Autism Spectrum Disorder Case Study

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Autism spectrum disorder, also known as ASD, is the name for a group of developmental disorders commonly found in children. Autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control, affects 1 in 110 children born in the United States. It has a wide range spectrum of symptoms, skills, and levels of disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. The learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of children with ASD can vary from gifted to severely challenged. Some children with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives, while others may need less help (Lubetsky, 2011). There are many different theories and speculations about the cause of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Although there are different theories,

But as recently as two to three decades ago, kids on the spectrum were hardheartedly teased as being different. Children were put down for having a tough time socializing and who at the same time exhibited a kind of smartness that caused them to be alienated from the "normal" kids. Due to the lack of compassion, care, and acceptance of disabled children, early public schools were never forced to create a program to educate this part of the population. All disabilities during this time period fell into the category of “mental retardation” and therefore were dealt with extremely poorly or not dealt with at all within the public school system. During the 70’s and up until the mid 90’s, public schools used techniques such as scream rooms, restraint, and verbal abuse. Scream rooms were often rooms with a single color wall, contained a chair/desk, no windows, and a door. They were used for children with disabilities as a form of punishment. A characteristic of children with Autism is self-infliction of pain. The children would be kept in these rooms for hours at a time and would often scratch the walls, hit their heads, or cause harm to their bodies as an escape from insanity. Verbal abuse was utilized to deal with these children because teachers lacked patience and did not necessarily care about the children because they were still undervalued in society. It was a combination of cases like the above and many more that pressured scientists and

Doctors look at the child’s behavior and development to make a diagnosis. The timing and severity of autism’s first symptoms can vary widely. Some children with autism show hints of future problems within the first few months of life. In others, symptoms may not become obvious until 24 months or later. Some children with autism appear to develop normally until around 18 to 24 months of age and then stop gaining new skills and/or start losing skills. The second step of diagnosis is a comprehensive evaluation. This thorough review may include looking at the child’s behavior and development and interviewing the parents. It may also include a hearing and vision screening, genetic testing, neurological testing, and other medical testing. In some cases, the primary care doctor might choose to refer the child and family to a specialist for further assessment and diagnosis. Specialists who can do this type of evaluation