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	+ LSSC Home + Fitness Center Home + Fitness Center Highlights + About KSC Fitness Centers + Events & Programs + Health & Nutrition + Internships + APA Program + Links		An Overview of Autism What is Autism? Autism is one of five disorders that fall under the umbrella of "Pervasive Development Disorders (PDD.)" The five disorders are Autism, Aspergers Disorder, Retts Syndrome, Child Disentegrative Disorder, and Pervasive Development Disorder- Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). (Batshaw, 2002) Because Autism and other PDDs describe such a range of differences, "Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)" is the term increasingly used to describe individuals who characteristics of Autism. These individuals are sometimes said to be "on the spectrum." The three major areas of difference between typically developing individuals and people with Autism are communication, social interaction, and behavior (Batshaw, 2002). Not surprisingly, these three areas are heavily interlinked with each other in every day life. Some people with Autism are non-verbal, some are brilliant in mathematics or music, and some get PhDs. Each person is a unique individual with unique abilities and differences, just like any typically developing person. Autism affects some people very little, and some people quite a bit. Diagnosis Diagnosis is made by a specialist. There is no blood test to determine if an individual is Autistic, nor is there any imagining technique. Diagnosis is made solely on the basis of behavioral observations, which are compared to the criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (IV Edition) or DSM-IV for short (Batshaw, 2002). To see a complete listing of the criteria, see http://www.autism-biomed.org/dsm-iv.htm. For parents, the symptoms of Autism can be very confusing and cause great concern. Raising any child presents challenges, and a child with Autism is certainly no easier. According to the National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR,) the following warning signs warrant evaluation by a specialist: Not babbled or cooed by one year Not gestured, pointed or waved by one year Not spoken a single word by 16 months Not spoken a two-word phrase by two years Experiences any loss of any language skills at any age NAAR also stipulates that the following concerns warrant a conversation with a healthcare provider about an Autism evaluation: Does not respond to his or her name Cannot tell or describe what he or she wants Experience any language delays Does not follow directions at all Appear at times to have a hearing impairment Does not know how to play with toys Has poor eye contact Appears to be in his or her own world Does not smile socially Has odd movement patterns Has unusual attachment to toys or other objects Regularly lines up toys or other items (http://www.naar.org, 2005) Autism is often misdiagnosed as attention defecit disorder (ADD), attention defecit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), oppositional defiance disorder, cognitive disabilities (mental retardation), childhood schizophrenia, sensory impairments, communication disorders, and neurodegenerative disorders. It is important to rule out and differentiate between disorders with the aid of specialists. (Batshaw, 2002) How Common is Autism? NAAR reports that Autism is on the rise, in fact 10 times more common today than a mere 10 years ago. Today, the disorder is detectable in 1 in every 166 births. (naar.org, 2005) The reason for the increase is complicated and unknown. Early and comprehensive evaluation accounts partially for the higher incidence. (Kalb, 2005) New research shows strong genetic predisposition as well as a complementary environmental interaction playing a part in the rise (Batshaw, 2002, Kalb, 2005). Currently, children are usually diagnosed by 2-3 years of age (naar.org). Differences are often retrospectively detectable at birth, with parents often voicing concern by 12-18 months (Batshaw, 2002). Irrespective of high prevalence and the high impact of Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Autism research is pathetically under-funded (naar.org, 2005). Who Discovered Autism? In 1943, Leo Kanner wrote a paper describing Autism as a specific disorder. Kanner used the term "Autism," a term that was coined in 1911 by a Swiss Psychiatrist named Eugen Bleuler. Bleuler used the Greek root word "autos" with means "self" to describe an individual who seemed to attend only to some inner world. Kanner's description of Autism was used to create the defining criteria used today to diagnose Autism. (naar.org, 2005) What is it like to have Autism? Oftentimes, Autism is described in terms of how a person with Autism appears to other people. This viewpoint, although valuable for diagnosis, is limiting and promotes misunderstanding. The three areas of difference are outlined below in terms of how it feels to deal with Autism as a person who has Autism. People with Autism have difficulty reading social cues, such as subtleties in language, gestures, facial expressions, intonation, eye contact, and body language. (Batshaw, 2002) People who are typically developing use this type of cueing tirelessly; forever sending and receiving messages that are frequently richer than the plain language that accompanies such cues. Misreading or missing even a tiny intonation can change messages entirely. To understand such difficulty, one only has to remember how carefully crafted e-mail messages must be in order to send a message that would be simple to send using verbal speech in a face to face setting. Since people who don't have Autism are constantly gathering and sending social cues, it is difficult for people with Autism to engage in conversation, make friends, and perhaps most importantly, learn language. If a person is unable to integrate visual stimulus (gestures, facial expression, body language) with auditory stimulus (speech, intonation), learning language becomes a difficult task indeed. Not only is language confusing and overwhelming, but it is unpredictable. On top of this, each person has their own style, speed, and accent. Each person's face appears different. About 50% of children diagnosed with Autism will achieve verbal speech. (Batshaw, 2002) Some will use sign language, some will use gestures, some will use keyboards, and some will use PECS ( a way of exchanging pictures to relay ideas). A few people with Autism will be unable to communicate. "[The] characteristics described in the DSM-IV are just that: they are descriptions of coping behaviors and not descriptions, necessarily, of innate orientation." (Prince-Hughes, 2004) Because of difficulty associated with communicating and interacting with the confusing world of people, people with Autism develop behaviors that seem strange to typically developing people who don't understand. Many behaviors seem to have root in bringing order and predictability to the lives of people with Autism. This coping is understandable, since no person likes to live in chaos. Unfortunately, behavior that is not typical often leads to rejection, which gives people with Autism fewer opportunities to learn social reciprocity and language. This only leads to more coping behaviors, which leads to more isolation. Treating Autism Many parents and community members fervently hope and search for a "cure" for Autism; a way to help their child become "normal." Although Autism has been called an "uncurable, devastating, and mystifying disease," this outlook does nothing to help people who are on the spectrum. On the other hand, focusing on the strengths, unique abilities, and potential of individuals with Autism can go a long way toward helping families and individuals reconcile their differences with the one-sided outlook of the typically developing population. Make no mistake, raising children with Autism and being Autistic is no cakewalk. However, an open mind and a passion to learn are indispensable characteristics of any successful individual. In fact, many new therapies are centered around capitalizing on children's interests to motivate them to learn. "It is increasingly recognized that major barriers to social function may be related to a lack of opportunity or instruction rather than just to intrinsic impairments (Holmes & Schopler, 1998, from Batshaw, 2002)." The ultimate goal of therapies is to reduce behaviors that are maladaptive or do not fit in with typical population behavior while increasing adaptive behaviors that facilitate positive interaction with the typical population. Parents and researchers have found some success with certain diets and drugs. Among the many new (and successful) interactive therapies, healthy diets, and a few drugs, one easy-to-use therapy is often overlooked: physical activity. The hyperactivity and constant motion of kids with ASD often prompt parents and teachers to force kids with ASD to slow down, stay still. The trouble children with Autism have with social reciprocity and maladaptive behaviors often cause parents to keep their children out of athletics and dance. Overprotective parents who have children with a fear of water often simply avoid swimming. New studies are showing that this is the wrong response. Physical activity for people with ASD is, in fact, encouraged. In addition to improved cardiovascular fitness and general wellness that physical activity provides to all human beings, physical activity is even more important for individuals with Autism. A study by Rosenthal-Malck & Mitchell showed that "physical activity offers a variety of benefits for individuals with Autism. Following moderate aerobic activity children with autism may experience increases in attention span, on task behavior, and level of correct responding (Rosenthal Malck & Mitchell,1997 from O.Connor et al 2000)." Two more studies revealed that "a physical activity based program is easy to implement and has been shown to be effective in controlling many types of inappropriate behaviors associated with autism (Allison, Basile & MacDonald, 1991: Elliott, Dobbin, Rose & Soper, 1994 from O.Connor et al 2000)." Dawn Prince-Hughes, PhD, author of Songs of a Gorilla Nation- My Journey Through Autism, gave a personal account of how dancing was a release for her. "I had never been good at sports, not only because they required intense interaction with others but because I had always been awkward. Dancing was something different and I was good at it...I knew the freedom of self expressive movement and could dance alone all night (Prince-Hughes 2004)." Beyond physical and behavioral benefits, there are social benefits to Physical Activity. The opportunity to practice the skills related to social reciprocity and to make friends are valuable experiences for any person, but especially for someone who may have trouble making friends. Exercise Ideas Using a heart monitor that can be self monitored can be a great way to teach intensity level (O.Connor et al 2000). "Physical activities can include any rhythmic, large muscle activities that are continuous in nature (such as running, hopping, jumping, tricycling, cycling.) (O.Connor et al 2000)" It should be emphasized however that other physical activity such as kicking a ball around or playing basketball should not be discouraged. Rhythmic activities often are successful simply because people with Autism often have a deep appreciation of rhythm and pattern. Because of this, adding music or exercising along with a tape (for kids or adults- of course age appropriate tapes) may also be fun (O.Connor et al 2000). Some kids also like colorful cue cards that illustrate activities (O.Connor et al 2000). Bottom Line People with Autism are unique individuals who can be uniquely benefited by physical activity. Further Reading Books Dragons of Autism by Olga Holland Aquamarine Blue 5 edited by Dawn Prince-Hughes Songs of a Gorilla Nation by Dawn Prince-Hughes The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon (fiction) Animals in Translation by Temple Grandin Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandin Magazines Newsweek Feb 28th Issue "Babies and Autism" Spectrum Magazine Discover Magazine May 2005 "What Do Animals Think?" Online National Alliance for Autism Research Dan Marino Foundation Dan Marino Child Nett.tv Autism Biomedical Information Network Autism Society of America Rebecca McNabb Adapted Physical Activity Fitness Center Intern References Batshaw, M. (2002). Children with disabilities. 5th ed. Baltimore: Paul H. Brooks Publishing Co. Dsm-iv criteria, pervasive development disorders. (2003). Retrieved Jun. 09, 2005, from Autism Biomedical Information Network Web site: http://www.autism-biomed.org. Kalb, C. (2005). When does autism start? Newsweek, (9), 44-53. National Alliance for Autism Research, (2005). What is autism, history and prevalence, spectrum disorders, symptoms, treatment. Retrieved Jun. 09, 2005, from National Alliance for Autism Research Web site: http://www.naar.org. O'Connor, John, Ron French, and Hester Henderson. "Use of Physical Activity to Improve Behavior of Children with Autism." Palaestra Summer 2000. 04 Jun. 2005 http://www.palaestra.com/autism.html. Prince-Hughes, D. (2004). Songs of the gorilla nation: my journey through autism. New York: Three Rivers Press.
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