LEARNING DISORDER

Learning Disorder

Learning Disorder

Abstract

Many are familiar with Dustin Hoffman's portrayal of a man with autism in the movie Rainman. We laughed as he repeatedly stated that he only buys his underwear at K-mart and were amazed that he could count the number of toothpicks on the floor with a single glance. Yet, we were mystified that he did not know the cost of a candy bar, how to converse with another person, or how to stop hitting himself when he was upset. Rainman did not pick up on the social nuances of everyday life and often had difficulty effectively communicating his wants and needs. He perseverated on topics that were often not of interest to others and had some unusual and repetitive behaviors. Rainman had autism.

Introduction

Autism, one of several pervasive developmental disorders (others include Asperger's syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, Rett's disorder, and childhood disintegrative disorder), is a lifelong neurological disability that affects how the brain functions. It is characterized by delayed and atypical social and communication skills, as well as by the demonstration of repetitive behaviors and restricted interests, which begin before 3 years of age. To receive a diagnosis of autistic disorder, an individual must meet the criteria set forth in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edition, text revision; DSM-IV-TR). The criteria focus on qualitative impairments in (1) social interactions (e.g., failure to develop peer relationships, a lack of sharing enjoyment with others, and poor social reciprocity), (2) communication skills (e.g., delay in language, difficulty initiating or sustaining conversations, stereotypical or repetitive use of language, lack of make-believe play), and (3) repetitive and stereotypical patterns of behavior (e.g., preoccupations, inflexibility, repetitive motor movements).

Although each individual with autism is different, some hallmark characteristics and behaviors include poor eye contact, need for sameness, fascination with parts of objects, selective listening, repeating the same thing over and over, disliking to be touched, preoccupations, rocking, sensitivity to certain textures, hand flapping, delays in communication skills, lack of pretend play, and difficulty understanding social relationships. Individuals with autism have varying levels of cognitive and language abilities, ranging from significantly delayed to above-average abilities.

The prevalence rates for autism vary. Some speculate that 1 in 3,000 people has autism; others suggest that 1 in 250 has some form of autism. The numbers of individuals diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder have increased over the past few decades. There are numerous theories on why the prevalence rate has increased so dramatically. The increase might be due to a better understanding and acceptance of autism in society, better tools for diagnosing, and the introduction of the autism category for serving children with disabilities in the schools. Autism tends to affect more males than females, although females tend to be more impaired by the disorder than males. Autism affects individuals of all cultures and socioeconomic levels.

The etiology of autism is not clearly understood. When it was initially diagnosed by Leo Kanner in 1943, autism was believed to be the result of unloving ...