07/06/2024
HEALTH AWARENESS: AUTISM
Autism, also called autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and deficits in reciprocal social communication.
Other common signs include perseverative interests, stereotypical body movements (stimming), rigid routines, hyper- or hyperreactivity to sensory input, and difficulty with social interaction and verbal and nonverbal communication.
Autism is clinically regarded as a spectrum disorder, meaning that it can manifest very differently in each person. For example, some are nonspeaking, while others have proficient spoken language. Because of this, there is wide variation in the support needs of people across the autism spectrum.
Psychiatry has traditionally classified autism as a mental disorder, but the autism rights movement (and an increasing number of researchers) see autistic people with low support needs as a part of humanity's natural neurodiversity.
From this point of view, autistic people may also be diagnosed with a disability of some sort, but that disability may be rooted in the systemic structures of a society rather than in the person;[10] thus, proponents argue that autistic people should be accommodated rather than cured.
The neurodiversity perspective has led to significant controversy among those who are autistic and advocates, practitioners, and charities.
There are many theories about the causes of autism; it is highly heritable and mainly genetic, but many genes are involved, and environmental factors may also be relevant.[14] The syndrome frequently co-occurs with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, epilepsy, and intellectual disability.
(SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA)