Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Question
The book for this class is "Autism Spectrum Disorders" by Jill Boucher
Final Paper Assignment – 150 points
This assignment is a culmination of what you’ve
learned throughout the semester and requires you to have read the book Nobody
Nowhere (Williams, 1999). For this
assignment, you will write a 4-6 page paper (NOT including the title and
reference pages) in which you demonstrate your understanding for the material
covered in class without relying on
simple summaries. Instead, you will draw
connections between the Williams (1999) autobiography and course material
you’ve studied this semester. Please be
sure to provide the in-text citations within your writing (to designate where
you’ve referenced the sources) as well as a separate reference list/page. A title page is optional, but if you include a
title page it does not count toward the minimum length requirement. For information on how
to cite your sources according to APA style:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
While there
is a bit of freedom in terms of how you structure your paper, the content must
include the following (I’ve also included recommended lengths per section
however, this is purely a recommendation):
I.
Explain
what ASD is (recommended length 1-2 paragraphs)
II.
Brief
summary of the autobiography (recommended length 1-2 paragraphs)
III.
Middle
Section (recommended length 2-3 pages)
a. Apply DSM-V diagnostic criteria to
specific behaviors/characteristics described in Williams (1999) – cite/include
material from Part I of this course…essentially you will “prove” Donna has a
diagnosis of ASD.
b. Explain a minimum of 2-3 causes
(cite/include material from Part II of this course) specific to Donna’s
experiences of ASD…for example, what may be causing Donna’s sensory
impairments?
c. Propose a treatment plan for Donna if
she were a child today – what specific strategies and treatment procedures
would you recommend (cite/include material from Part III of this course)
IV.
Include
a personal reflection/opinion…personal insights/take-home points/surprises,
etc. (recommended length 2-3 paragraphs)
V.
Concluding
section…tie everything together (recommended length 1-2 paragraphs)
You will
submit your final paper as a word document to the corresponding folder in the
Assignments link on or before the corresponding due date to receive credit (NO
LATE PAPERS ACCEPTED REGARDLESS OF THE REASON).
Your paper will be graded according to the following:
Organization (0 to 25
points)
· Is there a clear-cut topic or thesis
statement that controls the direction of the paper and limits the scope of the
ideas presented in it?
· Are the ideas presented in an
orderly sequence that makes sense?
· Does the paper have a lively
introduction that invites further reading?
· Does the paper have a definite
conclusion that draws the ideas together and leaves the reader satisfied?
Development (0 to 100 points)
· Are the ideas explored adequately within
the paper? Is course material cited and
referenced sufficiently? Are all
required content sections (noted above in I-V) thoroughly addressed?
· Does the paper avoid excessive simple
summaries?
· Does the paper offer sufficient
detail or enough examples to clarify major points and make them
convincing?
· Is the paper’s language accurate and
effective in making ideas and evidence clear?
· Does the length of the paper fall
within the required range (4-6 pages NOT including a title page or a reference
page)?
Mechanics (0 to 25 points)
· Is the paper free from general
writing errors (e.g., spelling)?
· Are the sentences clear and
smooth?
· Has the paper avoided major
grammatical errors (such as sentence fragments, comma splices, fused or
run-together sentences, subject-verb agreement errors, verb form errors)?
·
Is
APA style used correctly for in-text citations as well as the reference page?


Solution
Autism Spectrum
Disorder (ASD)
Autism Spectrum Condition (ASD), a clinical diagnosis of
autism, is a brain development disorder affecting how individuals see and
socialize with others, resulting in social interaction and communication
difficulties (Boucher & Anns, 2018). Restricted and consistent behavioral
patterns characterize ASD. “Spectrum” in ASD defines the symptoms and severity’s
significant range. According to the CDC (2020), ASD manifests itself during
childhood, before 3 years of age, and later leads to functioning problems in society
in terms of socialization. This disorder can eventually last throughout an
individual’s life, even though improvement of symptoms may be noted over time.
CDC (2020) further notes that the etiology of ASD may be
attributed to genetic conditions while others are idiopathic. The ability of
ASD people varies significantly. For instance, some may possess advanced
conversational skills, while others may remain nonverbal. Dai et al. (2019) claim
that some ASD children gain novel skills and attain developmental milestones
until the approximate age of 18 to 24 months, which is then accompanied by an
alteration of acquiring a new skill or losing the skill they once possessed. As
these children grow to the adolescence stage, they may present with challenges
of making and maintaining new friends, peer and adults communication, or
comprehending the expected behavior in school. Due to the conditions like
anxiety, depression, and hyperactivity disorder that are present in ASD people,
they may require the immediate attention of healthcare professionals. This
paper analyzes the autobiography of Donna William, linking its evidence to
Autism Spectrum Disorder and how this condition could have been managed in
today’s time bearing in mind the available DSM-V that is currently used in
diagnosing ASD.
Summary of the
Autobiography
In the “Nobody Nowhere” article, Donna William presents an
eloquently written presentation of self as a woman diagnosed with increased
functioning autism and a look at the universe from her perspective. She
describes the challenges she experienced in maintaining family and other
relationships due to her difficulty with social nuances appreciation. The title
is grounded on her mother’s evaluation to be “nobody” and had “nowhere” to go.
Donna’s parents viewed her behavior as eccentric. While her
father was caring and hopeful that Donna could change, her mother, on the other
hand, was cruel and abusive to the extent of calling her “crazy” and “mad”.
Donna’s brother called her a moron, joining their mother’s side. Besides, Donna
wanted to be in a relationship but never knew how to be in one. Her several
boyfriends used her in many ways, taking advantage of her vulnerability.
Throughout the presentation, Donna undergoes tribulation and wants to leave her
created “world” and enter the alien “real world”. However, Donna creates coping
strategies with life as she comprehends it. She could summon “Willie,” her
imagination’s violent creature, to protect her when she felt in danger. Donna’s
autobiography is a real presentation of what autistic children undergo.
DSM-V ASD Diagnostic
Criteria
According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA)
(2015), ASD can be diagnosed depending on the symptoms that the ASD patient
presents. In addition, the child must have recurring socialization and
engagement difficulties and a minimum of two limited and repetitive behavioral
kinds. As a result, Donna’s autistic behavior is consistent with DSM-V Part
A (consistent inability of social connection and engagement). Donna had a
social-emotional reciprocity deficiency by having a modest response to social
engagements, such as embracing on several occasions. She indicates, “I never
hugged either of them; neither was I hugged.” “…all touching was pain, and I
was frightened.” (Williams, 2009, p. 15). Secondly, Donna lacked nonverbal
communicative behaviors utilized in social interaction. She poorly integrated
nonverbal and verbal communication on many occasions throughout her childhood.
Thirdly, Donna had difficulty making friends. Due to her strange behavior, her first-day
friends found her rather strange that they never wanted to interact with her
the second time, such as Carol, a friend that she met at the park (Williams,
2009, p. 23). This behavior confirms a deficit in maintaining and understanding
relationships.
Donna presents some characteristics that can be classified
in part B of DSM-V, which specifies the severity of ASD. This section is based
on issues with socialization and restrictive repeating behavioral patterns. Donna
manifested this aspect by having repetitive speech during her childhood years.
She could repeat everything the other person talking to her would say (Williams,
2009, p.11). Secondly, she highly restricted herself to specific foods such as “custard,
jelly, lettuce, baby food, honey and white pieces of bread” (Williams, 2009, p.12).
In addition, Donna’s symptoms were present in her early
developmental period and became fully manifested when social demands exceeded
limited capacities. Besides, her symptoms caused clinically elementary
impairment in socialization and occupation. Therefore, in this context, Donna’s
autistic presentation could be grouped as level 1, which requires support.
Specific Causes of
Donna’s ASD experiences
Donna presented sensory impairments evidenced by
malnutrition, a deficiency, or imbalances of energy and nutrients intake.
According to research, children diagnosed with autism possess a significant
feeding challenge and eat a limited range of foods. Donna restricted herself to
foods that she only liked, such as lettuce leaves, honey, custard, jelly, and baby
food, even at thirteen years (Williams, 2009, p.12). Besides, Donna could hang on
the highest branch of a tree and “sometimes she would hum. As long as
everything moved to the rhythm.” People with autism can sometimes not withstand
the sounds of dishwashers or injure themselves to be fully aware of their
bodies (Rudy, 2021). Sensory impairments in autism are caused by sensory
overload occurrence. For instance, Donna’s obsessive behavior of eating selective
foods leads to decreased nutrient levels.
Another Donna symptom included difficulty in maintaining
friends. This can be caused by fear of vulnerabilities, social anxiety
experience, and struggle with appropriate social skills in making new friends (Oswald,
2021). Donna wanted to have friends but never knew how to make one since all
friends that came her way left on the second day leading to her making false
imaginations. Also, the boyfriends she got took advantage of her to the extent
that she feared being vulnerable.
Treatment Plan
If Donna were a child today, I would propose sensory
integration therapy as one of the effective modalities (Rudy, 2021). This could
help Donna manage her sensitiveness and cravings. Particularly, according to
the American Occupational Therapy Association, I would recommend that Donna
should undergo a sensory diet program that involves a day-to-day menu plan that
comprises personalized and supportive sensory approaches. Also, I would
recommend education for involved individuals, such as her brother and mother,
about the influence of sensory functions on her performance and the negative
impact of minimization strategies on functionality. Finally, I would recommend
complementary and alternative treatments such as art therapy and relaxation
therapies (CDC, 2020).
Personal
Reflection
ASD is a neurodevelopmental condition attributed to
variation in communication and social interaction. People diagnosed with ASD
demonstrate varied restricted and repetitive interests or behavioral patterns.
ASD begins at birth and manifests into old age. It is fascinating how Donna
William documented her autobiography despite her autism state despite the
available evidence on the developmental phases of autistic individuals.
On further investigation, I learned that ASD might be caused
by a genetic mutation, a fragile X syndrome that can be transmitted from the
mother, being born to older parents, and metabolic imbalances. Besides, a child
may have ASD if the mother has a history of viral infection or exposure of the
fetus to medications thalidomide. Therefore, mothers need to take care during pregnancy
to prevent the fetus from being exposed to thalidomide medications, viral
infections, or heavy metal and environmental toxin exposure.
Conclusion
ASD is a developmental brain disorder that affects how
people perceive and socially their behavior, resulting in difficulties with
socialization and connection. In reference to Donna’s autobiography, ASD
symptoms can be divided into two categories, recommended by the DSM-V:
communication and interaction deficit and restricted or repetitive behavioral
patterns or activities. These criteria help psychologists to classify ASD
according to its severity. The causes of autism symptoms can vary depending on
the patient’s manifestation. Therefore, its treatment should be primarily
focused on the manifested symptoms. As such, the treatment modalities include
behavioral therapies, sensory integration therapies, pharmacological therapies,
even if their intervention is limited to specific symptoms, and educational
interventions. Lastly, the key takeaway point includes acknowledging the
primary causes of ASD and the available diagnostic ways of the disorder. It is
recommended that research should be done that elementarily investigates how ASD
can be prevented with an acknowledgment that ASD occurs during birth. Genetic
therapies should be put in place to prevent children from being born with
autism.
References
American
Psychiatric Association. (2015). American psychiatric association diagnostic
and statistical manual of mental disorders
(DSM-IV). SpringerReference. https://doi.org/10.1007/springerreference_179660
Boucher, J.,
& Anns, S. (2018). Memory, learning and language in autism spectrum
disorder. Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, 3,
239694151774207. https://doi.org/10.1177/2396941517742078
CDC. (2020,
August 11). Basics about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) | NCBDDD | CDC.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved April 1, 2022,
from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/facts.html
CDC. (2020, March
16). Treatment | Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) | NCBDDD | CDC. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved April 1, 2022,
from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/treatment.html
Dai, Y. G.,
Miller, L. E., Ramsey, R. K., Robins, D. L.,
Fein, D. A., & Dumont-Mathieu, T. (2019). Incremental
utility of 24-Month autism spectrum disorder screening after negative 18-Month
screening. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 50(6),
2030-2040. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-03959-5
Oswald, T. (2021,
25 maart). Making Friends When You’re On The Autism Spectrum. Tasha Oswald.
Geraadpleegd op 2 april 2022, van
https://opendoorstherapy.com/making-friends-when-youre-on-the-autism-spectrum/#:%7E:text=Often%20individuals%20with%20autism%20struggle,necessary%20to%20make%20new%20friends.
Rudy, L. J.
(2021). Is sensory integration therapy helpful for autism? Verywell
Health. Retrieved April 1, 2022, from https://www.verywellhealth.com/sensory-integration-therapy-and-autism-260509
Williams, D.
(2009). Nobody nowhere: The remarkable autobiography of an autistic girl.
Jessica Kingsley Publishers.



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