Children with Autism also
demonstrate a variety of social deficits. Whereas some children
may reject all social contact, there are children who are quite
social. However, they may only be social around adults and have no
interest in children. Or there are children who are interested in
children as well but do not initiate or sustain interactions.
Similarly there are tremendous differences among children’s
self-stimulatory behaviors. Some children may exhibit repetitive
body movement while others may self-stimulate by lining up
objects, or repetitively tapping an object or watching the exact
same segment of a video tape. Some children may not demonstrate
any noticeable self-stimulation but may have complex and obsessive
rules.
The uniqueness of the Disorder can be quite baffling to parents
and professionals alike. Therefore, a diagnostician with
tremendous experience is necessary to make this complex diagnosis.
*See LA FEAT’s Local Providers list
for independent psychologists who are qualified to make a
diagnosis of autism. |
