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Autism
Autism is a developmental disorder that manifests itself in the first years of life. Characteristics of this disorder include impaired social interaction, repetitive behavior and delayed language development. Ask questions about disorders in the autism spectrum here.
1,402 Questions
Autism is from birth, although autism-like symptoms can occur as a result of brain injury and illness etc. It is likely that autism is the result primarily of environmental factors triggering genetics that would not normally cause a problem to result in ASD, or autism spectrum disorder.
Vaccines have been suspected to cause autism for a while, but the evidence for them causing autism is weak.
The actual cause of autism is not yet known, although we do know that some drugs can cause autism when exposed to unborn babies in utero.
One example of this is the anti-convulsant sodium valproate, which is still commonly prescribed to women of childbearing age. Class action lawsuits in various countries (including the UK and USA) are currently underway.
How do you get autism spectrum disorder?
There are a lot of different speculations about why people get autism. Some researchers have theorized that autism is caused by heavy metal buildup in the body, but other evidence has shown that theory to be somewhat shaky and possibly untrue. Other evidence suggests that autism is primarily a genetic disorder. This theory seems to be gaining popularity, and so far no studies have been able to disprove this theory. In fact, there have been several reported cases of parents being diagnosed with asperger's syndrome (a more mild form of autism) after their children have received the same diagnoses.
Well said above and additionally, there is an environmental factor that triggers the genetic predisposition that basically kicks the autism into gear. What the trigger is remains unknown and has been speculated it varies from individual to individual.
How do you care for a person with autism?
If your spouse is Autistic you should learn what you can about the condition and help to provide an environment that does not cause them distress. (Usually sensory-related, such as noise or bright/flickering lights) Above all, when your Autistic spouse gets upset, back off and let them "recharge" for a while. Listen and observe. Other than that, the same things apply to Autistic people as anyone else: food, clothing, shelter, love (or at least companionship) and enough sunlight to synthesize their vitamin D. There is no reason why people on the Spectrum can not have successful marriages and careers if they have people who love them and believe in their abilities and talents... but it takes two to make a relationship work and Autism does not excuse anyone from being an equal participant, it just may change the nature of that participation.
How would you handle an Autistic child who was having a tantrum?
Bare in mind that there is a difference between tantrum and meltdown.
A tantrum is where a child is attention seeking and acting out to get something they want. A meltdown is an uncontrollable emotional response to stress and/or stimulation, often this causes temporary drop in function so the child is unable to communicate and may be more sensitive to stimulation, and for a few days following they may be more severely effected by their autism.
Your twin has autism will your baby have autism too?
Yes. However, it is more likely that the second child will not have an autism spectrum disorder than that the child will have one.
There is a genetic component to autism spectrum disorders. The chance of having a second child with autism or Asperger's Syndrome is greater than the usual chance of having a child with an autism spectrum disorder. If the next child does have it, it could be a milder or more severe case than that of the first child.
According to one study, if one child in the family has autism, the chance that another will also have autism is 10%. In that study, the chance that an identical twin has autism when the other does is 82%. Other studies give results ranging from a 5% chance of a second child with autism to a 15% chance. However, if there are two children in the family who have autism, the chance of a third child with autism increases greatly to about 30%. (One study indicates that the chance of a third child with autism is 50% if the child is male.)
How do you know if your child has Asperger's Syndrome?
A person with Aspergers' Syndrome will not talk much, not be very brave or courageous, he'll be normally nervous, sometimes talk back, and not be very reasonable in minor cases.
In major cases, they're basically vegetables, they have zero concern or respect for anyone they don't like, they like to think that they know everything, they bully, and normally gang up on someone without Aspergers' or someone with a minor case.
A:I am an adult with Asperger's and since being diagnosed I can now tell if others have the condition. I believe that there will be many people like myself who never knew about Asperger's itself let alone know that they have the condition. Asperger's covers a wide range of 'symptoms' 'difficulties' and 'oddities'. Adults with Asperger's generally don't like working in teams unless their role in the team is clearly defined and it is one where they feel confident. Sometimes an adult with Aspergers will repeat themselves in conversations, answer questions inappropriately. Social interaction is difficult because non verbal communication is often not understood. Although the diagnostic criteria and other professionals talk about 'special interests' many people with Asperger's dont in fact have these. However they may go through a period of time having obsessions about certain things. I will describe some of my own personal difficulties, visual spacial, often getting lost, not understanding if people are being serious or joking, unable to multi task (I am a female), very few friendships, easily upset with things like plans changing, people being late,
Why do autistic children rock back and forth?
In what way? surely there is no harm in Rocking chairs, literal (Hobby Horses), and use of playground equipment with a to-and-fro motion.
Yes it can and it also can mean a side effect of a medicaton that is making the child very antzieHave you ever felt like your skin is crawling. Well kids head banging are feeling very neverious.Drugs, abuse, sexual abuse etc. I have ADHD and yes I have felt like banging my head against the wall, rocking etc. Usually I have eatten to much sugar or chocolate protein etc before going tobed.
Are there support groups for people with Asperger's Syndrome?
Yes. There are online and local support groups. There are support groups for individuals with Asperger's Syndrome and for the families of individuals with AS.
If you go to the OAASIS website listed in the "Related Links" section, it has information on support groups.
Did Albert Einstein have autism?
Albert Einstein died before autism and Asperger's Syndrome were recognized as conditions, so the possibility that he had Asperger's Syndrome is speculation. Einstein had difficulties with social skills, which is one characteristic of Asperger's Syndrome, but that alone would not be enough to diagnose Asperger's Syndrome. He had some other characteristics of Asperger's Syndrome, but also some characteristics not commonly found in people with severe Asperger's Syndrome, so if he did have Asperger's Syndrome, it was probably a milder form.
Woody Allen, Tony Benn, Bob Dylan, Joseph Erber, Bobby Fischer, Bill Gates, Genie, Crispin Glover, Al Gore, Jeff Greenfield, David Helfgott, Michael Jackson, Garrison Keillor, Kevin Mitnick, John Motson, John Nash, Keith Olbermann, Michael Palin, Keanu Reeves, Oliver Sacks, James Taylor,albert Einstein
???? different person???
i just, what to say i looked up un some websites about autism... it said bill gates is probably not autistic.
What part of the brain does autism affect?
Well, the brain differences are actually what affects ADHD ;). The primary area affected in ADHD individuals (according to numerous recent brain imaging studies) is the prefrontal cortex. The volume (size) is smaller in ADHD children; this size can catch up (though slower) with peers and is a sign of disappearance of the disorder (meaning the brain developed fully and the adult with not have ADHD); if development doesn't catch up (the prefrontal cortex remains small) the adult will continue to exhibit ADHD.
Prefrontal cortex is the hub for deliberate thoughts and actions--it's where your motor cortex (your conscious control of muscles) is centered, along with functions such as attention, planning, working memory, set-shifting, etc.. Explains a lot of ADHD, huh?
How many people are autistic in America?
The CDC puts Autism diagnosis at 1 in 68, however it is impossible to say how many Autistic people exist in the US. Many people are not diagnosed or may not even realize that they're Autistic, furthermore certain groups are under-diagnosed - for example girls are less likely to be diagnosed than boys, and African-Americans are less likely to seek diagnosis for a number of reasons.
The current scientific information says that although they are yet to find the cause of Autism, it may be hereditary. This is due to the increased rate in familys, with someone affected by Autism, having another Autistic family member. It is also incredably common in identical twins for both to have Autism rather then just one. Scientists are currently trying to find what gene, if in fact it is a gene, that is causing Autism.
Have you got autistic spectrum disorder?
Yes i do have autism
I'm on the spectrumI have very mild Asperger's syndrome. Why are you asking a general "you" this question?mys sister has autism and dispratsia and attachment and sensory issues and aspergers and i have trates every1 here autistic dont understand how much people try to make your lives happy and then the slightest thing wrong you think that they dont love you because they do and even if the dont show it Y WOULD THEY HATE YOU people hate people the same every single one of you atre unique in your own ways
No, there is actually strong evidence against this idea. The MMR vaccine is not linked to autism.
Much of the original controversy was caused by a paper published by Andrew Wakefield (t the time he was a physician) in The Lancet - the prestigious British medical journal. After the publication of Wakefield's paper, other researchers were unable to reproduce Wakefield's findings or confirm his hypothesis of an association between the MMR vaccine and autism, or autism and gastrointestinal disease. After a British Journalist uncovered and published undisclosed financial conflict of interest information (Wakefield was getting money from people suing the vaccine company claiming the vaccine caused autism in their children), the British Governing Medical Council (GMC) - the governing body for physicians in Britain - opened an investigation against Wakefield and two former colleagues. Most of his co-authors withdrew their support for the study's interpretations
On 28 January 2010, a five-member statutory tribunal of the GMC found three dozen charges proved, including four counts of dishonesty and 12 counts involving the abuse of developmentally challenged children. The panel ruled that Wakefield had "failed in his duties as a responsible consultant", acted both against the interests of his patients, and "dishonestly and irresponsibly" in his published research.
Wakefield's study that was used to link MMR to autism was retracted by The Lancet and was subsequently labeled an "elaborate fraud" in an investigation published by the British medical journal BMJ. The investigation concluded the study's author, Dr. Andrew Wakefield, misrepresented or altered the medical histories of all 12 of the patients whose cases formed the basis of the 1998 study -- and that there was "no doubt" Wakefield was responsible.
Three months following The Lancet's retraction, Wakefield was struck off the UK medical register, with a statement identifying deliberate falsification in the research published in The Lancet and was barred from practicing medicine in the UK.
Wakefield's utter failure to conduct valid research does not disprove any possible links between vaccines and autism, but it is pretty obvious his "study" suggesting a possible link between the MMR vaccine and autism was worthless.
How could you diagnose someone for autism?
It comes down to a simple urine test. The chemical bufotenin makes up most of the autistic individual and is easy to detect. If it is not found within the urine, then the person must have some other obscure disorder.
How do you get autistic kids to take pills?
Many autistic children have difficulties withthe feeling of swallowing food let alone pills. I would get any meds that I could prescribed in a liquid form and as for the rest I would just crush them and mix with something you are fairly certain they will eat or drink all of.
Would a person with Munchausen by proxy simulate Asperger's Syndrome in a child?
Before pediatricians and psychiatrists were familiar with Asperger's Syndrome, some of them thought the parents who said there was something wrong with their children were exaggerating, delusional, over-protective, and, in some cases, abusive parents with Munchausen by proxy. (For mention of parents being thought to have Munchausen by proxy because their children had AS, see the links below.)
I do not know of Munchausen by proxy cases where the parent or guardian attempted to make the child appear to have Asperger's Syndrome, but this does not mean it has not happened. There are other conditions that would be easier to fake by giving the child medicines or chemicals, since some of the social skills impairments (lack of eye contact, avoidance of social contact) would be harder to replicate with drugs. However, many medical professionals' unfamiliarity with Asperger's Syndrome diagnoses could make it an attractive option for Munchausen by proxy, since the professionals might not have been exposed to it previously. Asperger's Syndrome also has the advantage of not being able to be diagnosed with laboratory tests. However, using Asperger's Syndrome means the parent might need to engage in lengthy descriptions of AS before receiving the desired sympathy and attention from others. Unfortunately, I cannot give you a definitive answer on whether the condition of Asperger's has been the goal of an abusive parent via Munchausen by proxy.
Can people with a mild case of autism have kids?
I think that this story about a couple with Autism will provide a lot of insight regarding relationships between individuals who have autism...
"Living and Loving With Autism - A Very Special Love Story"
Here's the link: http://autismbeacon.com/topics/article/living_loving_with_autism_a_very_special_love_story/sexuality
To learn more about this topic, there are many additional resources and articles to be found under the category "Sexuality and Relationships" on AutismBeacon.com
http://autismbeacon.com/topics/articles/sexuality
No one knows for sure what causes autism, but there's a good chance that it's linked to early-childhood vaccines. Many parents of autistic kids say their kids were normal and changed after vaccinations.
What do doctors say about vaccines causing autism?
No they do not. Autism is not a side effect of MMR vaccine.
Information about the Study Showing a Link Between the MMR Vaccine and Autism
Andrew Wakefield, the researcher who controlled the well-known study that claimed a link between autism and vaccinations changed the results of his study for his purposes. The medical records of the children were obtained and evaluated in 2009, and those show results differing from those that Wakefield published. Contrary to what he reported in his study, several of his subjects showed signs of autism before the vaccinations. Also, he had accepted funding prior to beginning the study to prove that the MMR vaccine was harmful, so it was a conflict of interest when he did this study. In addition, his study only involved 12 children, which was too small to prove anything, and the children were not randomly selected, so it was a biased study.
Wakefield's results were already in question because despite removing the mercury from vaccines, autism rates continued to increase. Also, countries that had been using different vaccines and vaccination schedules also had increasing rates of autism. Numerous studies have disproven the conjecture that vaccines cause autism.
Being anti-social is one way to describe the inability to develop social relationships. However, autism is also a condition that prevents the development of social relationships.
What is the actors name that played temple grandin in the movie?
Temple Grandin (born August 29, 1947) is an animal medicine researcher, and is noted for her advocacy of animal welfare, and dealing with autism in humans (she suffers from Asperger's Syndrome and persevered in her education despite the challenges).
She created a device called a "hug box" that uses mild pressure to calm agitated autistic children.
