Autism- What is Autism and what is the cause of it?
I have chosen this topic for my research because my nephew has been diagnosed with Autism and I would like to know first of all what Autism is. I see what they say is Autism based off of the characteristics and behavior of my nephew. What is the cause of it? Is it genetic? They classified my nephew as being high functioning. What does this mean? My knowledge of Autism prior to researching this topic has been just based off of speculation I want to research the facts. Through research I hope to be more educated concerning this disease.
Autism is a developmental disorder that affects a person’s ability to communicate effectively, form relationships, and respond appropriately to their surrounding environment. Although there are many people with autistic disorder who are nonverbal and/or mentally retarded, there are many people with autistic disorders who are high functioning, with speech and intelligence intact. The cause of autism is unknown; however, studies show that the risk factors of autism derive from genetics, and environmental factors (Lisa Jo Rudy, 2007).
Autism was first diagnosed or called to the attention of the public in the 1940’s. It was first medically diagnosed by Dr. Leo Kanner. (www.exploringautism.org) In 1943, Leo Kanner, of Baltimore published his first paper identifying autistic children, asserting he had noticed such children as early as 1938.” (Exploring Autism, 2002).Originally Autism was a medical diagnosis first used by Dr. Leo Kanner; today autism is used as a general term that represents pervasive developmental disorder (Exploring Autism, 2002). I was very surprised as to how early this disease had been diagnosed you only have really heard more about it publicly within the last ten years or so. I’m really interested in researching more about the initial diagnosis as well as earlier treatments after the initial diagnosis.
Many scientists are researching a biological explanation such as genetics to identify the cause autism. Genes are often described as the “blue print of life.” There are 30-50,000 genes make up human DNA which is the molecule that tells our bodies and minds how to function. Despite the fact that biologist have identified the entire human genome, there is a lot of information unknown as to how genes work (Lisa Jo Rudy, 2007). Autism has a heterogeneous etiology, with multiple genes and chromosomal regions likely to be involved. In some cases, autistic disorder may have an identifiable genetic disorder, but in most cases the cause for autism is unknown. This form