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Autism

 

Another factor is increased awareness and better diagnostic criteria (Hamilton 47).
             One specific cause of autism continues to be a mystery. Abnormalities in the brains structure including the cerebellum, amygdala and the mesial-orbitofrontal cortex are a biological marker for autism. Genetics are still a possibility though it has not yet been directly linked to autism. High levels of testosterone in autistic children have been noted and may be considered a cause, though further research is required (Guardian Unlimited). Research is being performed on rhesus monkeys to help find links between certain physical ailments, in both the parent during pregnancy and the child, and the risk of autism. One of the many positive aspects of this research and increased awareness are the number of previously considered causes that have been proven false. These include the beliefs that autism in a mental illness and/or the affect of poor parenting of unruly children. .
             Most often the parents are the first step in the diagnosing of a problem. Normally a parent will notice differences in their child in comparison to other children in the same age range. Most often it is the child's failure to reach certain developmental milestones. The first doctor contacted is the family's general practitioner. This could work in favor of or against an early diagnosis. One common reaction of the family doctor is to downplay the child's problems by citing the variability of childhood development. Once it is agreed that there is a problem the doctor will often send the child to specialists for further consultations. The primary diagnosticians of autism are Psychologists and/or Neurologists (Gray 16). .
             Once autism has been diagnosed the first thing to do as a parent is find out more information about the disorder and services that are available to the child and the family. There are a number of resources available to obtain this information, including books, Internet, organizations, family service agencies and support groups.


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