Causes of Autism Spectrum Disorder
The exact causes in regards to why people develop an autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
is still largely unknown. Most experts postulate that it probably has multiple causes. Chief
among these reasons are the development of the brain as well as genetic components. The
evidence strongly indicates that direct environmental factors such as being exposed to
certain substances, the diet of the mother during the pregnancy period, or the diet of the
child after he/she is born do not cause ASD. Furthermore ASD is not believed to be
affected by parenting skills or style. However, it is believed that outside factors might
induce ASD in an adolescent who already has a genetic predisposition which makes him
susceptible to developing the disorder (¨Causes of Autism Spectrum Disorder¨).
Brain Development and ASD
The brains of children who have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) develop in a
fashion that differs significantly from neurotypical children. For starters, their brains tend
Also, infants who have ASD have a surplus of cells in their brains, and their brains also
contain an ineffective network connecting their cells. Additionally, it is believed that
children with an ASD have an excessive amount of connections between their cells in their
brains. It is also theorized that the prototypical behaviors that are associated with ASD are
induced by challenges that the brain has with processing information (¨Causes of
Autism Spectrum Disorder¨).
An adolescent´s brain is constantly developing. Whenever a child responds to stimuli,
brain connections are fortified and become more powerful. As time goes by, unreinforced
connections go away, i.e. because they are not necessary they are eliminated (¨Causes of
Autism Spectrum Disorder¨).
Such a snipping of connections is the process that the brain utilizes in order to open up
space for more essential connections, i.e. those that are required for daily actions and
responses. Most experts postulate that such a process occurs too infrequently in children
with ASD, which sometimes results in information being lost or transmitted via wrong
connections. This might also account for why the brains of children with ASD grow more
rapidly during the early years than do the brains of neurotypical children (¨Causes of
Autism Spectrum Disorder¨).
Genetics and ASD
There is mounds of evidence that strongly suggests that genetics plays a major role in
ASD. For starters, if one child in a family is determined to have ASD, then his siblings are
more likely to also have it than are children in the general population. And even if their
siblings do not have ASD they still frequently exhibit ASD traits. Also, boys are four times
as likely as girls to be diagnosed with ASD (¨Causes of Autism Spectrum Disorder¨).
It is improbable that ASD is caused by one specific gene. Instead it is believed to be
caused by multiple genes that are amalgamated and operate together. The results of
research have produced numerous genes that might play a contributing factor in a person
developing ASD (¨Causes of Autism Spectrum Disorder¨).
Symptoms of ASD
Dr. Melissa Conrad Stoppler (MD) did a very good job of describing what are the main
symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). She stated ¨symptoms can include intense
focus on one item, unresponsiveness, lack of understanding social cues (like tone of voice
or body language), repetitive movements, or self-abusive behavior like head-banging. The
severity of the symptoms varies widely among affected individuals. Other possible
symptoms include learning to speak relatively late, not playing interactively with other
children, avoidance of eye contact, lack of empathy, and social withdrawal¨ (Stoppler).
Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism spectrum disorder does not have any known cure, and treatment options vary
widely on a patient-by-patient basis. The main purpose of such treatment options should be
Such treatment options encompass ¨behavior and communication therapies, educational
therapies, family therapies, and medications¨ (Mayo Clinic Staff).
In regards to behavior/communication therapies, there are programs that exist that target
the great variety of verbal, behavioral, and social struggles that accompany ASD. While
some programs concentrate on mitigating malevolent behaviors and imparting new skills,
other programs concentrate on teaching new social and communication skills to
adolescents. This doesn´t always result in children completely outgrowing symptoms
associated with ASD, but it usually improves their overall ability to function (Mayo Clinic
Staff).
Since adolescents with ASD frequently perform well in very formal educational
programs, educational therapies are often utilized. A plethora of activities that are
supervised by a group of specialists is often times an effective means of enhancing the
behavioral, communication, and social skills of children. Such educational therapies are
particularly effective when they are used on preschool kids in a comprehensive,
individualized manner (Mayo Clinic Staff).
Family therapies are utilized as a means of enabling the family members of individuals
with ASD to learn how to engage them in a fashion that bolsters their social skills, allows
them to better cope with their problem behaviors, and imparts communication and practical
everyday living skills (Mayo Clinic Staff).
There are some medications that can be used in order to mitigate some of ASD´s
symptoms. Sometimes antipsychotic drugs are prescribed in order to deal with inexorable
behavioral problems and antidepressants are used to combat anxiety. Other medications are
utilized as a means of resolving hyperactivity (Mayo Clinic Staff).
Works Cited
¨Causes of Autism Spectrum Disorder.¨ raisingchildrennetwork.net.au. Raising Children
Network, 20 Nov. 2013. Web. 19 April 2016.
Mayo Clinic Staff. ¨Diseases and Conditions. Autism Spectrum Disorder. Section
Treatment and Drugs.¨ mayoclinic.org. Mayo Clinic, 03 June 2014. Web. 19 April 2016
Stoppler, Melissa Conrad. ¨Autism Symptoms and Signs.¨ medicinenet.com.
MedicineNet.com, 03 Nov. 2015. Web. 19 April 2016.
