Specific Disability Paper- Autism
11/26/12
Specific Disability Paper: Autism
People have been trying to define and “normalize” what it is to be human through science, media, and culture for centuries. A mold has been created by societies around the world to look, feel, and act, without giving much more than an afterthought to what it would be like to break out of the mold; to know what it is like to be different. At a basic, surface level, PubMed Health defines autism as a developmental disorder that appears in the first 3 years of life, and affects the brain’s normal development of social and communication skills (PubMed Health). Another definition comes from the Autism Speaks website in that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Autism are generalized 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” (Autism Speaks). But even still, as each human experience is unique, regardless if an individual has Autism or not, they should not be defined only in terms of biology. That gets in the way of understanding what it truly is to be human.
Medical Aspects
Saying that, there still is value to understanding the medical aspects associated with Autism to determine symptoms, diagnoses, treatments, etc .The Autism Fact Sheet refers to autism as Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD. According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are three main types of Autism: Autistic Disorder, Asperger Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder.
“People with autistic disorder, also called autism, usually have significant language delays, social and communication challenges, and unusual behaviors and interests. Many people with autistic disorder also have intellectual disability. People with Asperger syndrome usually have some milder symptoms of autistic disorder. They might have social challenges and unusual behaviors and interests. However, they
Specific Disability Paper: Autism
People have been trying to define and “normalize” what it is to be human through science, media, and culture for centuries. A mold has been created by societies around the world to look, feel, and act, without giving much more than an afterthought to what it would be like to break out of the mold; to know what it is like to be different. At a basic, surface level, PubMed Health defines autism as a developmental disorder that appears in the first 3 years of life, and affects the brain’s normal development of social and communication skills (PubMed Health). Another definition comes from the Autism Speaks website in that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Autism are generalized 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” (Autism Speaks). But even still, as each human experience is unique, regardless if an individual has Autism or not, they should not be defined only in terms of biology. That gets in the way of understanding what it truly is to be human.
Medical Aspects
Saying that, there still is value to understanding the medical aspects associated with Autism to determine symptoms, diagnoses, treatments, etc .The Autism Fact Sheet refers to autism as Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD. According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are three main types of Autism: Autistic Disorder, Asperger Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder.
“People with autistic disorder, also called autism, usually have significant language delays, social and communication challenges, and unusual behaviors and interests. Many people with autistic disorder also have intellectual disability. People with Asperger syndrome usually have some milder symptoms of autistic disorder. They might have social challenges and unusual behaviors and interests. However, they
References: Autism Fact Sheet . National Institutes of Health, Sept. 2009. Web. 21 Nov. 2012. <http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm> Autism Speaks. Autism Speaks Inc., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2012. <http://www.autismspeaks.org/>. Bagatell, Nancy. "Orchestrating voices: autism, identity and the power of discourse." Disability & Society 22.4 (2007): 413-26. Taylor & Francis Online Morris, Barry K. The Autism Rights Movement. N.p., 2008. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.autism-help.org/index.htm>.