The number of children being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been consistently increasing the past decade.According to the NIH, It is estimated 1 in 68 children in the United States has autism. This is the highest recorded prevalence in history. Described as a disorder that impairs a child’s ability to communicate and interact with others, autism is a prevalent disorder that modern research needs to focus on to enhance the lives of children everywhere.
There are many common symptoms of autism, but the most distinguishable include impairment of social communication and interactions, or repetitive behavior. A child with autism will fail to respond to their name being called. They might be isolated to their own private world or even engage in repetitive behaviors.
While the causal mechanisms of autism are unknown, modern researchers hypothesis that there may be environmental influences that affect the development of autism in children. Some believe that the inability or culmination oxidative stress in brain may lead to some causes of autism. Implying that the environmental factors. On the other hand, other researchers postulate that some children are predisposed to have fundamental discrepancies with the chemical makeup in their brain.
Overall, there is no concrete understanding or consensus on the disorder. Treatment options also vary with some children receiving chemical agonists or antagonists to excite or inhibit various neurological functions. On the other hand, others seek therapy options to learn how to handle the condition and work towards full immersion into society.
Personally, I find the ASD to be a fascinating topic. I think it encompasses all of the neuronal pathways we covered in this class and proved to be a difficult, yet satisfying problem to try and solve. I hope that the field of neuroscience will continue to unveil the ASD story so we can learn, as a society, how to treat, diagnose, and prevent this disorder.
Autism Spectrum Disorder in Society
