Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnoses Paper Example

Overview Information

The surge in Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnoses has deemed it essential for the clinicians to familiarize themselves with the strategies and the methods that are important to improve the child's living quality and improve their performance in their studies. Given that, there is lack of research that is used to describe the role of the occupational therapy treatment in ASD care (Cashin, 2016). This hypothetical case study intends to explain the procedure that is used to describe the diagnosis process, the presumed causes of ASD and the ubiquity and the occurrence, influence on the child factors (Cashin, 2016). Ultimately, the paper will end with a case study that helps in elucidating the typical pediatric patient with the well-known qualities of ASD and includes an exposure on evidence-based assessment and treatment to enhance functioning for the patient, caregivers and even for the whole family.

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The diagnostic procedure for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Given the severity of the ASD and the fact is a disease that can affect all the aspects of a person's life it is vital that the condition is given the attention that it deserves. Various specialists such as American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-V), it is imperative that a diagnosis of ASD be carried out during the early development stage and must not be later than six years. Furthermore, when diagnosing ASD, it is essential that one carry all the necessary tests to avoid giving a wrong diagnosis. Some of the things that are important for one to look at is the intellectual development disorder or a general developmental delay. For a child to be diagnosed as having ASD, it is important that one consider the following characteristics that are necessary for a child to be diagnosed with PTSD (Cashin, 2016). Chronic current or past behavior across diverse settings with difficulties in emotional and social exchanges, use of gestures, sustaining understanding relationships. This test is used to look at the level of severity as it has a scale of one to three (Cashin, 2016). A child with the severity of the first level only implies that a child needs support and the severest one demands that one is given maximum support that is important for one to succeed. ASD is one that requires one to have many concerns and have the potentiality to spark a heartfelt influence on the people that function in various aspects of life

Speculations on what causes Autism Spectrum Disorder

The scientists have not yet found a concrete reason as to what exactly causes one to be predisposed to ASD. However, only the theoretical frameworks have been realized, as there are no cogent reasons that have been brought forth (Cashin, 2016). The causes vary from the genes, environment and even the problems of the nerves. The paper will explore some of the causes that have been speculated to be the reason for autism. One of the most valid reasons for the autism is the genetics as various research studies have proven the speculations correct. One of the reasons that back up this argument is the fact that the cases of twins born from a monozygotic embryo have a higher chance of both having ASD (Abrahams & Geschwind, 2008). It is also important that one note that the families that have a history of people with autism stand a higher chance of the other people contracting the disease. The cause of autism as the reason for ASD however only accounts for the one percent of the kids diagnosed with the condition. Other factors such as the age and other environmental conditions have been cited to be one of the reasons that ASD continue to be perceived as a mystery for the reasons behind its occurrence. Other reasons include the weight that the child is born with and even the gestational period that the child is birthed at in the hospital (Abrahams & Geschwind, 2008). Some other speculations have been raised on the issue such that some of the people fear that the neurological abnormalities might have an influence on the kind of the diseases that one is afflicted with (Abrahams & Geschwind, 2008). Neurological conditions such as the amount of Purkinje cells and even the gray matter might also lead to a child developing the disease in the end (Abrahams & Geschwind, 2008).

Prevalence of the disorder

The number of children found with ASD continues to rise, and the recent census carried out, there is the percentage of 1.47% who have been identified to have the disorder (Ajzenman, 2013). The chances of a male having the disease continue to be higher as opposed to the females such that males have a chance of four and half times of having autism as opposed to the females (Ajzenman, 2013). The white people are also predisposed to these conditions as more people have a higher chance of contracting the disease.

Aspects of Development affected by ASD

The aspects that ASD influences in a child include factors such as the sensory system. The sensory system is a factor that is central to the development of the various parts of a body. It is important to note that as much as ASD directly affects the sensory system, (Ajzenman, 2013), it is a process that does not tamper with the perception of the sensory information, but it is instead one that gives one hard time in attempting to interpret the meaning of the information that is received.

Another aspect that is compromised when a child is diagnosed with ASD is the mental ability of the child. This is portrayed in the situations where a child the attention span of the child continues to decrease (Ajzenman, 2013). Besides, the complexity of the tasks that the children their age is expected to handle with ease is significantly compromised. Despite that, some of the research that has been carried out dispute the prevalence of such situations, the low average IQ that is exhibited by most of the children with ASD, serves to confirm the fact that it is easy to identify a person with ASD and one who is not (Ajzenman, 2013). Some of the conditions that become hard and almost impossible for children with ASD include the exhibition of difficulty while playing with toys, and difficulty in relating the concepts that other kids find it easy to relate with (Ajzenman, 2013).

Other aspects of development that are compromised as the child continue to grow to include the prevalence of the child having gastrointestinal problems, others finding it hard to regulate the urinary function (Ajzenman, 2013). Another important aspect of the cases of children with autism includes gross and fine motor skills such that it is a consensus that children with ASD typically have a problem with their motor abilities (Ajzenman, 2013). The conditions manifest themselves in the joint laxness, difficulty in coordinating the hand and eye skills, toe walking, apraxia and other conditions that depict that the motor skills are not as advanced as one would have presumed with the developmental chart of the child (Ajzenman, 2013).

Case Study

Historical factors

Natasha is a three years old female who has been diagnosed with a severity that demands one to have significant support in year two by his pediatrician. Natasha is in her first grade has continued to see her occupational therapist through his public school system since she had been diagnosed. Natasha has been recently gathered the ability to mouth out some words in a recognizable manner. Natasha communicates her needs such as the need to be changed as she is yet to toilet train, hunger and even being uncomfortable. The parents have admitted their desire to have the child be able to express herself and her needs. This is a desire that might prove to be a tricky one since she has also been diagnosed with the Asperger's syndrome.

Influence of the condition on her education process

On the other hand, her condition is one that has had a direct impact on her education, as she is not able to go with the pace that the other students do. She hence cannot study the same language curriculum with the other students, as she is yet to muster the articulation of simple phrases (Association, 2013). The ASD also have a cognitive disadvantage in the fact that it becomes hard for the child to maintain contact and the attention that is required for one to have a satisfactory classroom session. Due to her low attention span, Natasha is yet to muster the various body parts in a person (Association, 2013). She is also, however, to differentiate the colors, unlike her peers. ASD has hence been a disadvantage in her trying to keep up with her peers and have a productive learning session.

For her lessons, the teacher has hence seen it vital for her to increase the activities that will improve her attention span through activities such as incorporation of play in the sessions that will directly relate to the demands that the child has on the people (Bolton et al., 1994). Besides given that the condition is one that does not help in easing the comprehension process, letting in the child on the various opinions that people hold on multiple issues is one that is going to be predictably hard. However, when the facilitator and caregiver let the child have role-play activities, and other visual activities such as video modeling will have a direct impact on Natasha.

Natasha condition has however made her have some of the strengths that are common as opposed to what one might anticipate. Some of the advantages are what have been viewed from a negative light. Consider, for instance, her stubbornness in seeing things her way often helps her to have a different insight into the struggles that the people are presented with. She is also one that has a talent in the creative spectrum such that her expertise in art and creative thinking are skills that are bound not to go unnoticed (Brown, 2014).

Natasha's condition needs to be one that is inclined to the visual and physical amalgamation since the skills go a long way in helping her to understand some of the struggles that various people are afflicted with in their waking lives (Brown, 2014). Investing in video and the physical activities are essential in helping her to understand the concepts that she is expected to have learned at her age.

As Natasha continues to learn in the classroom, it is vital that she is exposed to a standardized test that will gauge her learning capability. Adjusting the essential needs of an achievement test is critical to the children with ASD. Natasha might, for instance, be assessed with the tests that are non-verbal such as the TONI-3, or even the Leiter International Performance Scale-Revised (Leiter-R; Roid & Miller, 1997) (Smith, 2010).

As earlier mentioned, ASD is a problematic condition such that Natasha has had social and behavioral needs that demand one to intervene to give her the quality and of life that might be strained due to her condition. Her inability to see other people's point of view outside her perspective has often strained relationships especially with her peers who do not understand her point of view (Smith, 2010). With the inclusion of role play such that she is let to be other people and personalities that have helped in her trying to understand and respect the views that are held by other people (Bolton et al., 1994). The inclusion of Natasha to family activities has helped in her building her self-esteem and friendship as she is assured of people who love her despite the circumstance.

References

Cashin, A. (2016). Autism Spectrum Disorder and Psychosis: A Case Study. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 29(2), 72-78. doi: 10.1111/jcap.12145

Abrahams B. S., & Geschwind D.H. (2008). Advances in autism genetics: on the threshold of a new neurobiology. Nature Reviews Genetics, 9(5), 341-355. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.libproxy.library.wmich.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA190...