What is Autistic Disorder?
Autistic disorder has a pervasive impact on social, communicative, behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and motor functioning. It also is referred to as Kanner’s Autism, Classic Autism, and Infantile Autism.
A diagnosis of autistic disorder is made when a person exhibits a certain number of symptoms in each of three major areas: problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, impaired social interaction, and unusual or severely limited activities and interests. These problems usually become apparent during the first three years of life and continue in some degree throughout life.
Due to the challenges inherent to a diagnosis of autistic disorder, people who are affected by it often experience a higher than average baseline level of daily stress due to the perceived unpredictability, even hostility, of the social environment.
Individuals with autism experience life differently -- normal speaking voices can come across as screaming, comfortable clothing might be painfully constricting or scratchy, and changes in environment, whether it be lighting or noise levels, can make trips to the doctor, dentist, or speech therapist very stressful for the individual and the family.
The situation is further complicated by the individuals relative difficulty in effectively using language to express and cope with the emotional impact of the stress. Understandably, the person with autistic disorder becomes more likely to seek a release of tension by acting out stress via maladaptive behavior. While each individual is unique, parents can utilize different tools to improve the quality of life for their child with autism.
Individuals with autistic disorder represent a diverse population united by the idiosyncratic social, communicative, and cognitive characteristics inherent to this diagnosis. Numerous relative strengths can be emphasized and nurtured so that these individuals are able to develop and strengthen the skills necessary for a good quality of life. Overall improvement in functioning, while a very realistic goal, often requires the efforts of many knowledgeable caregivers, most importantly those who interact on a daily basis with the individual with autistic disorder (e.g., parents, teachers, other family members). Careful coordination with specialists can help with ongoing identification of needs, appropriate supportive measures, and future goals.
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If your loved one exhibits symptoms of autism or another neurodevelopmental disability, please contact your family care physician or the Center for Autism.