autism
"We start with an image-a tiny, golden child on hands and knees, circling round and round a spot on the floor in mysterious, self-absorbed delight. She does not look up, though she is smiling and laughing; she does not call our attention to the mysterious object of her pleasure. She does not see us at all. She and the spot are all there is, and though she is eighteen months old, an age for touching, tasting, pointing, pushing, exploring, she is doing none of these. She does not walk, or crawl up stairs, or pull herself to her feet to reach for objects. She doesn't want any objects. Instead, she circles her spot. Or she sits, a long chain in her hand, snaking it up and down, up and down, watching it coil and uncoil, for twenty minutes, half an hour--- until someone comes, moves her or feeds her or gives her another toy, or perhaps a book." Excerpted from "The Siege" By Clara Claiborne Park. Autism is a very mysterious disease that people know so little about. Nobody is for cert!ain how this disease came about but it now well known in today's society. It has been presumed that before the discovery of the pattern of symptoms now known as autism, that people did exist with the syndrome, and were lumped toget
Bettleheim, B. (1994). Autism History. Retrieved February 27, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.vaporia.com/autism/autismfaq-hist.html. Edelson, S.E. (1995). Asperger's Syndrome. Retrieved March 15, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.autism.org/asperger.html. ; others may disappear altogether. With appropriate intervention, many of the associated behaviors can be positively changed; even to the point in some cases, that the child or adult may appear to the untrained person to no longer have autism. The majority of children and adults will, however, continue to exhibit some manifestations of autism to some degree throughout their entire lives. Autism is still a very mysterious disease but every day people are learning more and more about this mystery. Doctors are finding things that are preventatives and lessening the effects of the disease. There are still many beliefs and myths out there that some people believe but more and more people are becoming educated and recognizing earlier what this disease is about earlier. Many doctors are now looking into a disease that Leo Kanner once looked at all by himself. So medical practice has taken a large step into finding out this disease and putting a stop to it hopefully one day. Today the picture is brighter. Better understanding of the disorder has led to the development of better coping mechanisms and strategies for the various manifestations of the disability. Various types of therapies are available including applied behavior analysis, auditory integration training, dietary interventions, discrete trial teaching, medications, music therapy, and physical therapy. Understanding of autism has grown tremendously since Dr. Leo Kanner first described it in 1943. Some of the earlier searches for "cures" now seem unrealistic in terms of today's understanding of brain-based disorders. To cure means, "to restore to health, soundness, or normality." In the medical sense, there is no cure for the differences in the brain, which result in autism. However, better understanding of the disorder has led to the development of better coping mechanisms and strategies for the various manifestations of the disability. Some of these symptoms may lessen as the child ages! Other misconceptions of autism are less dangerous but are currently relevant and may have an impact on individuals with autism. Among these are the opposite of the 'refrigerator parent' idea. The concept that people with autism are totally devoid of social interaction, affective contact, and attachment and bonding is also inaccurate. Although people with autism are very much impaired in this area they do not wholly lack affective contact, but they do understand and react to these things in a very different way. Seeing people with autism as having no feelings, emotions, as mechanistic, calculating people is just as unfair and inaccurate as blaming parents for their autism. Such a perspective undermines the experience of all people with autism and their loved ones, who may enjoy unique and rewarding (although difficult and often traumatic) relationships. People with Asperger's Syndrome who enjoy successful and reciprocal marriages would perhaps argue with this dismissive myth. (! Sigman, M., & Capps, L. (1997). Children with Autism: A Developmental Perspective. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press.
Some common words found in the essay are:
Dr Asperger, Leo Kanner, There's Boy, Asperger's Syndrome, Symptoms People, Eugen Bleuler, Kanner Asperger's, , Park Autism, Behavioral Discrete, people autism, asperger's syndrome, bettleheim 1994, students autism, affective contact, kanner's syndrome, harris 1994, stehli 1991, social interaction, york ny, 2001 world wide, bettleheim 1994 kanner, verbal non-verbal communication, world wide web, impaired social interaction,
Approximate Word count = 2620
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)
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