Bio-psychological Analysis of Autism (PDF)

Seminar paper from the year 2015 in the subject Medicine - Anatomy, Physiology, Cytology, grade: A, Kenyatta University (K.U), course: Economics and Statistics, language: English, abstract: Autism is a neuropsychological disorder that is characterized by impaired communication, social interaction, as well as restricted and repetitive behavior. Most parents usually note signs of autism in the first two years of their children's life (Le Breton, 2010). These signs usually develop gradually, but some children suffering from autism usually reach the usual developmental milestones at a relatively normal pace then start regressing. Autism is characterized by particular set of behaviors and is also a spectrum disorder. This means that autism affects individuals differently and with varying degrees and intensity. As such, while all people with this disorder share some difficulties, their condition affects them in different ways. Some behaviors associated with autism include difficulty in holding a conversation or making eye contact, delayed learning of language, difficulty with executive functioning that relates to planning and reasoning, narrow and intense interests, poor sensory sensitivities, as well as poor motor skills (Dawson, 2011). Again, an individual on the spectrum of this disorder might follow most of these behaviors or just a few of them, or many others besides. This paper critically analyses autism including its causes, pathology, treatment options, as well as the diagnostic and technologies that are employed in clinical diagnosis, care, and basic science research of this order.