Autism

Résumé du document

Autism manifests itself before the age of three years. It is one of the five existing pervasive developmental disorders, which are regarded as neuro-developmental disorders. They are diagnosed on a group of three behavioral impairments or dysfunctions: impaired social interaction, impaired communication and restricted and repetitive interest and activities. These three basic characteristics reflect Dr. Leo Kanner's first reports of autism emphasizing autistic loneliness and insistence on sameness. On the surface, individuals who have autism are physically indistinguishable from those without. Sometimes autism occurs with other disorders, and in those cases outward differences may be apparent. Certain stimulation, such as sounds, lights, and touch, will often affect someone with autism differently than someone without and the degree to which the sensory system is affected can vary greatly from one individual to another.

Extraits

[...] II) Difficulties of the autistic people Social development Most autistic children do not show special interest in faces and seem to have tremendous difficulty learning to engage in everyday human interaction. Even in the first few months of life, many autistic children seem indifferent to other people, lacking the eye contact and interaction with others. For other children with autism, infantile development progresses normally through language acquisition. Between 18 months and 2 years, however, skills previously mastered disappear, including language and social skills. According to Simon Baron-Cohen, many autistic children appear to lack a theory of mind. They are slower in learning to interpret what others are thinking and feeling. [...]

[...] Autistic children may display or fail to display certain behaviour. Let us see some examples of characteristic behaviours now: - cannot explain what he/she wants - doesn't know to play with toys - doesn't follow directions - has poor eye contact - violent tantrums - is not interested in other children Asperger's and Kanner's syndrome The most significant difference between Autistic Disorder, also known as Kanner's syndrome, and Asperger's syndrome is a follows; in Kanner's syndrome, we observe a delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years: - social interaction - language as used in social communication - or symbolic or imaginative play. [...]

[...] It's an approach in which tasks are systematically reduced to component parts and then reconstructed through repetition and positive reinforcement. Conclusion In spite of these difficulties, a professional integration is possible for people with autism. Some adults with autism, especially those with high- functioning autism or with Asperger syndrome, are able to work successfully in mainstream jobs, with encouragement and moral support. Many others with autism are capable of employment in sheltered workshops under the supervision of managers trained in working with persons with disabilities. [...]

[...] However, these characteristics vary according to autistic person. Autistic individuals may sometimes also develop obsessions or routines around foods, restricting what is eaten to certain colors, textures or types of food. Communication difficulties Some autistic children remain mute throughout their lives. Others may be delayed, developing language as late as age 5 to 9. Some children may learn to use communication systems such as pictures or sign language. Those who do speak often use language in unusual ways. Some speak only single words, while others repeat the same phrase over and over. [...]

[...] Autistic children may demand consistency in their environment. III) Treatment There is no specific cure for autism, but education and certain therapies seem to have a beneficial effect for autistic people. There are also medicamentous treatments, but that does not seem suitable in this disorder! Effetcs in education The inability to fully decipher the world around them often makes education stressful. Some students learn more effectively with visual. Because of this, many teachers create visual schedules for their autistics students. [...]