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Family case study autism
Dissertation on family stress caused by children with autism
Family case study autism
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Autism is an intricate developmental disorder that is characteristically noticed by parents and or diagnosed by parents between the ages of eight-teen months and three years of age. In recent studies, Werner (2001) isolated themes from in-depth interviews conducted with different parents of children with autism. These themes included the following findings: the family’s life revolves around dealing with the child’s autism and unusual behaviors; parents feel losses because they and their children cannot lead a so called normal life; and the family experiences only fleeting moments of actually feeling like a typical family. Autism does not effect a particular type of person it occurs in all social, racial, and ethnic groups.
Effects of Autism within a Family
What is a normal family? What would you do if your child seems as if they are developing at a normal pace and then all of a sudden just stops and regresses back to before he or she could walk or talk? Do you think you have what it takes to raise a child with autism? Families of children with autism start to face challenges that set them apart from other families from day one of noticing something is not quite right with their child. When a family first finds out that their child is autistic it is very overwhelming emotionally. Not only is it emotionally overwhelming add some stress to the intense one on one therapy sessions at home and on site, trying to keep focused on other issues outside of the home like a career, and many more issues that arise when given the gift of a child with autism. When a family has a child with autism, the family's life changes (Luther, Canham & Cureton, 2005). While all these issues might be overwhelming for the rest of the ...
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... he or she needs to be able to lead somewhat of a normal life.
Being able to face the emotional, physical, and financial impacts of having a child with autism will help a family become more confident and enjoy seeing their child progress throughout life and try to live as close to normal life as possible. Once it is all said and done, getting past the stressors and hurdles a family must face when dealt the hand they were dealt challenges them to become one as a family but also helps strengthen their family from the inside out. Therefore here are those three little questions to sit back and ponder...What is a normal family? What would you do if your child seems as if they are developing at a normal pace and then all of a sudden just stops and regresses back to before he or she could walk or talk? Do you think you have what it takes to raise a child with autism?
This Clinical Research Paper defines autism, the various impacts of the disorder, and the theories that can be applied to this type family dynamic. The basis of this research project stems from the semi- structured interviews that Ashley Hartmann conducted. She studied half on the perspectives of the siblings and that of the parent’s perspective and discovered various themes that arose from this study. In findings a total of 12 themes emerged between the siblings and parents; in the sibling interviews; knowledge of Autism, affect on relationships, feelings of sibling’s autism diagnosis, future care for sibling, meaning, acceptance and advice and extended family. In the parent’s interviews, feelings around autism, knowledge around autism, life changes, affect on relationships, support systems and acceptance, meaning and advice. She also highlights the stress that affects the family system, but also reveals the many resources and services to better assist these individuals and their family.
Stoner, J. B., & Thompson, S. J. (2005). Welcome to our World: Parent perceptions of interactions between parents of young children with ASD and education professionals. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 20(1), 39-51.
Admittedly, when I first chose to explore autism, I figured it would be an easier psychological issue to discuss than bi-polar disorder or schizophrenia. Only after researching autism for an hour or so, I quickly realized this was not the case. Autism may very well be one of the most complex and examined disorders, for it’s a disorder that stirs up tons of questions yet yields very few answers. So what exactly is it? What are the causes and symptoms? Is there a cure? How many people are affected by autism? Is it being properly portrayed in mainstream media? In this paper, I’ll do my very best to touch on these questions and hopefully leave the ones reading with a better understanding of this disorder.
Every year doctors diagnose thousands of adults and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Due to the growing awareness of autism and recent developments in technology, scientists and doctors can now discover and observe the effects of autism on society, and people. Starting with its discovery, researchers have been able to diagnose people more effectively. Doctors are beginning to discover what causes this disorder, and are currently trying to find ways to prevent and treat it. Many places have opened their doors to people with this disorder, creating autistic friendly environments where people are patient and understanding. Schools have also become accommodating to autistic children and adults. Autism also puts great strain on family and home lives.
Gray, D. E. (2002). Ten years on: A longitudinal study of families of children with autism. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 27, 215-222.
“If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism,” Dr. Stephen Shore. I believe this is a powerful quote that truly defines autism and those who have to experience it every day. People who have autism are often stigmatized that they are not like everyone else. This negative image can be blamed on how TV and media represent those with this disorder, according to Douwe. This idea first begs the question, what is normal? In today’s society, people are trying to be like everyone else if this means wearing the same clothes or acting the same as everyone else just to avoid attention. Well, autistic people are not able to hide behind this false curtain. What disadvantages they have is not something they can change, but rather
Autism is a neurological developmental disability that affects a person’s behavior and communication skills (AutismResearchNetwork.org). Commonly, those with Autism are diagnosed very early in childhood. Autism is the fastest- growing developmental disability known, with its prevalence appearing in 1 out of every 68 births (www.autismspeaks.org). The autism spectrum is so large, ranging from mild to severe symptoms, that no two people diagnosed are alike. With autism being the most common disorder among the human race (www.webmd.com), doctors and science, have come together to improve the technology in helping those with autism in many ways. New advancements have been developed to diagnose autism earlier, help create more successful treatments, and to help better an educational plan for people with autism. There are many theories but no known single cause for autism. There are also many treatments but no known cure for autism. In my paper, I am going to review the technology aspect into this disorder. Technology has enhanced different treatments, enabled earlier diagnoses, and furthered education levels in those with autism. The focus of my report will be on these three categories; diagnoses, treatments and education.
Is there anybody in your family with autism? Almost every book or article is about how autism affects the person with the disorder but never the family around them. Being a parent or a child who has autism can be extremely difficult and change your whole life. Some parents view having a child with autism is a bad thing and would take away their autism if they could. Other parents think having their child be different is a good thing and would not take it away. I think that talking about the effects on the family is very important and should be discussed.
Like any child with a developmental or learning disability, people often define the lives of children with autism by their condition rather than who they really are on the inside. Cariello faced this very problem. Even while her son Jack was still a baby, Cariello felt the nagging sensation that her precious son experienced life differently. After performing numerous diagnostic tests, the blue folder that contained all of Jack’s personal information began to fill up fast. In the eyes of the health professionals working with Jack, the folder’s information that detailed his struggles and weaknesses soon began to define his character. Still, through it all, Cariello knew that her son was “beautiful inside, outside, and
Since Autism doesn’t present the same in each person, everyones needs are unique. Where some will excel others may drag behind, it 's important to figure out what areas need to be focused on more so than others early on so you can target them with structured programs and activities. Most people with Autism have underlying medical conditions as well as behavioral conditions so being on the correct medication and monitoring that is very important. Often times it 's recommended for children with Autism to go to therapy sessions for speech, social interaction skills, and general development. It 's extremely important to focus on social skills since that 's one of the main components of Autism is a lack or strain on social skills. Enrolling your children in specialized structured activities to help them work on their social skills is important for their
Children diagnosed with a Developmental Language Disorder at a young age benefit from early intervention. The earlier a child is able to receive treatment, the more effective the treatment will be. This article explains how most children diagnosed with autism earlier than 3 years of age retain that diagnosis when they turn 3. This diagnosis is critical because it can influence how the child receives early intervention. The goal of this study is to determine how accurately a child could be diagnosed with autism and retain that diagnosis 1 year later. The study also seeks to determine characteristics that children with autism demonstrate under the age of 3.
Understanding autism, which is professionally known as Autism Spectrum Disorder, otherwise known as (ADS) can be a difficult task, especially for someone who is not trained in helping persons with disabilities. The first person to discover autism was a child psychiatrist, Dr. Leo Kanner in 1943. He names the spectrum disorder after the Greek word autos, meaning of or for oneself, due to the way the child display social avoidance. Many doctors’ believed in the past that autism was caused by the way the mother not caring for her child properly or ignoring him or her. There was also a time when it was thought to be caused by certain environmental stresses that cause neurological issues within the brain. Autism is one of the most misunderstood
The number of children that display autistic traits keeps rising and the need for services is at an all-time high. Out of 10,000 children born, 60 to 100 children and families will be affected by autistic spectrum disorder (Gulberg, 2010). Autism is characterized by a lack of connection to other people, even parents, and an avoidance of interpersonal situations (Feldman, 2011). Children with autism also show limited, repetitive and stereotypical patterns of behavior, interest, and activities. Not one child with autism is the same as the next; each child has their own severity and indicators of autism. A child with intellectual disabilities and a gifted child can both be given the diagnosis of being on the autism spectrum, because of the wide range of severities. Many of these children will not attend special schools, but instead be included in the general education population by inclusion. Inclusion has been found to have a number of benefits for children with autism. In addition, negative perspectives have also come into play when discussing autism and inclusion. Furthermore, parents have the right to make decisions for their child on an individual basis.
Studies suggest that financial burden for families of children with autism is one of the biggest factors that contributes to familial stress. Differences in the expenditure between children with ASD and other children majorly arise from total outpatient care, physician visits, and medications prescribed (Liptak et al. 2006). The expenses associated with ASD can directly impact the family of a child with ASD through family out-of-pocket expenses, including home and garden special adaptations, replacement and repair of house and content damages, specialist equipment (e.g. pushchairs and toys), diet specialists, training and seminars courses, education materials. Most of the families of children with ASD report time off work due to their child’s illness over the period of 6 months (Barrett et al. 2012). Lower parental education and income have been found to be associated with higher rates of common mental health difficulties and poorer psychological wellbeing in a general population sample (Jones and Nicolás
From 1990 to 1999 autism had a 1,354 percent increase. That is going from about every 2 out of 500 children to every 3 out of 500 children (Fredericks 64). Because of this dramatic increase in the disorder, many new parents are unaware of how to treat their autistic child. Which is very understandable. When the child's’ parents start noticing the symptoms, they usually take their child to the doctor.