Autism

Introduction

Autism is a mental disorder that starts at a young age. This disorder causes difficulties in the interaction of a person with other people. Another symptom of autism is repetitive behavior. Although a small percentage of people in the world are affected by this disorder, a lot of research has been carried out on it. However, no cure has been found. This essay presents one of the many competing issues concerning autism. Apart from the actual analysis, the essay also seeks to find a simpler way for the affected people to deal with the disorder. In addition, the paper aims to define whether autism should be viewed as a difference or a disorder that requires a remedy.

Position 1

The first view is that autism is a disorder. Kim et al. (2011) discuss autism and argue that it is a disorder that needs special attention. Most people with autism are not able to live on their own, even in adulthood. According to Kim et al. (2011), this is a clear proof that it is a disorder. They also discuss the symptoms that are associated with autism. For example, they mention the tendency to have repetitive behavior as well as restricted one. They mention that the failure to acknowledge it as a disorder causes the victims to live in denial. It also deters parents who notice the problem at a young age from trying to remedy their children’s position at an early age.

Ruiz Calzada, Pistrang, and Mandy (2012) explain that this disorder affects the brain in a way that scientists have never understood. The brain is one of the most delicate organs in the body of a human being. Every decade, numerous developments are made in the medical sector to help in solving brain problems. According to these authors, it is possible to find a cure for autism in the future. It does not matter whether it will be a single prescription or a procedure. The scientific sector owes to the victims to carry out some research towards this end. It is pointed out that the failure to acknowledge autism as a disorder would hinder such research. It would cease to be an issue of priority if it had been accepted as a difference.

Kim et al. (2011) explain that speech interventions can be used to make the victims of autism feel better. In addition, they have mentioned that cognitive interventions can also be used to improve their conditions. This has been applied to several children at an early age and proven to be effective. According to the authors, this is just a start towards finding long-lasting solutions to the disorder (Kim et al., 2011). It explains that the recognition of autism as a disorder led to these discoveries. In the same way, Kim et al. (2011) suggest that other discoveries cannot be made without acknowledging autism to be a disorder.

Position 2

The other position is that autism should be viewed as a difference rather than a disorder. Milshtein, Yirmiya, Oppenheim, Koren-Karie and Levi (2010) have explained that a lot of research has been conducted in the medical sector. As a result, the cures to numerous diseases have been discovered. However, there are a few diseases and disorders cures to which have not been discovered yet. Autism is one of them. According to the authors, accepting autism as a disorder traumatizes the victims (Milshtein et al., 2010). It makes them doubt their capabilities. For a mental problem, this worsens their condition. Since no cure has been discovered, the journal suggests that autistic people should be accepted as different people.

Leckman and March (2011) explain that people should find a way to integrate the victims of autism into the society. They have explained that autistic people should feel like equals. However, the authors have also acknowledged that such people are disadvantaged in many areas of the economy. For this reason, they have suggested that governments should help the victims. After being accepted as different people, these victims should have some privileges that can compensate for their weaknesses. According to the authors, they should be treated as a marginalized community (Leckman & March, 2011). Therefore, some funds should be set aside to aid autistic people integrate into the society.

It is explained that autism represents a lack of social skills due to poor social interaction with other people. In the explanations offered, social interaction involves relating with other people on a positive note. Therefore, it is suggested that autism victims should be accepted as different people. This way, it is easier for them to improve their social skills. By contrast, if they are treated as sick people, it becomes difficult for them to interact with the society.

My Position

Autism should be viewed as a disorder. There are many reasons for the choice of this perspective to view the disorder. First, it is important for establishing equality among all people. However, equality does not only represent the reception of equal measure. Instead, it entrails equal opportunities for all people regardless of their different situations. Individuals with autism should also be offered equal opportunities as other people. For example, in a work situation, a neurotypical person is more likely to receive promotion than one with autism. This is due to the disadvantages that come with autism.

One of the symptoms of this disorder is repetitive behavior. There are some requirements for certain jobs that cannot be carried out by such an individual. In such a situation, the providence of a similar interview is not fair. People with autism should be considered and treated differently. For example, they should be given jobs that suit their condition. This special treatment cannot be offered if their condition is not regarded as a disorder. The employers have to see it as a disability that hinders their competence in performing their duties. In this respect, autism should be considered as a disorder so that its victims can receive the necessary care.

As time goes by, more and more scientific problems arise. They result from intensive research into science, which is though insufficient. For this reason, scientists find the need to have priorities. Much research is done is the fields that are considered more demanding. Considering autism as a difference in the individuals can have a negative effect on the research on the condition. This is because it might eliminate the disorder from the list of priorities for the scientists. It has been earlier stated that there is a hope for the victims of this disorder. Developments take place every day concerning the remedy to this disorder, and there is a need to prioritize it. Although this decision may cause alienation in the suffering individuals, it might give them hope that a solution is on the way. Failure to get a cure only proves that scientists should conduct more research. It does not mean that the situation is hopeless.

The symptoms of this disorder can be recognized at a very tender age. Thus, the child starts behaving in way that seems abnormal; he or she has less concern for the close people, and does not recognize simple gestures, such as a smile, from other people. At a later age, these children may also develop a behavior to perform repetitive actions, such as stacking up boxes. When discovered at an early age, cognitive and mental interventions can be made to the children. This is how their way of thinking is influenced by professionals. Although their nature does not allow them to think like other children, their habits can be channeled to become similar to those of neurotypical individuals. The fact that allows and causes parents to administer these procedures on their children is the acknowledgement of autism as a disorder. It is the only way to help their children prevent the problem from affecting them for the rest of their lives.

Some of the problems with autism can be ignored. However, there are some that are on the extreme. These are the problems to which the society cannot turn a blind eye. To take care of these victims, people have to acknowledge that it is a disorder that requires their intervention. Assuming that these individuals are like the rest of the society may be viewed by some people as selfish and inconsiderate. One of such symptoms is stereotypical behavior. Thus, the child might develop a habit to suck his or her fingers. This might continue and cause the victim to extend these symptoms to adulthood. Another symptom is self-injury. Thus, these individuals can develop a habit such as head banging, which can cause a serious injury. These are some of the symptoms that cannot allow autism to be viewed as a difference. Instead, people with the disorder should be identified as early as possible, and all the medical developments should be made on the issue applied.

Experimental Research Idea

The experimental research idea in this essay is based on the fact that a theoretical analysis is not enough in such a practical issue. It is true that the number of individuals suffering from autism is not as large compared with most other disorders. However, there are individuals suffering from it in the society. Kim et al. (2011) explain that about three out of a thousand of people in the world suffer from autism. Therefore, it is not hard to identify such people in the society. For this reason, there is a need to conduct actual experiments to identify the different issues that surround the victims of the disorder.

In this experiment, the activities are carried out to establish the problems that individuals with autism encounter. This is achieved by a number of ways. First, the lives of children with autism are monitored. Second, a short period is observed for any changes that occur as they grow. Third, other children with the same condition are subjected to cognitive interventions, and the changes are monitored. Then, the differences between the two are observed and recorded. The tests should be performed both on children with autism and those without. A comparison between the two would be instrumental in identifying the challenges autistic children face in their lives. Adults with autism would also be monitored and compared to the average neurotypical ones. For example, the level of success in different fields can be used as an indicator of their respective performances. The basic idea of this experiment is to establish the facts that will allow considering autism as a disorder.

Purpose of the Study

This study would result in identifying the differences between the victims of autism and neurotypical individuals, which are present both in children and in adults. More specifically, the experiment shall involve the monitoring of the shift in modalities between the two groups. This shall involve the observation of these groups with regard to response to visual and auditory factors. These two examples of stimuli shall be used in the experiment. When the differences are compared, it is easier to establish the problems that do not cross into adulthood. However, the original reason for monitoring these differences is to define whether the effects of autism are significant enough to call it a disorder. The importance of the monitoring is in ensuring that the necessary attention is given to the disorder. On the other hand, efforts are not applied to a disorder that causes insignificant problems to the individuals. The other fact is that the study will help in understanding the problems that these affected individuals undergo. It will aid in finding ways to handle them in the society (Steiner, 2011).

They would also show the changes that occur in these victims as they grow. This is important in showing those symptoms that become recessive with time. It also points to those that cross to adulthood. The monitoring of these changes can also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of some of the procedures that are carried out on these victims at an early age. The results can tell a lot about this disorder. Medical research also requires the acknowledgement that this is a serious brain disorder. Therefore, it is important to carry out experiments that prove the seriousness of the issue and should be put into medical research. This experiment would be used to clear the doubt in the minds of people who think that autism should be considered as a disorder. It will show them that belief can only cause the victims to live in denial (Steiner, 2011).

Procedure

The first step of the experiment would be coming up with the group that is going to be used in the actual fieldwork. This will depend on the amount of samples that can be collected with the available resources. However, it is proposed that the project should have as many samples as possible. This is to allow for a variety of characteristics to draw comparisons. It would also depend on the fact whether the experiment will be carried out in a worldwide or local platform. This essay will use an example where a few samples are collected. This is to ease the description process. This does not mean that the proposal for the experiment cannot be applied on a larger group of population. Instead, it can be used by any interested parties as long as they adjust it to their scale (Frazier et al., 2012).

This essay predicts an experiment where around ten people shall be used to provide the labor needed. After the team has been selected, they will conduct a research to identify children that suffer from autism. Judging from the number of affected victims around the world, there could be about three of them. The people involved shall deal with the children in the most professional manner. This is to ensure that they are not mishandled or cannot injure themselves. There will also be a need to convince their parents that the best care will be offered to them. After the three children have been identified, three neurotypical ones shall be requested to join them. These two groups of children shall be put in a dark room. In this room, music will be playing on the background. Then, light will be turned on in the room. The light should not be very bright in order not to affect their vision. Immediately this is done, the researchers shall observe their reaction time. This shall involve a bit of surprise as well as looking at the source of light. They shall be able to compare the two groups of children with regard to shifting from sound to light.

After this, the music in the room shall be turned off. The two groups of children shall be allowed to interact and the researchers shall wait until they are silent. At this opportune moment, they shall turn the music back on. The processing of this transition shall require the ability to shift from light to sound. This is what the researchers shall be looking for. The average reaction time of each group shall be observed and the differences documented. These two processes shall only prove the differences with regard to the disorder in children. The next step shall involve adult representatives of the two groups. Their respective reaction times shall also be observed as well as the subsequent differences. At the end of this experiment, the maturational development of individuals with this disorder shall be under scrutiny. It shall be judged by their ability to process information. There are other stimuli, including touch and smell, which could be used for such an experiment. However, light and sound are some of the easiest ones for which reaction time can be assessed. Therefore, this experiment can be deemed sufficient in finding out whether autism is, in fact, a disorder worth the name and attention.

Conclusion

At the first glance, the experiment above may seem simple. However, it has the ability to yield important results that can be used as a future reference in case the opposing issues arise on the topic. The idea can also be undertaken by a group who would like to invest more resources in the research. They can obtain vital information that can help the world to understand this disorder as well as the ways to handle the victims carefully.

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