Autism is an intricate developmental disability that characteristically appears during the first three years of life. The consequence of a neurological disorder that involves the functioning of the brain, autism affects the normal growth of the brain in the region of social interaction and communication skills. Children and adults with autism normally have problems in verbal and non-verbal contact, social communications, and leisure or play activities (Baer, Wolf, 1987). Autism is one of five disorders coming under the umbrella of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD), a category of neurological disorders characterized by "severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development," including social interaction and communications skills (DMS-IV-TR). The five disorders under PDD are Autistic Disorder, Asperger's Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD), Rett's Disorder, and PDD-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS).
Autism is a spectrum disorder. The indications and characteristics of autism can present themselves in a wide selection of blend, from mild to severe. While autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors, children and adults can exhibit any combination of the behaviors in any degree of severity. Two children, both with the same diagnosis, can act very differently from one another and have varying skills.
From a pediatrician's viewpoint, autism is a developmental disorder caused by either structural or neurochemical alterations in central nervous system functioning. Studies have not yet clarified why autistic persons have their particular processing and behavioral characteristics. Theories abound, including suggestions of left cerebral hemisphere dysfunction, cerebellar pathology, and limbic system pathology.
Autism and Behavioral Intervention Strategies
It is my belief that behavior is the most important issue to deal with in autism. It is the child's behavior that will determine where he lives his life, what school classroom he attends, who his friends will be, what sort of job.....
