Why is Autism Incidence Still Increasing?

By William Jones

The incidence of autism may be much higher than previously thought in the United States and elsewhere in the world, according to a recent rigorous, comprehensive study of the autism condition, conducted in South Korea. In the first ever attempt to take a broad-based look at an entire population for the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders - and all types of autism ranging from severe symptoms to the milder Asperger's syndrome - researchers found a rate of 2.64% among South Korean children. That's an incidence rate of 1 in 38 children, a rate far higher than the estimate of 1 in 110 children for the U.S., published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A five-year study,("Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders in a Total Population Sample", published in the American Journal of Psychiatry by Y.S. Kim et al., May 9, 2011 [doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2011.10101532]) funded partly by Autism Speaks, and led by Dr. Young Shin Kim of the Yale Child Study Center, differed significantly in methodology from earlier autism-prevalence studies. Because of the different methodology used, different findings on ASD were obtained, and this likely accounts for the dramatically different findings, compared to other epidemiological studies, Dr. Kim said.

In recent years, studies of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the U.S. have reported a steady increase in incidence, from 1 in 5,000 in 1975 to 1 in 110 in 2009. Since autism was first identified, ideas about its cause have swung to and fro between genetics and environment as the prime causative factor. Quite recently, several major federally funded trials have been started, together with other research studies, now under way in the United States to attempt to finally determine what the determining factor is in making a child autistic.

In the meantime, epidemiological studies of ASD have been conducted, in an attempt to determine if the observed incidence of ASD is steady year after year, or is climbing due to some unknown environmental or cultural factor. No definitive answer on the ultimate origin of ASD has yet emerged. Although this may be an intractable question, it is important to attempt to find an answer as to why ASD incidence rates keep rising. Several environmental risk factors have been proposed to support the hypothesis that the actual frequency of autism has increased. These include: certain foods, infectious disease, pesticides, MMR vaccine, and vaccines containing the preservative thiomersal, formerly used in several childhood vaccines in the U.S. Although there is overwhelming scientific evidence against the MMR hypothesis, and no convincing evidence for the thiomersal hypothesis, other as-yet-unidentified environmental risk factors cannot be ruled out. Thus there is a need for accurate epidemiological studies to pin down what is the genesis of childhood ASD.

Previous studies assessing population-wide autism rates typically focused on high-risk populations - such as classrooms of special education students. In contrast, the South Korean study assessed more than 55,000 children, ages 7 to 12, not only from mental health service organizations and special education classrooms, but also regular schools. In the study's conclusion, it was stated: "Two-thirds of ASD cases in the overall sample were in the mainstream school population, undiagnosed and untreated. These findings suggest that rigorous screening and comprehensive population coverage are necessary to produce more accurate ASD prevalence estimates and underscore the need for better detection, assessment, and services."

Using several diagnostic techniques and measures to evaluate the incidence in children, the ASD study found that the observed rates of autism spectrum disorder among the children in special education and mental health services programs were very similar to estimates elsewhere in the world - from 0.6% to 1.8% of the population. Dr. Kim said children in regular American classrooms ought to be included in future ASD studies, so as to get a better measure of the incidence of autism spectrum disorders. If that were done, she added, the prevalence of the condition in the U.S. and other countries also would be in the range of 2% to 3%, in line with the ASD incidence found in South Korea, 2.6%.

"This study clearly confirms that autism is a significant, global, public health concern that transcends cultural, ethnic and geographic boundaries," Dr. Kim said. "We do need to do this type of study in the U.S. ... Until we do, we won't know what the population prevalence is."

More children than ever before are being diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. It is unclear how much of this increase is due to a broader definition of ASDs and better efforts in diagnosis. However, a true increase in the number of people with an ASD, likewise cannot be ruled out. Probably the observed increase in ASD diagnosis is due to a combination of these factors.

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What Is Autism And Aspergers Syndrome?

By Amy Wells

Despite the fact that autism is a widely heard of disorder, not everyone is aware of what is entailed with the disorder itself or what can be expected from a person who suffers from it. Due to this, it is also widely misunderstood or even feared for a number of various reasons. However, by understanding the effects, symptoms and causes, one may find themselves more prepared and understanding all together.

The disorder is one that generally develops at birth, but may not show symptoms or signs until the ages of two or three years old. It's a fairly common disorder that is increasingly on the rise, with it shown to be something that impacts 1 in every 110 people to date, and is something that's often being in boys than girls. However, autistic children appear quite normal on the surface, making it hard to determine whether or not they suffer from the disorder until behavioral traits begin to show, which can generally vary from person to person.

It quite common for the disordered to be compared to or diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome and/or Pervasive Developmental Disorder. These disorders often include someone who speaks normally, but may show severe behavioral symptoms or social awkwardness that can often be attributed to an autistic person.

Although it was commonly once accepted as an ill-fated circumstance for a loved on to have an autistic disorder, there are fortunately several treatments out there. Some of these treatments may have a great impact on overall improvement, while others may or may not show any difference whatsoever in the person's condition, leaving it to vary per situation. Despite the fact that treatments can vary in their actual success on each person, it is commonly believed that the earlier one is treated, then the more increased chances there are for seeing success in improvement of their behavior or symptoms.

In many cases, what is known as an E-2 checklist is used by parents and professionals in order to diagnose the spectrum of autism that a child may have. This checklist is a method that was created by Dr. Bernard Rimland, though it was originally designed to help diagnose that of classroom autism, or Kanner's syndrome. The spectrum, or checklist, is generally looked over by a professional who specializes in autistic cases in order to see the best course of action to take for that individual.

Symptoms for the disorder can generally vary, though might include a person resisting affection such as cuddling or hugging, not responding to their name, poor eye contact, and may often retreat into their own world or appear aloof. In other cases, they may not be aware of another person's feelings. They may also learn to talk much later than other children do, lose the ability to speak once-learned words or phrases, or speak in a manner that's verbatim or repetitive.

An autistic person may very well show signs of speaking in a singsong manner, or one that has abnormal rhythms and tones. Body language may be repetitive in gestures or movements, and they may also appear to be excessively hyper. They may develop certain routines and rituals, which, when disturbed, may cause them to be upset. Often enough, they may be prone to sound, light, or touch sensitivity, and can often show signs of extreme fascination with certain objects.

If you feel that your child may be showing some symptoms that are off or similar to one who has autism, then speaking with a professional is likely the best course of action to take. However, researching the symptoms further, as well as potential causes and treatments, is also highly recommended in order to learn how to manage the situation as much as possible and to perhaps see some improvement as well.

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Exactly how Massage Therapy Benefits Autistic Children

By Marc Innes

Massage therapy is a well-loved procedure for many. Celebs, public officials, workers, university students, and people coming from all fields succumb to their cravings to discover the soothing effect that restorative massage produces. Imagine a day of hard work, anxiety, and pressure. Would it not feel so wonderful to be subjected to the restorative human touch? Nonetheless, it's been revealed that restorative massage does not only help the normal people. Studies show how helpful and restorative it can be to autistic kids. This might be new to you but it is an undeniable fact. In the end, these children also deserve the best that life may offer up.

Autism Defined

Autism is a kind of brain disorder which usually will get tracked whenever the youngster is aged 2. The indications become identifiable at such a sensitive age mainly due to the fact he or she falls short in developing the language along with the essential societal interaction skills. Youngsters must be in a position to begin saying a handful of words along with interacting. In the event that they do not, then there is a cause for the mother and father to begin looking into it. Among the usual indications of autism are withdrawal from the surrounding individuals and a few other irregular behaviours. Presently there are a few people who suspect that this is a circumstance that can be cured although several passionately refuse to recognize this option. What ever is the situation, concerned parents normally journey far and wide to find out the correct options and remedy to deal with such condition.

Autism's Effects on Parent-Child Relationship

There can be absolutely nothing more agonizing for the mother and father than to see their children being heaped on having a extremely challenging ailment. Many people usually end up considering that their family are innocent and that they do not warrant it. Who warrants such illness after all? It is very sad. A youngster whom is said to be autistic isn't able to recognize the distinction among what is appropriate and what is not. He is powerless to convey his ideas and emotions by means of words, actions, or even facial movement. He has got his very own world wherein no one can enter. Thus, right now there is no parent-child relationship which gets bonded.

Again, studies show that an autistic child can easily get attached to his mom and dad yet he fails to answer and reply properly. A lot of of these unfortunate youngsters are also challenged with the tactile and sensory concerns so they don't readily respond to the sounds, views, touches, and odours. They frequently seem oblivious with what is going on.

The Function of Massage in Cases of Autism

A substantial number of autistic kids are getting exposed to the beneficial approach of therapeutic massage. In fact, many therapists and parents are finding out beneficial results so far. These kinds of children react positively to massage and they are able to create their connection to their mother and father simply because they really like being carressed by them. Having said that, there is an exception to this rule. Not all autistic young children interact in a similar manner.

It is advisable that mom and dad study the fundamental methods and a lot other strategies which in turn they may possibly use previous to starting with the therapeutic massage session. The mood of the kid has to be established by permitting the term "massage" sink into his mind. It has been found that those young children whom are provided the treatments display lesser unsatisfactory behaviour and are turning socially attentive. They are less likely to distance themself from their surroundings too.

Autism can be really hard but give the massage therapy a chance too. It can do wonders on the child.

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Visual Perception Treatment For Autistic Children

By Owen Jones

Most people would prefer to lose their right arm than lose their eyesight. It is scary for a sighted person to think of the possibility of losing one's eyesight, yet it occurs to people every day for various reasons. One of these reasons can be autism.

Autism affects different children in different ways, which is one of the reasons why it is so difficult for doctors and therapists to help it. One of the worst things that can affect autistic children is a loss or diminution of visual perception or, to put it bluntly, eyesight.

Naturally, if a child has issues seeing, then it makes learning even more of a problem and it isolates that child even more than it was before, since a feeling of isolation is one of the main symptoms of autism. However, there are a few exercises that your child's therapist can teach you which may help improve your child's visual perception.

It is a feature of autism that the sufferer experiences sensory overload or distortion. It is as if the autistic child's brain cannot process what it sees and hears quickly enough, so it sometimes closes down.

Many autistic children also have trouble reading for this very reason, however, some people who are not autistic can also suffer from this problem. Some people with extreme dyslexia can undergo a similar experience. If the parents of an autistic child have these problems too, then it could exacerbate the visual perception of the autistic child.

Some people, whether autistic, dyslexic or not have a problem with some colour combinations and some of those have a problem with black and white, which are of course the colours used on a book's pages. It is possible to enhance the readability of a page of type by using the Irene Method, which involves putting a colour filter over the page thereby altering the black and white colour combination.

If the doctor or therapist of your child has not suggested the Irene Method, you could bring the subject up or just try it yourself. All you need is a number of sheets of different coloured cellophane. Blue, red, yellow and green are easy to obtain and you can overlay two or three of these to create even more colours.

Lay them over the page and see if your child finds one of them easier to read. You might even find that you find one of these new colour combinations easier for you too. If this works, a pair of glasses with tinted lenses my help your child's visual perception on a more permanent basis.

In the same manner, some children's visual perception is improved by replacing the standard white light incandescent or tube lights in the child's bedroom with a light that is more comfortable on his or her eyes.

These different colour lights and different colour lenses can help your child better judge depth or perspective and can help reduce the confusion that sensory overload can cause. If you can accomplish this, you will be making a big difference to your child's quality of life.

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Autism - Affects Males 3 Times More Than Females!

By Ricardo Henri

Introduction

Autism is a developmental disease of the brain that first exhibits signs during infancy or childhood and continues without any abatement or relapse. It is capable of being passed from one generation to the next, although the genetics are complex and it is not known exactly which genes transfer it. The disorder is characterized by a group of symptoms rather than one simple symptom and the needs of persons who have it vary greatly. It is identified by impaired social behavior, problems with verbal/nonverbal communication, and odd, repetitive, or severely limited activities and interests.

Symptoms

Symptoms frequently include trouble with using and recognizing language; difficulty relating to individuals, objects, and happenings; unusual play with toys and other objects; difficulty with variations in routine or familiar surroundings, and repetitious body movements or behavior patterns. They can range from mild to very severe. Parents frequently become aware of autistic symptoms in their child around the time of a normal vaccination.

Parental worries about vaccines has led to a decreasing rate of childhood immunizations and an increasing likelihood of measles epidemics; However there is overwhelming scientific evidence indicating no causal association between the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine and autism, and there is no scientific evidence that the vaccine preservative thiomersal aids or causes the behavior.

The growing popularity of drug treatment choices and the expansion of benefits has given physicians incentives to diagnose ASD, resulting in some over diagnosis of children with uncertain signs. Children with ASD may respond atypically to drugs and the drugs can have adverse side effects. There is no known medication that eases autism's core symptoms of social and communication impairments.

Research

Researchers have found several brain abnormalities in persons with autism; Even so, the reasons for these abnormalities has not been determine nor is the influence that they may have on behavior. Research has shown that parents are usually correct about noticing developmental problems, although they may not understand the specific nature or degree of the problem.

Environmental factors that have been claimed to add to or exacerbate the condition, or may be important in future research, include certain kinds of foods, infectious disease, heavy metals, solvents, diesel exhaust, PCBs, phthalates and phenols used in plastic compounds, pesticides, brominated flame retardants, alcohol, smoking, illicit drugs, and vaccines.

Treatment

Therapy include behavior and communication therapies, medicines to control symptoms and is most fruitful when geared toward the child's particular requirements. The important goals are to reduce associated deficits and family distress, and to increase quality of life and functional independence. Through out the years, families have tried many types of traditional and non-traditional means to reduce autistic behaviors and to raise normal behaviors. The two which have received the most empirical support are Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA; behavior modification) and the use of vitamin B6 along with magnesium supplements.

For a lot of children, symptoms improve with therapy and with age. Parents should be prepared to adjust treatment for their child when required. The most perfect treatment plan coordinates therapies and interventions that target the core symptoms of autism: impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communicating, and obsessive or repetitive routines and interests. Parents should use caution prior to adopting any of these treatments.

Conclusion

Autism is a brain development disorder that effects social interaction and communication, and creates restricted and repetitive behavior, all beginning before a child is 3 years old. It is 3 times more likely to strikes males than females. The disorder varies widely in its severity and symptoms and may go unnoticed, especially in mildly affected children or when it is masked by more debilitating handicaps. Autism can not be treated with surgery or medicine (although a few may be given medicine to improve certain symptoms, like aggressive behavior or attention problems). It remains a challenging problem for individuals and their families, but the outlook today is much better than it was a generation ago.

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