This guide is an UNOFFICIAL summary of the book, "NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity," by Steve Silberman. It is a supplement to the original book, to make its main ideas easier to understand and put to practice. In NeuroTribes, the ward-winning science journalist Steve Silberman changes the societal conversation about autism with a groundbreaking and comprehensive history of this much-talked-about but little-understood condition. The book reveals a perfect storm that led to the sudden increase in diagnosis beginning in the 1990s. It describes how parents were bombarded with conflicting and misleading information on the causes and potential cures of the disease. It also describes how to embrace the concept
In Chapter four it talks about how people that have autism are concrete thinkers. Before reading this chapter I was unaware of much of our social language is figurative. This is something that a child with autism would struggle with. The author makes a good point when saying “you wouldn’t dream of issuing instructions to you child in a foreign language but English can seem that way” ( Notbohm 66). This put it in to words how hard it can be for a child with autism to grasp the language people use. The author identifies four things that people need to watch out for when speaking with a child with autism. The first thing was to avoid idioms and cliches, so this means instead of saying “something smells fishy” try saying “this does seem right to me”. It gives a better and clearer
Steve Silberman, also the author of "NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity," illuminates in his article "Autism speaks needs to do a lot more listening" that the organization raises millions of dollars to fund autism research yet fails to prioritize the people on the autistic spectrum. Instead of Autism Speaks devoting their efforts towards bettering the lives of people on the spectrum, he claims the organization invests more time into research which does not greatly impact the lives of Autistic people. Silberman elaborates on this assertion by first appealing to the reader's emotions by detailing the dehumanizing methods the organization has adopted, outlining corroborative facts
References Altern, J. (2006). Abnormally High Plasma Levels of Vitamin 6 in Children with Autism Not Taking Supplements Compared to Controls not Taking Supplements. US National Library of Medicine. National Institute of Health. Complement Med, 12 (1), 59-63.
In this book, “Helping children with autism learn: Treatment approaches for parents and professionals” Siegel gives parents of autistic children what they need most: hope. Siegel explains that how to take an inventory of a child particular disabilities that break down the various kinds unique to autism. Many other signs and symptoms are also seen in a child suffering from autism are atypical eating, lack of intuition and less attention to social stimuli. This book has been a great help in the research as it explains about the key understanding of each autism case as a discrete set of learning disabilities, each of which must be treated individually. This book is relevant to my research as it has important documentation and papers about the conference. It provides a detailed account of the issues, at the same time, Siegel offer a new understanding and a practical, thoughtful approach that will give parents a new hope.
In-text: (Raisingchildren.net.au, 2016) Your Bibliography: Raisingchildren.net.au. (2016). Emotional development & children with ASD | Raising Children Network. [online] Available at: http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/autism_spectrum_disorder_emotional_development.html
According to “Autism’s Next Wave” by Lydia Denworth, scientists have discovered a new way to help people with autism. This groundbreaking discovery helps patients who suffer from autism, which is a disorder with no proven biological treatments. TMS, an acronym for transcranial magnetic stimulation, uses electromagnetic waves and a magnetic field to temporarily “fix” some patients’ autism symptoms by altering the way the patient’s brain cells communicate. This therapy is similar to electroconvulsive therapy, which was used in the 1930s to treat depression. Unlike electroconvulsive therapy (which used electric shocks to trigger seizures), TMS isn’t painful.
Offit, Paul A. Autism's False Prophets: Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure. New York: Columbia UP, 2008.
ASD is an abbreviation of Autism Spectrum Disorder, a disorder characterized by “social-interaction difficulties, communication challenges and a tendency to engage in repetitive behaviors”. ASD has become so prevalent that “1 in 68 children are identified with ASD” a number which is higher among certain racial minorities (CDC Press Release). While there are many therapies such as pharmaceutical or behavior correcting therapy, it is music which shows much promise in aiding children with autism. From its start in prehistoric humans to today’s clinical and classroom settings music has had a profound impact on the individual; well documented studies and
It is expected that all medical and health care professions would take care of people with autism at one point or another. For this reason, it is necessary for health care providers to have the adequate training to treat and deal with autistic people. It is also important “to provide the appropriate resources for autistic individuals and their families to help them participate actively in their medical care from an informed perspective” (Preißmann, 2017 p. 115).
Autism is defined as the brain disorder that begins in early childhood and persists throughout adulthood. Autism affects three areas of human development: (1) verbal and nonverbal communication, (2) social interaction, and (3) creative or imaginative play. Autism is considered a severe disorder and developmental disability that prevents individuals from properly understanding what they see, hear and sense. The cause of autism remains unknown. Current theories indicate a problem with the function or structure of the central nervous system. This essay overviews the history of autism and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). It provides an idea of the population and causes of autism. It takes about the program services and the current operational issues related to autism.
To address the perpetual need for widespread public awareness and core education on various Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), it is important to provide the normally-born people with training and education to help them support individuals born with an ASD and how not to treat them.
Fombonne, E. (2000,November, 20). Is there an epidemic of autism? Pediatrics, Retrieved January 20, 2008, from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/107/2/411?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=eric+fombonne&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT
In order to form a strong and knowledgeable opinion regarding whether we should continue to research a cure for autism, it is crucial to understand the basic ideas of the subject of neurodiversity. Neurodiversity is the range of differences in the way the human brain functions and behaves. (“Neurodiversity: Some Basic Terms and Definitions”) This variation in the way each individual processes information and reacts to it that results in diversity in our population. No two people are exactly alike due to the distinctions between each individual's race, religion, gender, and cultural background. These factors cause each individual to have a different and unique personality and outlook on life. This is seen as significant because it guarantees that the human race is not a unit of people that think, act, and live exactly the same. Autism and other conditions such as Dyslexia and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are viewed as components that contribute to neurodiversity and neurodiversity movement because they affect the behaviors and brain function of a person. The
According to the CDC, autism is “a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges (Facts About Autism, 2016)”. Autism was first discussed in 1943 by Dr. Leo Kanner, after he observed 11 children who had fixations on the inanimate environment rather than people (Quick Facts About Autism). It affects about one percent of the population, and is
Tens of millions of people have been diagnosed with Autism worldwide, effecting both genders, all races, ethnicities and people from all socioeconomic classes. In 2010 a Surveillance Summary was conducted in the United States, where it identified that one in 68 children are diagnosed with Autism (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). It has been recognised