1. 1Evaluation - Autism and Team D Jody Marvin PSY 340 May 12, 2012 Michele Wagner

2. 2Evaluation - Autism and Team C Although individuals with autism may react with tantrums, the autistic individual is fighting for his or her preservation of sameness. Autistic spectrum disorder is a range of complex neurodevelopment disorders (ASD) including autism or classical disorder (ASD), Asperger syndrome (a milder form), childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive development disorders (PDD-NOS) (National Institute on Health (NIH), 2012). Sociocultural explanations led investigators in the wrong direction theorizing refrigerator parents (p. 433) triggered and caused the development of the autistic child (Comer, 2011). Today specific gene mutations are the focus of autism. Contrary to popular belief, individuals with autism have a gift the rest of the people judging them can never imagine. Lack of responsiveness, language, and communication problems, peculiarities in speech, including echolalia (echoing of anothers phrase), and pronominal reversal and confusion of pronouns are primary features of autism (National Institute on Health, 2012). Every age group, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups with various character and severity are at risk. Experts estimate one out of 80 children (boys four times as likely) from birth through the age of eight will have ASD (Comer, 2011). Intensive, early treatment is essential and can make a big difference in the lives of many children. Autistic children must learn social skills in a methodical and structured way whereas their obsessions may provide certain advantages (Grandin, 2012). According to Pinel (2009), Damage has been most commonly observed in the cerebellum and related parts of the brain but it generally tends to be wide spread throughout the brain (Mechado, et al. 2003; Muller et al., 2001 as cited on p. 226). In contrast, Temple Grandin (Grandin, 2012) believes many autistic symptoms are associated to problems with the frontal lobes causing either abnormal or scrambled messages from other parts of the brain. Behavior and 3. 3procedures are learned by rout thinking in detail to general. Emotions are uncomplicated stripping the normal barriers developed throughout life (Grandin, 2012). Parts of the brain directing abstract thought and language become apparent with autism (Grandin, 2012). Various deficits in face, mouth, and eye control suggest motor neurons of the cranial nerves during the first four weeks of pregnancy develop incorrectly (Pinel, 2009). Anomalies of external ear structure suggest an abnormal event experienced by the mother 20-24 days after conception may trigger autism (Pinel, 2009). A variant of Hoxa 1 located on chromosome 7 is apparent in 40% of autistic persons exhibiting a shortened brain stem, an underdeveloped facial nucleus, and no superior olive (Rodier, 2000 as cited in Pinel, 2009, p. 227). Behavioral or functional changes that can occur include impaired social interaction with sensory differences (fixations or obsessions) noticeable in early infancy. Children lack empathy, do not respond to their names, and avoid eye contact. The triad of difficulties includes social problems, behavioral problems, and obssessiveness that hobble some individuals more than others (Pinel, 2009). Their inability to understand tone of voice or facial expressions leads to a lack of social clues for appropriate behavior. Fixations by rotating objects or anything that makes noise create fears leading to panic attacks (Grandin, 2012). Visual and audio clues dominate the autistic world creating signs of tremendous stress and anxiety. Autism has no single, known cause. That no two children are alike, given the complexity of the disease, and the range of autistic disorders, there are likely many causes. Work in psychological and biological spheres jointly recognize the primary causes of autism are brain abnormalities and cognitive limitations (Comer, 2009). Parents of autistic children may have to accept the fact their child may never develop empathy. Concurrently, mind-blindness explains why the ability to see personality in a story and imaginative play are beyond the autistic childs 4. 4 experience (Grandin, 2012). In contrast, the gift is (Comer, 2009) the lack of theory of mind, an awareness that other people base their behaviors on their own beliefs, intentions, and on other mental states, not on information that they have no way of knowing (Frith, 2000, Happe, 1997, 1995; Leslie, 1997, as cited on p. 435). Scientists still struggle with the biological abnormalities causing mind-blindness, theory of mind, lack of empathy, and other symptoms of autism. Viral infections, air pollutants, fragile X syndrome (inherited disorder causing intellectual problems), tuberous sclerosis (a condition causing benign tumors in the brain), epilepsy, or Tourette syndrome are medical conditions increasing risk factors (Mayo Clinic, 2011). In addition, specific biological abnormalities of the cerebellum and frontal lobes are predominating in brains of individuals with autism (Pinel, 2009). Locating a final common pathway, such as neurotransmitters, is the goal of scientists. For example, according to Max Planck scientists, they have discovered brain cells in monkeys that may be linked to selfawareness and empathy in humans (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, 2012, para. 1). An island within the cortex, damage to the insula leads to apathy (Max, 2012). The connections and physiology of neurons of the von Economo neuron (VEN) will help to understand the evolution of selfawareness and autism (Max, 2012). Subsequently, a genetic factor of the relatives (strongest among identical twins), chromosomal abnormalities, prenatal difficulties, birth complications, and postnatal difficulties are promising leads in developing a clear biological explanation (Comer, 2009). A strong genetic predisposition is apparent with autism. According to the NIH, (2012), In families with one child with ADS, the risk of having a second child with that disorder is approximately 5 percent, or one in 20, (para. 15). You would expect numbers like 25% or 50% when dealing with one 5. 5gene. The Autism Genome Project struggles daily trying to locate various missing chunks of DNA (Grandin, 2012). Subsequently, findings to establish, de novo germline mutation on the genomic DNA shows substantial promise in the ongoing research for the genetic links (Comer, 2009, p. 438). Toddlers who could not speak and raged for no apparent reason were institutionalized. Today, scientific studies are discovering the worst thing to do is nothing. Early educational intervention improves a childs chance (Grandin, 2012). According to Dr. Grandin, A young child with autism should have a minimum of 20 hours per week engaged in one to one teaching, (para. 7). Keeping the childs brain engaged with the world will accomplish more language, better turn taking skills, and better social interaction skills (Grandin, 2012). Communication training includes teaching sign language, simultaneous communication, and augmentative communication systems (Comer, 2009). Biomedical treatments for young children include such options as a daily multivitamin, gluten-free diets (most important item to removes is wheat), dairy/casein-free diets (substituting yogurt), and limiting carbohydrates (Grandin, 2012). Supplements include fish oil Omega 3, B6, magnesium, tryptophan, and melatonin to sleep. Conventional medication for older children and adults include Prozac (fluoxetine) for anxiety, clonidine, and proprandol (a beta-blocker). In addition, antipsychotics include risperdal (risperidone), Seroquel (quetiapine) and Ambilify (aripiprazole) for severe aggressions (Grandin, 2012). Until recently, the habit of discounting the talents of autistic people prevailed. Science classified autism as a form of schizophrenia, blaming mothers as the cause for the disorder claiming they were cold and aloof toward their autistic child. The first infant/mother responses cannot grow, causing a complete family identity of confusion. Today there is hope for the 6. 6autistic child with early educational interventions. Although scientists continue the battle to understand the causes of autism, the lack of social connectedness related to autism is a beginning. In theory, understanding autism comes without the ability for empathy will allow parent training and community integration to come together with the idea that autism is different not less. Evaluate Team D PowerPoint Presentation A visual aid expressing your main ideas is the purpose of the Microsoft PowerPoint program. Before expressing your main ideas, a solid outline is necessary with much of your time spent on the speaker notes and contents of the presentation versus the visual aids. Unfortunately, the amount of information put on each screen was densely crowded causing your audience to read the screen and not listen to your presentation. Depending on the location of your presentation, the information will be too small for the audience to read. In addition, when not adding graphics, bullet points and charts help the presentation organize information visually. APA formatting is important in your PowerPoint presentation. Grammar, spelling, and proper recognition of anothers work are always important. The presentation contained numerous references on the Reference Page, and yet only one slide showed signs of correct citing. In general, the overall organization of the information presented lacked credibility without proper citations. Concurrently, an Introduction and Conclusion slide will bring information together with a beginning and ending to a presentation. In my opinion, the information did not flow. 7. 7 8. 8References Comer, R. (2009). Fundamentals of abnormal psychology (5th ed.). New York, NY: Worth. Grandin, T. (2012). Temple grandin PH.D., different not less. Retrieved from http:///templegrandin.com/ Max-Planck-Gesellschaft (2012, May 21). Rare neurons linked to empathy and self-awareness discovered in monkey brains. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 21, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com- /releases/2012/05/120521115353.htm National Institues of Health (NIH). (2011). Autism fact sheet. Retrieved from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/autism.htm Pinel, J. (2009). Biopsychology (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.