Psychology 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: American Psychiatric Association, Autism Spectrum, Rhett Butler
Document Summary
Appears more often in boys than girls, and was first named in 1943. The recognition go autism as a spectrum disorder (asd) increases knowledge of the causes of the disorder. This does not tell us anything about the disorder; it is just a label. The recognition of asd as a broad spectrum includes recognition that these disorders can arise from harsh or neglectful parenting practices early in life. There is no evidence that neglectful parenting causes autism. A typically developing child can develop asd over time due to chronic infections that require repeated, high-dose antibiotic therapy. It occurs pre-natally; it just may take many years after birth for the symptoms to fully develop. Just because you have an ill child does not mean that is caused their autism. Regression from preciously developed milestones is common for children diagnosed with asd.
