Awareness Wednesday

Today I am going to do a piece on Awareness....let's call it Awareness Wednesday.

Today's we will focus on Autism:

People with autism generally do not have the innate ability to read body language or the emotions of others. There can also be a difficulty in understanding the complex social rules that make up "normal society", which most of us learn and internalize quickly and without explicit instruction. Empathy can also be a challenge as individuals with autism have a lot of difficulty understanding that people around them have thoughts and feelings that are different from their own. This is often referred to as being Mindblind.

Many people with autism have a need for stability, for routine, for sameness. Making the transition between one activity and another can be very difficult, as can be changes in routines. The tolerance for change varies from individual to individual, with some having fewer problems to those whose rigidity can be very severe. This can be exhibited in ritualistic behaviours, like eating the same thing for lunch every day in the same order, or arranging toys and furniture for hours until it is in a desired location. Some autistic people will also develop an obsession for a particular object, or an area of knowledge. This can be everything from amassing an encyclopedic knowledge about refrigerator motors or hockey statistics, to only eating crunchy foods. There is a genuine sense of fear and anxiety when routines are upset, which can make our hectic, fast paced world a very trying place to live. Autistic people can learn to overcome some of the issues around rigidity with intervention, practice and understanding.

People with autism also interact with objects differently that those who do not have autism. Children with autism do not generally engage in the same sort of 'pretend play' with their toys that normally developing children do. For example, for a normally developing child, a large cardboard box might present a host of possibilities for play - a house, a spaceship, a car - and in the process imprint his life experiences onto that play. For a child with autism, play might involve playing with the flaps on the edge of the box, or tearing the box into strips - an activity that might provide a sensory reward.

Current data indicates that ASDs occur in 1 of every 110 people. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA, 2009) Diagnostic criteria have been more clearly defined and broadened in recent years, and this does account for some increase in diagnosis. The apparent rise of cases is one of the many controversies surrounding autism.

The one thing scientists do know is that autism is NOT caused by bad parenting, emotional stress or "refrigerator mothers".

The most recent studies suggest there is genetic component to Autistic Spectrum Disorders. However, scientists do not know if genetics is the sole factor, or if there are environmental triggers.
There is a lot of controversy about what causes Autistic Spectrum Disorders.

The most controversial theory concerns vaccinations, or more specifically the addition of thimerosal, a mercury based preservative in some vaccines, including the MMR. Thimerosal has not been an additive in vaccines in Canada since 1997, and was removed from vaccines in Nova Scotia and other provinces much earlier. Several large epidemiological studies have reported no evidence to suggest a link between vaccines and ASD. Research is ongoing.

Other theories include the influence environmental toxins or pollution. There is some speculation that autism is allergy induced by gluten and casein, found in wheat and milk based products. Recent studies have suggested that extraordinary brain growth in early infancy could be an indicator of autism.

Appropriate interventions and therapies are as individual each person with autism. Early intervention one of the keys to helping people with ASD manage their condition and operate more fully in society. There are a variety of interventions that are used with autism, including behavioral therapies, speech therapy, communication strategies, medication, dietary changes and measures for coping with sensory issues. There is no miracle cure and no "one size fits all" approach to autism.

There are many adults with autism who feel they do not need to be 'cured'. They have many unique talents and abilities that can benefit others and these talents should be celebrated.

Source: www.provincialautismcentre.ca. Please check out their site for more info.