What is Autistic Disorder?
Autistic Disorder falls under the umbrella of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). This diagnostic spectrum is characterized by severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development. These areas include social interaction, communication and the presence of stereotyped behaviors, interests, and activities.
Autistic children show extreme social isolation and an inability to relate with other people. These social impairments can be further divided into three types of behavior: aloof, passive, and odd. Aloof children are most likely to live in their own little worlds. They are withdrawn and rarely respond to social invitations of others. Aloof children tend to avoid eye contact and dislike physical contact, how ever they will approach others but only to have basic needs met. Passive children will accept social invitations from others but in a submissive and indifferent way. These children are usually overly compliant and easily led into mischief by their peers. Passive children also thrive off of routines. The final category is classified as odd. Odd children like to interact with other people but they lack the comprehension and appreciation for social norms.
Communication impairments in children with Autistic Disorder are often very distinct. These impairments range from mutism to noncommunicative speech, such as echolalia (exact repition of words or phrases without comprehension of their meaning). The speech of children with autism is frequently very literal and pedantic, as if it has been memorized and lacks prosody. Along with lacking prosody in their speech, they also seem to be unable to understand the prosody of the speech of others, for example identifying humor, irony, and sarcasm. Lastly, children with Autistic Disorder lack the social and symbolic functions of play behavior. Most notably, it is fairly uncommon for a child with autism to initiate make-believe play.
The need for sameness is very prevalent for these children, in both their own behaviors and in their environment. Some behaviors include rocking, arm flapping, humming, drumming for extended periods of time. Activities or rituals can even become complex by having a specific sequence, such as lining up toys in a particular order. When these rituals or behaviors are altered or interrupted it can become very distressing to the child, resulting in temper tantrums.
Children with autism also can respond to sensory stimulation in unusal ways. They may need to smell everything they touch, or put items in their mouths. They are aslo prone to hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity. They are hypersensitive for example, when they find certain sounds or materials unbearable to hear or touch and they may express hyposensitivity by having a extremely high pain tolerance.
Another feature of autism, although rare, is having a savant skill. The individual may have a rare talent or genius or the ability to perform remarkable feats.
Autistic children show extreme social isolation and an inability to relate with other people. These social impairments can be further divided into three types of behavior: aloof, passive, and odd. Aloof children are most likely to live in their own little worlds. They are withdrawn and rarely respond to social invitations of others. Aloof children tend to avoid eye contact and dislike physical contact, how ever they will approach others but only to have basic needs met. Passive children will accept social invitations from others but in a submissive and indifferent way. These children are usually overly compliant and easily led into mischief by their peers. Passive children also thrive off of routines. The final category is classified as odd. Odd children like to interact with other people but they lack the comprehension and appreciation for social norms.
Communication impairments in children with Autistic Disorder are often very distinct. These impairments range from mutism to noncommunicative speech, such as echolalia (exact repition of words or phrases without comprehension of their meaning). The speech of children with autism is frequently very literal and pedantic, as if it has been memorized and lacks prosody. Along with lacking prosody in their speech, they also seem to be unable to understand the prosody of the speech of others, for example identifying humor, irony, and sarcasm. Lastly, children with Autistic Disorder lack the social and symbolic functions of play behavior. Most notably, it is fairly uncommon for a child with autism to initiate make-believe play.
The need for sameness is very prevalent for these children, in both their own behaviors and in their environment. Some behaviors include rocking, arm flapping, humming, drumming for extended periods of time. Activities or rituals can even become complex by having a specific sequence, such as lining up toys in a particular order. When these rituals or behaviors are altered or interrupted it can become very distressing to the child, resulting in temper tantrums.
Children with autism also can respond to sensory stimulation in unusal ways. They may need to smell everything they touch, or put items in their mouths. They are aslo prone to hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity. They are hypersensitive for example, when they find certain sounds or materials unbearable to hear or touch and they may express hyposensitivity by having a extremely high pain tolerance.
Another feature of autism, although rare, is having a savant skill. The individual may have a rare talent or genius or the ability to perform remarkable feats.
References
Hyman, S.L. & Towbin, K.E. (2009). Autism spectrum disorders. In M.L. Batshaw, L. Pellegrino, & N.J. Roizen (Eds.), Children with disabilities (pp.325-344). Baltimore, MD:Paul H. Brooks Publishing
Kerig, P.K. & Wenar, C. (2006). Infancy: Disorders in the autistic spectrum. In Developmental psychopathology: From infancy through adolescence (5th ed.) (pp.131-158). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Kerig, P.K. & Wenar, C. (2006). Infancy: Disorders in the autistic spectrum. In Developmental psychopathology: From infancy through adolescence (5th ed.) (pp.131-158). New York: McGraw-Hill.