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Areas of interaction disorders that a person with ASD displays include social interaction, communication\/language and behavior problems.<\/strong><\/p>\nAccording to research, Autism spectrum disorders have been linked to neuro-developmental delays in children that have displayed odd behaviors during their infancy.<\/p>\n
Behaviors<\/strong><\/h4>\nSome of these behaviors include rocking back and forth, moving their hands and arms in non-typical ways (i.e. robotic and not fluid movement), having an intense interest in ordinary things such as train schedules, license plates, and memorizing the phone book.<\/p>\n
These odd behaviors create a stigma for persons with ASD in which society believes that all people that have ASD have these same behaviors.<\/p>\n
ASD is based on a broad spectrum of disorders that incorporates people with ASD in many levels of distorted behavior\u00a0 and intellect.<\/strong><\/p>\nThese behaviors can be very mild to very severe. This is also true with levels of intellect that a person with ASD has.\u00a0 A person with ASD has been categorized into three groups based on their cognitive intellect:<\/p>\n
\n- low functioning<\/strong><\/li>\n
- medium functioning<\/strong><\/li>\n
- high functioning<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Specific diagnosis that encompass high functioning ASD include Asperger\u2019s and pervasive developmental disorders(PDD). However, people with Asperger\u2019s and\u00a0 PDD have the most difficult time with social interaction.<\/p>\n
Misdiagnosis of ASD<\/strong><\/h4>\nA major issue that people with ASD face is misdiagnosis and late intervention by federal\/government services.\u00a0 In 2001 a report was published by The National Autistic Society<\/strong> in the UK titled \u201cIgnored or Ineligible\u201d.<\/p>\nIt described how and why people with ASD were denied social services and were never reported to local government agencies1<\/sup>. This explains why the statistics of people having ASD in the UK from 1990-2001 was so low.<\/p>\nA need for accurate diagnosis<\/strong><\/h4>\nThe report summarized how people that have ASD were very commonly misdiagnosed with having\u00a0 another psychological disorder\u00a0(i.e. schizophrenia, manic depression, bi-polar etc\u2026) and were denied proper assessment and services from government agencies1<\/sup>.<\/p>\nOne reason for the misdiagnosis was there was no established criterion based gold standard to use to properly diagnosis a person with ASD1<\/sup>.<\/p>\nIt was diagnosed too late\u2026<\/strong><\/h4>\nAnother problem was that a child with ASD was often diagnosed too late which often put an unjust burden on families with loved ones suffering ASD.<\/p>\n
The majority of people with ASD are not properly cared for and trained in skills that would enable them to perform activities of daily living for themselves, find a job when they became adults and learn to interact with peers to become a part of their community1<\/sup>.<\/p>\nThe parents role<\/strong><\/h4>\nThe parents of the child with ASD often must give up their careers and social life in order to tend to the child with 24 hour care, 365 days a year.<\/p>\n
The report clearly demonstrates that early diagnosis of ASD and early intervention (i.e. birth to 3 years old) is essential.<\/p>\n
The lack of services<\/strong><\/h4>\nAnother issue that was prevalent in the UK in the early 2000s was the lack of services that were available to people with ASD and Asperger\u2019s syndrome.<\/p>\n
The reason for this was there were very few reported cases of true autism to local agencies.<\/p>\n
Consequently, there were few qualified people or social and occupational services to help people with ASD successfully integrate into the community and develop life skills<\/a>. Lack of budgeting for these services made it difficult for families with children with ASD to access them1<\/sup>.<\/p>\nIn the USA<\/strong><\/h4>\nToday in the USA, children with ASD are diagnosed by observing behavior and categorizing the disorder according to the criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Disorders-4th<\/sup> edition (DSM-IV: American Psychiatric Association).<\/p>\nAccording to the DSM-IV, ASD covers disorders such as autistic symptoms, Asperger\u2019s Disorders, Pervasive Development Disorders (PDD), Disorders not already specified, Rett\u2019s Disorder and Childhood Disintegrative Disorders2<\/sup>.<\/p>\nEducational benefits<\/strong><\/h4>\nChildren with ASD are eligible to receive educational benefits that are given through Individuals with Disabilities Educational Improvement Act (IDEIA) and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 19732,4<\/sup>.<\/p>\nSection 504 and IDEIA mandates that public schools provide a free and appropriate education to children with disabilities4<\/sup>.\u00a0 Children with higher level intellect ASD can qualify under special education under IDEIA2<\/sup>.<\/p>\nThe child may be eligible under special categories such as gifted or specific learning disabilities.<\/strong><\/p>\n
These behaviors can be very mild to very severe. This is also true with levels of intellect that a person with ASD has.\u00a0 A person with ASD has been categorized into three groups based on their cognitive intellect:<\/p>\n
- \n
- low functioning<\/strong><\/li>\n
- medium functioning<\/strong><\/li>\n
- high functioning<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Specific diagnosis that encompass high functioning ASD include Asperger\u2019s and pervasive developmental disorders(PDD). However, people with Asperger\u2019s and\u00a0 PDD have the most difficult time with social interaction.<\/p>\n
Misdiagnosis of ASD<\/strong><\/h4>\n
A major issue that people with ASD face is misdiagnosis and late intervention by federal\/government services.\u00a0 In 2001 a report was published by The National Autistic Society<\/strong> in the UK titled \u201cIgnored or Ineligible\u201d.<\/p>\n
It described how and why people with ASD were denied social services and were never reported to local government agencies1<\/sup>. This explains why the statistics of people having ASD in the UK from 1990-2001 was so low.<\/p>\n
A need for accurate diagnosis<\/strong><\/h4>\n
The report summarized how people that have ASD were very commonly misdiagnosed with having\u00a0 another psychological disorder\u00a0(i.e. schizophrenia, manic depression, bi-polar etc\u2026) and were denied proper assessment and services from government agencies1<\/sup>.<\/p>\n
One reason for the misdiagnosis was there was no established criterion based gold standard to use to properly diagnosis a person with ASD1<\/sup>.<\/p>\n
It was diagnosed too late\u2026<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Another problem was that a child with ASD was often diagnosed too late which often put an unjust burden on families with loved ones suffering ASD.<\/p>\n
The majority of people with ASD are not properly cared for and trained in skills that would enable them to perform activities of daily living for themselves, find a job when they became adults and learn to interact with peers to become a part of their community1<\/sup>.<\/p>\n
The parents role<\/strong><\/h4>\n
The parents of the child with ASD often must give up their careers and social life in order to tend to the child with 24 hour care, 365 days a year.<\/p>\n
The report clearly demonstrates that early diagnosis of ASD and early intervention (i.e. birth to 3 years old) is essential.<\/p>\n
The lack of services<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Another issue that was prevalent in the UK in the early 2000s was the lack of services that were available to people with ASD and Asperger\u2019s syndrome.<\/p>\n
The reason for this was there were very few reported cases of true autism to local agencies.<\/p>\n
Consequently, there were few qualified people or social and occupational services to help people with ASD successfully integrate into the community and develop life skills<\/a>. Lack of budgeting for these services made it difficult for families with children with ASD to access them1<\/sup>.<\/p>\n
In the USA<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Today in the USA, children with ASD are diagnosed by observing behavior and categorizing the disorder according to the criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Disorders-4th<\/sup> edition (DSM-IV: American Psychiatric Association).<\/p>\n
According to the DSM-IV, ASD covers disorders such as autistic symptoms, Asperger\u2019s Disorders, Pervasive Development Disorders (PDD), Disorders not already specified, Rett\u2019s Disorder and Childhood Disintegrative Disorders2<\/sup>.<\/p>\n
Educational benefits<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Children with ASD are eligible to receive educational benefits that are given through Individuals with Disabilities Educational Improvement Act (IDEIA) and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 19732,4<\/sup>.<\/p>\n
Section 504 and IDEIA mandates that public schools provide a free and appropriate education to children with disabilities4<\/sup>.\u00a0 Children with higher level intellect ASD can qualify under special education under IDEIA2<\/sup>.<\/p>\n
The child may be eligible under special categories such as gifted or specific learning disabilities.<\/strong><\/p>\n
- medium functioning<\/strong><\/li>\n