Autism: A Pervasive Development

AutismB.1. Infantile Autism

In the Dictionary of Psychology of James Chaplin explicates that this is a serious developmental disorder of infancy, childhood and adolescence. It is characterized by an almost total lack of responsiveness to others, with gross impairment of linguistic development, bizarre behaviour involving repetitive movements, and self-abusive behaviour such as head banging. The disorder is relatively rare, involving 2-4 children per 10 000 and about three times more prevalent in males than female. The identification of the disorder that child appears cold and unresponsive does not smile, and fails to begin to speak at the normal age. Such children may play with the same toy for hours, make irrelevant and repetitive movements such as hand clapping, head banging, or turning light switches on and off endlessly. They appear disturbed if their routines are changed, and seem to prefer being left alone. As they grow into adolescence and adulthood, only 15% to 20% make an adequate adjustment. Most remain totally dependent on others and many are institutionalized.

The causes of infantile autism are unknown. Originally believed to be associated with cold, unresponsive mothers, it is now thought to be due the other factors, since many autistic children have warm and caring mothers. The psychoanalytic school emphasized a failure to develop through the oral, and early genital stages with consequent inability to establish contact with reality and the lack of ego development. Others have suggested that the disorder is an early form of schizophrenia. Some investigators have argued that it has an organic basis have been unable to demonstrate precisely where the physiological deficit lies.

Treatment has taken the form of attempting to provide an intensely war, high contact environment in order to encourage the child to emerge from his inner world. Recent behavioural techniques involving reinforcement of positive social responses have been tried with some success. However, the overall success of treatment programs remains poor.

B.2. Asperger’s disorder

Asperger’s disorder takes its name from Dr. Hans Asperger, who, like Dr. Kanner, wrote about children whose behaviours were unusual. Like people with autism, children with Asperger’s disorder have unusual pre-occupations and interests and have trouble in understanding how their behaviour is viewed by others. However, children with Asperger’s disorder do not have early language problems and may learn to talk and read very early.

B.3. Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder is characterized by the same symptoms as autism. However, with this disorder children seem to develop normally until about 2 years of age. Then they begin to lose many of the skills that had developed up to that time and typically stop talking and