Autistic Child Development

Psychologically punishment should not be meted to special needs in human life but does punishment simply means training or just an act that implies in child's development. Punishment impedes the development of autistic child. Autism is a broad term used to describe a group of neurodevelopmental disorders.

A child with autism may have troubles in social interaction with others or dislike it altogether, they also engage in repetitive behaviour, having difficulties in sleeping and they also find it to thrive without a structured environment or consistent routine.

However, it's common for autistic children to behave in challenging ways. Therefore autistic children and teenagers might also involve in this type of behavior;

I. Refuse or ignore any request given to them.

II. They often behave in socially inappropriate ways, like taking off their clothes in public

III. They behave aggressively and shows nonchalant attitudes.

III. They hurt themselves or other children for example headbanging or biting.

Autism occurs more often in a male child than female. According to research the CDC estimated in 2014 that nearly 1 and 59 children have been identified with ASD. Perhaps, there are indications and symptoms that instances the rise of ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). Autism symptoms typically becomes clearly evident during early childhood, between 12 and 24 months of age, the symptoms may appear earlier or later. Early symptoms may include;

A. Problem with communication and social interaction include:

1. Issues with communication,difficulties in sharing emotions.

2. Issues with nonverbal communication, such as trouble maintaining eye contact or reading body language.

3. Difficulties in maintaining and developing relationships.

B. Restricted or repetitive patterns of behavior or activities;

1. Repetitive movements, motions, or speech patterns.

2. Rigid adaptation to specific routines or behaviors

3. Increase or decrease in sensitive information from their surroundings such as negative reactions to a specific sound.

We have different types of autism?

The DSM ( Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders( is published by the American Psychiatric Association ( APA), it is used to diagnose a variety of psychiatric disorders.

The fifth and most recent of them all was released in 2013. The DSM-5 currently recognizes five different ASD subtypes, or specifiers. They are;

1. ( With or Without ) accompanying intellectual impairment.

2. Associated with a known medical or genetic condition or environmental factor.

3. ( With or Without ) accompanying language impairment.

4. Associated with another neuro-developmental, mental, or behavioral disorder

However, someone can also be diagnosed with one or more specifiers. Prior to the DSM-5, people on the autism spectrum may have been diagnosed with one of the following disorders ;

1. Asperger's syndrome

2. Autistic disorder

3. Pervasive development not otherwise specified ( PDD-NOS)

4. Childhood dis-integrative disorders

It’s important to note that a person who received one of these earlier diagnoses hasn’t lost their diagnosis and won’t need to be reevaluated.

According to the DSM-5, the broader diagnosis of ASD encompasses disorders such as Asperger’s syndrome.

Causes of Autism ?

The exact causes of ASD is unknown. The most current research demonstrates that there's no single cause. Perhaps, we discover some of the suspected risk factors for autism which includes;

1. Having an immediate family member with autism

2. Fragile X syndrome and other genetic disorders

3. Genetic mutations

4. Low birth weight

5. Metabolic imbalances

6. Exposure to heavy metals and environment toxins

7. A history of vital infections

8. Exposure to medications valproic acid

According to the National Institute of Neurological disorders and stroke ( NNDS ), both genetics and environment may determine whether a person develops autism. Perhaps, multiple sources also concluded that the disorder isn't caused by vaccines.

However, punishment on an autistic child leads to complete withdrawal in the child, thereby diminishing his spirit to learn. An autistic children needs some bonds of love, empathy, eye contact as well as hugging to function well.

According to multiple sources, there are many common treatment/ strategies used for an autistic child;

Rewarding : An autistic child should be rewarded whenever they do something different not in terms of bad behavior but at least when they show some characters of adaptation to the information you passed to them.

1. Using visual support to communicate rules.

2. Starting with some achievable goals to encourage them to success.

3. Using visual supports to communicate rules.

4. Encouraging them to cheer up whenever they fell down.