Autism Is A Pervasive Developmental Disorder - 1796 Words

Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder that is characterized by a person’s difficulty to communicate. This is due to neurological or biological dysfunction, and is usually diagnosed during early childhood. Autism Spectrum Disorder is more prevalent in boys than in girls. These children can present symptoms of limited or no speech development; they only use direct communication for immediate needs such as water, bathroom or sleep. Until today, there is no cure for ASD, but there are many types of treatment and interventions, such as Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Behavior Therapy. Researchers today have conducted new studies to revise how ASD can be diagnosed and treated. As I said before, the disorder is commonly†¦show more content†¦ASD has become the second most common childhood developmental disorder that affects brain functioning, social-interaction difficulties, communication challenges and a compromise in repetitive behaviors (Autism Speaks, 2013; Neely et al., 2012). Symptoms of autism spectrum disorder vary in children, some show mild symptoms and some show more severe symptoms. These symptoms include communication deficits such as not being able to understand verbal and nonverbal communication such as interpreting gestures and facial expressions. One example can be a smile because it can have a small meaning for a child diagnosed with autism (Autism Speaks, 2013). Children without autism tend to start speaking earlier than children with autism. In comparison to children with the same age, the autistic has less language and communication skil ls (Autism Speaks). The â€Å"Autism Spectrum Disorder† is a term referring to five disorders described under the category of persuasive developmental disorders (PPDs). The first one is the autistic disorder, which is a disorder when the child has a delay in speaking, doesn’t interact with other children and has repetitive behaviors and interests. Autistic disorder should be diagnosed at young age and is also more prevalent in boys, but girls having it display greater severity of symptoms. The Rett’s disorder only occurs in females. This disorder is characterized by normal development up to 5 months of age and followed by an observable decrease in