Talk:Autistic spectrum
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[edit] Updates and reversions
I wrote, "At the severe end of the spectrum is low-functioning autism, where autism co-occurs with mental retardation, to Asperger's syndrome and finally a shading into normality and perhaps then hypersocialization." 172.216.161.64 edited this to, "At the severe end of the spectrum is low-functioning autism, which can cause severe-profound impairments in many areas, to a milder form of autism known as Asperger's syndrome and finally a shading into typicality and perhaps then hypersocialization." Although low-functioning autism is technically defined as autism with additional mental retardation, I chose to keep a trimmed form of the contributor's slightly more sensitive phrasing: "At the severe end of the spectrum is low-functioning autism, with profound impairments in many areas, to Asperger's syndrome, and finally a shading into normality and perhaps then hypersocialization." I considered a milder form of autism known as to be redundant since this whole article is about autistic conditions, and the vector from a profoundly impacted condition to normality implies that Asperger's syndrome is the milder condition in between.
For some reason, 172.216.161.64 also changed the links to Asperger's syndrome from simply [[Asperger's syndrome]] to [[Asperger syndrome|Asperger's syndrome]] despite Asperger syndrome's being a redirect to Asperger's syndrome.
I wrote, "The disorder diagnosed as Autistic Disorder in the DSM-IV-TR and Childhood Autism in the ICD-10 may share an underlying genetic cause and similar neurodevelopment as Asperger's syndrome. Behaviorally, certain characteristics identify the autistic syndrome:" 172.216.161.64 revised this to, "The disorder diagnosed as Autistic Disorder in the DSM-IV-TR and Childhood Autism in the ICD-10 may to share the same underlying genetic cause and neurodevelopment as Asperger's syndrome and other PDDs. Behaviorally, certain characteristics identify the autistic syndrome:" As mentioned in the section Autistic Spectrum and Pervasive Development Disorders, autism and Asperger's syndrome probably do not share a common etiology with some of the other PDDs like Rett's syndrome and childhood disintegrative disorder. Additionally, autism and Asperger's syndrome may share similar causes, but the neurodevelopment is not the same. Asperger's syndrome seems to show a less pathological version of the neurodevelopment found in Kanner's autism. This may be because people with Asperger's syndrome inherit fewer autistic genes than those with a more disabling form of autism (i.e., the DSM-IV-TR's Autistic Disorder and the ICD-10's Childhood Autism).
I restored the traits "Indiscriminant social interaction" and "Reduced ability to understand the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs of others" because they are quite common for people on the autistic spectrum. Whereas some autistic people withdraw, others, including at least a few I've met, engage in an almost indiscriminate interaction with others that still conveys a misunderstanding of social conventions. Also, the inability to understand the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs (i.e., mental states) of others may be psychological cause of the social impairments. Whether this is simply due to an ability to read facial expressions and body language or not is another question; my understanding is that they are intertwined.
I restored, "Poor use and understanding of nonverbal communication," which expresses more than, "Reduced ability to understand facial expression and body language," and returned it to its orginal category because not only do autistic people misunderstand other people's nonverbals but they also use nonverbals poorly or have their own body language misread. I placed it with Language impairment instead of Social impairment because I consider language to include both verbal and nonverbal communication, a broad use to be sure. The social impairment category is meant to show overall areas of deficit in social performance. These categories, of course, overlap. This listing of traits is meant to be descriptive rather than diagnostic or etiological. --24.217.183.224 23:36, 10 August 2005 (UTC)
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- I have an issue with the claim that Autism leads to poverty. The citations which supposedly back this up suggest that people in poverty get worse care/treatment, not that untreated or undertreated people are poor as a result of their condition. Bardbrain
[edit] ADHD/ADD
I'll quote the article first and comment below:
"Diagnoses of ADHD together with autism or Asperger Syndrome are becoming increasingly common in children. In young children, the two conditions can appear similar. However, as children age, differences emerge between the two conditions. Children with typical autism become more withdrawn, while with a suitable environment hyperactivity reduces. In either event, problems with social skills can develop.
By contrast, children with ADHD rarely become calmer with age but often develop social and communication skills to a normal level. Any issues with social skills experienced by children with ADHD may have other causes. Examples include low self-esteem or difficulty with quiet, constructive social interaction."
There are many misunderstandings about autism. Sometimes I feel ADD is even more misunderstood - and yes I hate that it was changed to ADHD years back, I'll explain. Hyperactivity is, I can not stress this enough: just ONE possible symptom of a much more complex condition. Why this is so personal for me, is that I have the hypoactive form and it is suggested that there are just as many of us as our more outgoing counterparts. We may fidget and display every single other symptom as children, but because we don't possess the sterotypical one of "bouncing off the walls" we slip through the system. I was finally diagnosed at age 17, having known there was something 'different' about me for quite some time - no matter how hard I tried, or how much I wanted to be an Honor Student, I scraped by with C's and D's (but easily aced Psychology - and the other more interesting classes with the help of Ritalin). Now, I read into Asperger's Syndrome and did find it incredibly similar, and I sometimes wonder still if I have it or autism instead. I am extremely withdrawn, am unable to read social cues, am honest to a fault, though the occassional outburst comes out that is usually called "inappropriate", etc. However; what keeps me on the ADD side of the fence is the thinking process which is at the core of what ADD is reallly all about, not the superficial and "cosmetic" behavior. I see the world very abstractly, and artistically - never got through Algebra - though I could've told you it was an arabic word. And despite our differences, me and my hyperactive counterparts seem to just 'sense' each other (I coined the term "Addar"), we are very spontaneous, and have trouble focusing, another stereotype which is true to a certain extent, but more complex than just not being able to concentrate. Anyway, since I have a very biased view on this I thought I'd put it here on the discussion page for review. I also hope someone can takes something away from the anecdotes and tell me if I reallly might have Asperger's syndrome, or autism. All I know is that, whatever I have, it is really lonely. Not: "I haven't had a date in 6 months lonely", but I haven't even had a friend, or just someone to talk to in ten years lonely, and could never seem to connect to any of the friends I had like others can. Anyway, Wikipedia isn't for personal stuff I realize, but it is for edification, and that's what I would like to do here. And the stuff like: "have difficulty with quiet, constructive social interaction" bring certain knee-jerk expletives to my mind. Even to a child that is extremely condescending - the "constructive" word particularly. ADDers have no trouble being constructive in their own non-linear way. Plus it is all based on the erroneous assumption that all ADDers are loud and obnoxious. Khiradtalk 02:59, 22 November 2005 (UTC)
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[edit] "Spectra" in psychology
Spectrum (disambiguation) lists two psychological spectra: this and the bipolar spectrum. Are there any others?
[edit] Erroneous comment on mathematics
This paragraph in the article contains an error: "These autistic traits may be beneficial for some disciplines like science, mathematics, and engineering because they require rote memorization, which some autistic individuals might show a marked proficiency in." Mathematics (at least for those students that understand it well) does not require rote memorization. Students that do not understand math typically compensate by rote memorization, but the best math students have to memorize hardly anything at all. Autistic traits that are beneficial for mathematics at the graduate level are attention for detail and perseverence of interest and focus. MvH June 16, 2006.
[edit] Please explain something
Why, in the section discussing social impairment, are there three references to the same essential behavior, but none about autistic's higher propensity to react to stimuli with violence? DId that particular fact get left out intentionally, or is this another example of PC editors ignoring reality? 70.115.211.122 03:42, 17 July 2006 (UTC)tell it like it is and stop kowtowing to overly sensitive individuals with agendas
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- It's my understanding that not ALL forms of autism include this trait. Asperger's Syndrome patients are supposedly LESS prone to violent behavior in everything I've read.--Bardbrain
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[edit] Visuospatial thinking not a symptom of disease
In the section on 'autistic traits,' it says 'The number of autistic traits present determines the severity of autism in the individual. These autistic traits may be beneficial for some disciplines like science, mathematics, engineering, and software.' It goes on to list a some-time preference for visuospatial thinking as just such an autistic trait under the heading of traits of 'Language Impairment.'
1) A preference for visuospatial thinking is hardly a problem in itself, except to a diagnostician or culture of a very narrow perspective.
2) Such a preference would clearly benefit artists, sculptors, designers, and architects, disciplines not altogether included in the quote above.
This seems to be an instance where the diagnostics seems to say as much if not more about the diagnosticians'/editors' problems as anything else.
[edit] Nor is 'Lack of eye contact'
I avoid eye contact with the professionals I see i) because they have a history of abusiveness towards me and ii) they are dégolace.
[edit] Etc.
The whole tenor of the list of traits suggests an empowered autistic diagnostician attempting to exert power over patients who seek to evade it, likely in the service of drugs giant Pfizer seeking to sell pharmaceutical 'cures' for the alleged syndrome.
