Tyria Streeter
Instructor Kimberly Whorton
SW 338
3 February 2015

Early Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorders Autism Spectrum Disorders are problems of social skills, empathy, and effective use of language for communication. It is considered a spectrum because each individual is affected differently with symptoms that vary in intensity from mild to severe. The truth is, people do not have a clear vision about autism. One of the most serious problems to the approach to Autism is the misleading of what normality is. Autism is a continuum of apparently normal behavior, but if one lives with an autistic person then the other seems to gain more in site into one’s self than the other person meaning put your self into their shoes. A person with autism senses things differently then we normally do, and also respond to them in other ways, what people might call “abnormal behaviors” but what is abnormal (divergent). Autistics do not suffer from depression. They have been chemically lobotomized and sedatives seem to only perk them up. In my opinion, social workers should be placed to screen and refer for autism spectrum disorder. It is imperative that social workers understand the disorders and characteristics. Social workers should be comfortable identifying the early signs of autism spectrum disorder and using screening tools to determine if a child is at-risk for an autism spectrum disorder or other delays. Research topics should expand on social work practice and autism