Autism Treatment in Children - Essay Example

Autism in Children Autism in Children Introduction Throughout the world, in every population of one thousand children, at least five suffer from autism. The rate at which this condition is multiplying is worrying. Developmental scientists from different disciplines have lately focused on the study of autism to understand its dynamics: causes, symptoms and signs, effects and how it can be best curbed. Autism is something every mother in the United States worry about immediately after they deliver. Autism is a developmental disorder that is noticed in a child during their first thirty-six months and it is mainly associated with the failure of the nervous system to function properly (Kirby, Dickie & Baranek, 2014). Technically, the condition is referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and is believed by psychologists to cause paucity in communication, interaction, and abstract thinking. Much of the discussion on autism has been directed to the physical behaviors that an autistic child demonstrates. However, it is worth noting that cognitive impacts of autism are as severe as the behaviors, and this calls for an intensive evaluation. This paper seeks to investigate and discuss the relationship between autism and human tasks such as sensation, perception, memory processes, attention, cognition and executive processing among others activities that occur within the mental faculty. Several assumptions have been made by people who do not accurately understand the whole nuances of autism. Some have argued that autism is just an ‘anti-social’ disorder that keeps children away from social interaction. Such assumptions without scientific evidence may be misleading and untrue. Although it may be true that autism hampers one social interaction, the impacts it has spread to different aspects of the individual and not just the social activity. Myriad studies have shown that ASD has great effects on the sensation, perception, memory and other cognitive processes of an individual. Research has indicated it is diagnosed more in male children compared to girls (Kirby, Dickie & Baranek, 2014). According to Kirby, Dickie and Baranek (2014), the sensation experiences of children suffering from autism is worth studying due to its inimitability. In a study conducted to determine the sensory experiences of children ASD conditions, Kirby, Dickie & Baranek (2014) found out that these children construed their sensations as ‘multisensory’. Since the investigation was carried out through the interview, many issues were explored including the abstract thinking of the children. Evidentially, children with autism demonstrated similar sensations just like the majority of the population; something they explain they have to fit in the society. They have to sense the world around them accurately, without making any errors, for survival. For example, in case of danger, they have to be alert and find escape routes, just like any normal person would do to evade hazard. They studied children recounted they were usually very self-conscious although they hid it so they may not be conspicuous in the environment. This is to say that although autistic children can, to some extent, make sensations they fail to organize the data (executive processing) to make meaningful interpretations out of them. The ability of the autism children to engage in high or complex cognitive tasks of storytelling, as well as recitations, demonstrates their perceptual abilities and thought processes. Kirby, Dickie and Baranek, (2014) explain that ASD patients are not that flat in perception after all, contrary to the popular belief. Their communication can be enhanced when feelings are used as cues in triggering specific memories. There is great importance in mentally placing the child in the context of the issue they seek to talk about if their sensory experiences are to be enhanced. Similarly, autism children show perceptual abilities when provided with tasks that require them to construe from another point view. For example, figures of speech such as similes and idioms are significant indicators of the speakers’ skills in perspectival interpretation of situations. Some individuals suffering from ASD have displayed this prowess hence proving that autism does not ultimately hamper sensation and perception despite the difficulties they face in these processes. In their exploration to understand the relationship between autism and memory, Jiang, Palm, DeBolt and Goh (2015) present some revelations. Autism is a disorder that has profound effects on one’s memory especially the long-term memory system. Processes that are indicators of memory such as intelligence scores can best be used to measure the effects of ASD amongst children in the learning arena. Memory and intelligence scores are almost inseparable, and they could best show what effects autism has on an individual. As earlier on mentioned, the effects autism has on social interactions are indubitable. However, questions still concerning whether and how high-functioning autism affects memory. Jiang, Palm, DeBolt and Goh (2015) argue that children with autism have a high visual memory that helps them identify and recognize pictures and faces of items they are showed. This is contrary to the belief that autistic children are unable to identify objects they saw several moments ago. In fact, their precision in identifying the objects shown to them is much higher than that of the ‘normal’ children. It can also not be argued that face memory is diminished in cases of autism. Research shows that the scores autism children get are somewhat comparable to those that the average children would get if similar tests/experiments are done. All children at different developmental stages should have varied scores in memory tests. A counter-comparison between the score for ‘autism-free’ children with the autistic ones reveals their no base to claim the latter is impaired in this regard. According to Jiang, Palm, DeBolt and Goh (2015), there is no general impairment in long-term memory caused by autism in children. Autistic children are insignificantly influenced by their conditions when it comes to memory and thoughts. Consequently, the aspects of attention and executive processing give a different dimension as far as autism is concerned. Autism children are repetitive in nature. They tend to have difficulties in shifting their attention from one activity or aspect to another. In most cases, children with autism have restricted interests and do not show enthusiasm for a diverse range of activities. The question of emotions has also risen with several people branding autistic persons as emotionless. As a matter of fact, autistic children have feelings but the problem they experience is the identification of these emotions due to the failure of some part of the brain to develop normally. This makes it difficult for them to recognize even their feelings hence the flat affect they sometimes exhibit. As a result, they fail to understand other people’s emotions hence making it extremely hard to engage in social communication and interactions with the rest of the society members. Attention is a feature that is required in everyday interaction to enhance the communication between parties. Learning specifically requires executive processing to organize the acquired information and make meaningful ideas out of them, and this is something that autistic children lack. Conclusion In conclusion, autism is a major concern in the contemporary society with its ever increasing statistics among children. It is a triad disorder that affects one’s communication, social interaction as well as the cognitive wellbeing of an individual. It is initially observed in children within the first three years. As seen, the influence it has in impairing an individual social interaction is profound. Children suffering from autism tend to have poor social skills and in most cases get alienated from the rest. Significantly, they face challenges of shifting attention, executive processing among others. However, various studies have demonstrated autism do not have (as speculated) extensive effects on the long-term visual memory. Some ASD sufferers also have shown high competence in sensory perception and perspectival outlook of issue and events. All in all, autism is a great challenge that puzzles the learning fraternity especially due to its impediment to full cognitive functioning. References Jiang, Y., Palm, B., DeBolt, M., & Goh, Y. (2015). High-precision visual long-term memory in children with high-functioning autism. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 124(2), 447-456. doi:10.1037/abn0000022 Kirby, A., Dickie, V., & Baranek, G. (2014). Sensory experiences of children with autism spectrum disorder: In their own words. Autism, 19(3), 316-326. doi:10.1177/1362361314520756 Read More