research paper

The autism spectrum scale is so large that it is hard to figure out just where a child register on it. Children are labeled autistic in the United States at a rate of 1 in every 59 children according to the Center for Disease Control or the CDC. Although there are different forms of autism, most children show the same characteristics at a very young age. The two core domains are social communication and restricted interests/ repetitive behavior. This can mean walking on the tiptoes, waving of the arms, not being able to speak (non-verbal) and/or meltdowns. There are hereditary factors along with factors related to parental psychiatric disorders, and exposure to psychotropic drugs. With the rise of autism today doctors have started to use several pharmacological therapies as well as non-pharmacological therapies. It is all about finding which medication or medication combinations will work for each individual case. For many autistic children come other problems such as social anxiety and sensory processing disorder (SPD). With these separate disorders stemming from the autism comes even more needed medications. Basically, the doctor will need to find the perfect combination of medications so that all of the issues are dealt with. This can often times be very trying for the parents as they just want to help their child and it is frustrating when nothing works. When the diagnosis is first made parents should educate themselves as much as possible because in turn this will help them understand the disorder and better know how to help their child. By understanding what their child is going through it will make many situations easier for the child.