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【Taiwan Awakening News╱Reporter Li Shufan╱Taipei Report】2012.04.09
On average, 1 in every 88 American children is diagnosed with autism, and the prevalence rate continues to rise annually. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, increased awareness among teachers and doctors, along with various external environmental factors, contributes to the growing diagnosis rate. The high diagnostic standards for autism have recently sparked controversy.
Since the 1990s, the diagnostic criteria for autism have broadened. Symptoms range from varying degrees of intellectual disability and speech impairments to self-harming behaviors, with the core diagnostic feature being social communication difficulties. Researchers note that we live in a highly social world—if someone struggles with social interactions, even with an IQ of 150, interpersonal challenges will eventually arise.
Biologically, there is currently no definitive blood test or brain scan to diagnose autism. The condition is linked to genetics, with thousands of different gene variations contributing to abnormal brain development, which is one of the causes of autism. Researchers point out that identical genetic mutations in two different individuals may result in varying symptom severity, making it difficult to define these cases uniformly.
In reality, childhood autism can be seen as a cultural cognitive difference, where atypical human behaviors are labeled as disorders. Difficulties such as misreading facial expressions, not knowing when to stop talking, struggling with emotional regulation, or adapting to change are often categorized as hyperactivity or Asperger’s syndrome.
Parents of autistic children often face significant stress, constantly dealing with attention from relatives, teachers, and strangers, while government support in this area remains insufficient. An author of a book on autism remarked, "We shouldn’t treat autism as a disease but rather understand individual differences and tailor solutions accordingly. Everyone has their own challenges to overcome."
Source: http://udn. com/ NEWS/ WORLD/ WOR6/ 7016431. shtml#ixzz1rXiEgS3V
Rising Autism Cases in US Spark Debate over Diagnosis Criteria
On average, 1 in every 88 American children is diagnosed with autism, and the prevalence rate continues to rise annually. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, increased awareness among teachers and doctors, along with various external environmental factors, contributes to the growing diagnosis rate. The high diagnostic standards for autism have recently sparked controversy.
Since the 1990s, the diagnostic criteria for autism have broadened. Symptoms range from varying degrees of intellectual disability and speech impairments to self-harming behaviors, with the core diagnostic feature being social communication difficulties. Researchers note that we live in a highly social world—if someone struggles with social interactions, even with an IQ of 150, interpersonal challenges will eventually arise.
Biologically, there is currently no definitive blood test or brain scan to diagnose autism. The condition is linked to genetics, with thousands of different gene variations contributing to abnormal brain development, which is one of the causes of autism. Researchers point out that identical genetic mutations in two different individuals may result in varying symptom severity, making it difficult to define these cases uniformly.
In reality, childhood autism can be seen as a cultural cognitive difference, where atypical human behaviors are labeled as disorders. Difficulties such as misreading facial expressions, not knowing when to stop talking, struggling with emotional regulation, or adapting to change are often categorized as hyperactivity or Asperger’s syndrome.
Parents of autistic children often face significant stress, constantly dealing with attention from relatives, teachers, and strangers, while government support in this area remains insufficient. An author of a book on autism remarked, "We shouldn’t treat autism as a disease but rather understand individual differences and tailor solutions accordingly. Everyone has their own challenges to overcome."
Source: http://udn. com/ NEWS/ WORLD/ WOR6/ 7016431. shtml#ixzz1rXiEgS3V