Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder Autistic disorder is a childhood disorder characterized by a lack of social instincts and strange

motor behavior (textbook p. 417). Autism is a very profound, serious disorder that affects children. It generally becomes evident that a child may have Autism within the first few years of life. It is a mental condition, characterized by great difficulty in communicating and forming relationships. Autism Spectrum Disorder includes an array of disorders; including, autism, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder (PDD-NOS) and Asperger syndrome. Autism Spectrum Disorders, or ASD, can be associated with different characteristics than Autism; however, most are similar. Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors (para. 1)( http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism) Autism Spectrum Disorders are a life-long condition; however, through interventions and therapies those with this disorder can reduce symptoms, increase skills and abilities, and lead a fairly normal, and successful life. Autism: Autism Spectrum Disorder seems to gain roots in very early brain development. The most significant and obvious signs generally appear between two and three years of age. Autism Spectrum Disorders can be characterized by intellectual disability, difficulties in motor coordination and attention and physical health issues such as sleep and gastrointestinal disturbances. Many children with ASD excel greatly in visual skills, music, math, and art. There are four categories that autism spectrum disorders affect. These are social challenges, communication difficulties, repetitive behaviors, and physical and mental issues that may accompany autism. The first category is social challenges. Social interaction and communication are extremely difficult for someone who has autism spectrum disorder. It is very common for those with this disorder to have a very difficult time regulating and expressing their emotions and feelings. This leads to immature behavior such as crying and outbursts to disruptive and physically aggressive behavior. Those diagnosed with ASD seem to easily lose control. The frustrations they feel can be overwhelming for them, even resulting in some people displaying self-injury behaviors. The second category is communication difficulties. Most children on the Autism spectrum have some degree of communication difficulty. Some range from mild to severe. Most children have a welldeveloped language and have passed many milestones by the age of three. However, children with autism are delayed in their language development and some begin to babble and coo at a young age and then lose this communication. One characteristic of communication in autistic children is the gaining of communication and then regressing or losing it all. Many children with autism are completely non-verbal; this is typically the more severe cases. For this children to communicate even into adulthood, the use of sign language, pictures, and electronic word processors are implemented. Many children with autism develop language; however their speech is not fluent or it is unusual.

Another common difficulty is the inability to understand conversation or body language. Those with autism have a very difficult time expressing their needs and wants which ultimately leads to frustration and inappropriate behavior. The third category is repetitive behaviors. One significant symptom of autism is unusual or indifferent repetitive behaviors. Common repetitive behaviors include hand-flapping, rocking, jumping and twirling, arranging and rearranging objects, and repeating sounds, words, or phrases (Repetitive Behaviors)( http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/symptoms). Many with autism also require consistency, which goes along with the repetitive behaviors. They are accustomed to the normal way and can become extremely upset when it is disrupts. Repetitive behaviors can also be displayed in intense obsessions. Many develop extreme interest or a depth of knowledge in a certain area or subject. This makes them extremely smart, generally, in one or two areas. The final category affected by autism spectrum disorder is the associated medical or mental conditions. The primary medical conditions affected by those with autism are genetic disorders, gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, seizure disorders, sleep dysfunction, sensory processing problems, and pica. Some children with autism have an identifiable genetic condition that affects brain development. These genetic disorders include Fragile X syndrome, Angelman syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, and chromosome 15 (Genetic Disorders) (http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/symptoms). The second medical condition is GI disorders. GI distress is common among persons with autism, and affects up to 85 percent of children with ASD (Gastrointestinal Disorders) (http://www.autismspeaks.org/whatautism/symptoms). Most of these problems consist of chronic constipation or diarrhea to Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Pain from these issues can trigger further behavioral changes and outbursts. Another medical condition is seizure disorders. Seizure disorders, including epilepsy, occur in as many as 39 percent of those with autism (Seizure Disorders)( http://www.autismspeaks.org/whatautism/symptoms). This is generally more common in those who also have intellectual disability than those without. The fourth condition is sleep dysfunction. Sleep problems are very common among children with autism. Many times children with autism require only a small amount of sleep each night. Sensory Processing Problems are also a very difficult condition associated with autism.

http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism