Autism

Definition - a complex lifelong disabilty which affects a person's social and communication skills.

Four times more likely to be autistic if you are a boy rather than a girl.

Disorder is usually identified before the age of three.

Kanner (1943) first identified autism. Number of symtoms are ; Autisitic aloneness - unable to relate to other people. A desire for sameness - little variety in speech or action. Islets of abiltity - referes to talents from autistic people known as Savents.

STEPHEN WILTSHIRE - is an autistic savent. Is able to look at a target once and draw from memory an accurate and detailed picture of it.

Some earlier signs of autism is; autisitc children do not always show attachment to their mother or primary carers. They do not smile, reach out or look at their mothers or caregivers when being fed. May reject parents' affection by refusing a cuddle or being held by arching their backs to limit contact. As babies autistic children seldom initate contact with parents unless they are hungry or wet. Often described as good babies because they make few demands. They are so inresponsive some parents think they are deaf.

The Diagonstic and Statisitical Maunal of disorders (DSM-IV) describes the criteria for diagonsing disorders that provides the key cinical features or symptoms. In order for children to be diagonsed, there must be 6…