NEWS: CDC increases estimate of autism’s prevalence by 15 percent, to 1 in 59 children
According to the DSM-5, the autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a neurodevelopmental disability
“characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, including deficits in social reciprocity, nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction, and skills in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships. In addition to the social communication deficits, the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder requires the presence of restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. Because symptoms change with development and may be masked by compensatory mechanisms, the diagnostic criteria may be met based on historical information, although the current presentation must cause significant impairment.”[1]
The term "spectrum" refers to the neurodevelopmental variation that manifests itself among individuals as a result of the extent of autism features, and their developmental attainments in relation to chronological age.[2] Persons on the spectrum differ in terms of neurodevelopmental aspects (De Vries 2022), and every individual subsequently presents with a unique profile:
[1] APA DSM-5 31-32
[2] APA DSM-5 53
“characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, including deficits in social reciprocity, nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction, and skills in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships. In addition to the social communication deficits, the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder requires the presence of restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. Because symptoms change with development and may be masked by compensatory mechanisms, the diagnostic criteria may be met based on historical information, although the current presentation must cause significant impairment.”[1]
The term "spectrum" refers to the neurodevelopmental variation that manifests itself among individuals as a result of the extent of autism features, and their developmental attainments in relation to chronological age.[2] Persons on the spectrum differ in terms of neurodevelopmental aspects (De Vries 2022), and every individual subsequently presents with a unique profile:
- Intellectual functioning, from being gifted to having ID;
- Verbal communication, from being minimally verbal to being fluent;
- Social relations, from being comfortable to being withdrawn;
- Sensory processing, from being sensory avoidant to being sensory seeking; and
- Motor functioning, from being uncoordinated to having motor abilities intact.
- Behaviour can range from generally meeting social expectations to acting with emotional intensity.
[1] APA DSM-5 31-32
[2] APA DSM-5 53
Context blindness, a feature autism, can be overlooked where young children on the spectrum is concerned. Socially inappropriate behaviour, for example acts of aggression, can occur as a result of their inability to "read" the social cues of a relational setting. Facial expressions can be hard to decipher. Moreover, they cannot count on a functionally developing Theory of Mind (ToM) which is “a set of ideas constructed by a child to explain other people’s ideas, beliefs, desires and behaviour”.[1]
[1] Louw & Louw Child and Adolescent Development 161
[1] Louw & Louw Child and Adolescent Development 161
Carol Gray developed a useful resource "Social Stories" by which information is conveyed in a straight-forward and simple manner about contexts and the social actions associated with these. By creating clarity and providing predictability, coping skills are taught and children's anxiety become alleviated. More information is available on the Autism resource page.