If you direct the question “What varieties of autism are there?” towards anyone who doesn’t have autism or isn’t associating with an autistic person you’ll more than likely get a puzzled expression or a shrug. Many people incorrectly suppose that all autism conditions are the same. This isn’t the case and in the following article we will examine (1) the types of autism and (2) some of the fundamental traits of each.
The term “autism” is a generalized term which falls within a larger medical category oftentimes called “the 5 Pervasive Development Disorders”. Autism is the commonest kind of development disorder and can appear in a variety of types and severity of condition. This has led to the term “Autism Spectrum Disorder” which is often used to identify and discuss the different types of autism. What this implies is that someone diagnosed as having autism will have one of several different types of autism which have characteristics that are similar in some respects and dissimilar in others.
Within the Autism Spectrum Disorder there exists four subcategories of autism which are Asperger Syndrome, Rett Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder and Pervasive Development Disorder Not Otherwise Specified or “PDD-NOS”. Since each of these are kinds of autism they all share some general autism traits. It’s widely acknowledged that autism is related to the brain or what some are now calling “mindblindness”. At some point between birth and the very first two-and-a-half years of age there is a serious development problem inside the brain that prevents parts of the brain from functioning together. As the child gets older they find it more and more difficult to communicate and connect to others around them in what we deem a normal and socially suitable manner. Depending on how bad the brain disorder was early on in life will determine how serious the type of autism is when the child gets older.
So what we have discussed thus far has informed us that all types of autism are linked to a disorder within the brain. Now we are going to examine how each of the types of autism are different.
1. Asperger Syndrome (AS)
– characterized by impaired language and communication skills
– restrictive patterns in the way the individual behaves and thinks
Children with Asperger Syndrome often exhibit very obsessive behavior towards a particular subject or topic and refuse to concentrate on anything else. This makes it very difficult for them to mingle with others, in particular their peer group and they find it hard to speak and interact normally. Also very common is delayed learning when it pertains to motor skills like riding a bike, being able to catch a ball or even just climbing on playground equipment. The child is often perceived as being clumsy and uncoordinated.
2. Rett Syndrome
– signs and symptoms are often observed earlier on in a child’s life than other types of autism
– usually is found only in girls and unexpectedly begins to surface some six to eighteen months after a normal infant development pattern
A baby with Rett Syndrome demonstrates a slow down or oftentimes even a loss of normal development skills that were already developed before Rett Syndrome. Added signs of this infant condition may include problems learning to walk, increased delay in learning fundamental motor skills and often there is a decrease in head growth rate.
3. Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD)
– less common form of autism
– manifests later than other types of autism, not until around age three or four
– frequently a dramatic loss of social, communication and other sorts of skills
A child afflicted with CDD generally has demonstrated regular development well beyond that stage when other types of autism might become evident. Everything seems fine, until suddenly around the ages of 3 or four the child in a short time begins to have difficulty speaking normally, engaging in social activities with others and starts to fall behind in normal skill development for their age group. In very severe cases this may even result in mental retardation.
4. Pervasive Development Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)
– typically the mildest type of autism and is usually recognized around 4 years of age
– key features are difficulties with social interaction and communication
A child with PDD-NOS enjoys the company of others but has a hard time reacting appropriately and making genuine associations with their friends. For instance they find it difficult to relate to the emotions of others, and as such wouldn’t understand the way to appropriately react if someone is laughing or crying. Areas of trouble with respect to communicating with other people include a limited vocabulary, repetitive language, narrow interests and poor nonverbal communication.
As you can see the definition of autism is not as simple as many individuals presume it to be. Differing autism characteristics have given rise to a number of different types of autism that will affect children and adults in a wide range of ways, often based upon how severe the disorder is for that person.
It is extremely important to realize that the above facts about autism, together with the types of autism discussed, are merely general guidelines and are in no way intended to be a medical diagnosis. If you think that your son or daughter may have autism, then please inquire about medical advice from your physician.
Take action now to find out more about what is autism disorder and learn to help your child and yourself as a concerned parent or an adult dealing with autism. Visit our website now to learn more about the types of autism and much more. Articles on autism, videos and links to other resources including books on autism. Let us help you as we have already helped hundreds of other concerned parents with autistic children as well as adults with autism.
Related Reading:
No comments:
Post a Comment