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Autism Spectrum Disorder: Overview And Analysis

Decent Essays

Lauren Shaak
July 17, 2015

Autism

Overview
Autism encompasses a wide range of development disorders. Therefore, defining what autism is is a distinct challenge. It is no one thing; it may be many things. A puzzle piece stands as the apt and indelible logo for Autism awareness.

What Autism Is
The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) merged all forms of autism into the overarching diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Earlier editions of the DSM separated autism into several categories. However, the more accurate view of autism is as a wide spectrum. Autism is no one thing. Rather, autism is a disorder of degree, with each diagnosis marking a unique imprint on the spectrum.

Autism is a developmental disorder, but autism is not easily categorized because it is not fully understood. Autism is an intellectual disability thought to be rooted in early neurological development. Research is not definitive, but some evidence points to improper synaptic function as a possible cause of ASD. …show more content…

Autism is not a disease. Not to parse words, but disorders and diseases are distinct categories. While the terms are often used synonymously, the truth is that, in the medical community, disease implies a process with characteristic signs and symptoms. A disorder, on the other hand, is the term given to functional abnormalities. The difference, then, is that a disease has a clear causality—mutating cells become cancerous, for example. A disorder, meanwhile, points to something that is working improperly. With ASD, the classification is

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