Feinsinger 1

Blaine Feinsinger

Whitney Gilchrist

ENC 2135

27 February 2017

The World from a Different Perspective

When hearing the words autism or autistic, many people will jump to the

stereotypical view, both the physical and mental. Physically they will see very awkward and

unfocused children and mentally they are lacking the ability to form sentences, hold a

conversation, or even understand what you are saying unless you were to dumb it down.

However, these misconceptions are far from the truth of this very diverse disorder. Each case

differs greatly from the next and there are no true guidelines as to what someone with autism

spectrum disorder will look, behave, or think like. Ultimately, it is a heterogeneous condition; no

two children or adults with autism have exactly the same profile. (Lord)

As mentioned, Autism Spectrum Disorder is a very complex disorder. It encompasses

many disorders within itself. It includes diagnoses such as: Asperger Syndrome, Autistic

Disorder, Retts Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and Pervasive Development

Disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). Each of these disorders lies on a different end of

the autism spectrum, depending on how mild or severe their symptoms are. Some may even

experience varying combinations of symptoms, making it very difficult to place them on the

spectrum. (Nordqvist)

The mildest form of Autism Spectrum Disorder is Aspergers Syndrome. People with

Aspergers are typically intelligent and able to carry out all normal functions of everyday life.

While there is great difficulty to socially interact with this syndrome, those diagnosed can
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converse and discuss many different topics. However, they may have a very exclusive amount of

topics they are interested in, which are usually one sided and unusual. Furthermore, they may

choose to repeat these topics in an obsessive manner. Compared to different forms of ASD, these

individuals do not have substantial delays in language but they do however have delays in motor

development so they may seem to be clumsy or awkward and sometimes robotic while

repeating the same body movements continually. (Wing)

The second mildest diagnosis is Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise

Specified (PDD-NOS). This diagnosis is slightly more serious than that of Aspergers Syndrome,

yet, not quite as severe as the diagnosis of Autistic Disorder. When diagnosing children, there are

many criteria they must meet. Most children diagnosed with PDD-NOS simply do not meet all of

the learning and behavioral standards of Aspergers. These children usually show the signs of

Autistic Disorder in a much less severe way. They show the usual unusual social behaviors,

patchy skill development in motor, cognitive, and sensory areas, poor communication and

disruptive repetitive behaviors. (Lord)

Similar to Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified, Autistic

Disorder has all of these same symptoms but at a much more intense level. The person diagnosed

may be less functioning and have higher delays in all aspects. Their social-interaction

difficulties, communication challenges and tendency to engage in repetitive behaviors are much

more common and begin to interfere with their everyday life. (Lord)

Lastly, the highest and most intense diagnosis on the spectrum is Childhood

Disintegrative Disorder or Hellers Syndrome. Furthermore, this is also the rarest form of autism.

It is categorized as a Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) which are are a spectrum of

behavioral problems associated with autism and autism-like syndromes. They include CDD,
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Rett's Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-

NOS). (Lord) This specific disorder is known to be a low-functioning form of autism since those

diagnosed have much more and higher deficits as well as show those stereotypical behaviors as

well as fear. Unlike other forms of autism, the children diagnosed with this form can develop it a

much later age, around ten years of age. Furthermore, it is common for children diagnosed to

seem to be developing normally and then lose some of their acquired skills. This loss can be

either very quick or very gradual. These skills include functions such as: language skills, social

skills, hygienic skills like bladder control, and motor skills. The losses can be so severe and

random that even the child notices them. Luckily, the disease is quite rare and only two in every

one hundred thousand children are diagnosed with it.

By definition, a spectrum is used to classify something, or suggest that it can be

classified, in terms of its position on a scale between two extreme or opposite points. In this case,

there are many different spectrums included in the title of one large spectrum. Each person who

is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder is very different from the next, in terms of their

symptoms and restrictions. The spectrums that they are measured on include: their overall

measured intelligence, their ability to interact socially, their communication skills including their

unusual or disruptive behaviors, their responses to senses, and their motor skills.

The first spectrum which determines their intelligence is measured from intellectual

disability to gifted. While it is a common belief that all people diagnosed with ASD are mentally

hindered, that is not always the case. In many cases, they are very bright and are not given the

chance to show it or cannot show it due to their lacking in other social or communication skills.

The children who do have these intellectual skills and more specifically have an IQ of 70 or

above, are known to be higher functioning.

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Secondly, they are measured by their ability to socially interact. One of the more common

symptoms of ASD is the individuals lack of ability to interact in a social setting. Or, rather more,

their lack of ability to interact properly. It seems that they are not able to properly read what is

occurring in the social world. It is as though they are blind to the boisterous, complicated,

emotionally loaded give-to-take of human interaction.

Communication skills includes their ability to hold a proper and normal conversation

with others. Some common issues with those diagnosed with ASD include a repetition of

language or ideas. They tend to focus on one topic that they like and come back to the same

topic, even if it is out of context. Along with repeating topics, they may choose to repeat words

that they have heard or said previously. This condition of meaningless repetition of another

person's spoken words as a symptom of psychiatric disorder is called echolalia. Along with these

verbal disorders, nonverbal disorders include lacking eye contact, random movements or

gestures and frustration shown through behavior.

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