autism

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological or developmental disability that affects communication, behavior, and cognitive skills. Possible causes include brain development, genetics, and environmental factors. The DSM-5 criteria are used to diagnose ASD based on deficits in social communication and interaction, and repetitive behavior. Play therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy are effective treatments for ASD. Family systems therapy can improve social skills in preschool-aged children with ASD. It is important to focus on the strengths of individuals with ASD rather than just their weaknesses. Each child with ASD is unique and may require a combination of therapies. Autism Spectrum Disorder. What is Autism Spectrum Disorder? Autism is a neurological or developmental disability that is generally diagnosed by the age of 3. It could affect a child's ability to communicate, language development, social interaction, behavior, and cognitive skills. The criteria also better reflects how ASD is observed in individuals across age, intellectual functioning, and language ability, as Perez and Troy M. F. 2018 says. Possible causes of autism, brain development, genetics, children born to older parents, fetal exposure to certain medications, vital infections, and exposure to environmental toxins. The current DSM-5 Diagnosis Criteria. According to the DSM-2013, Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD, is diagnosed based on persistent deficits in social communication and interaction, and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior. One, the diagnosis requires at least three symptoms from Category A and at least two symptoms from Category B. Additionally, the symptoms must be present since childhood. Two, the DSM-5 criteria of autism are used to assess the severity and support needs of individuals with ASD. Psychodynamic therapy. Play therapy is in the family of psychodynamic therapy. The study analyzing 90 children suggests that intensive individual interactive play therapy with parents and volunteers for two years may allow a significant reduction in ASD severity with improvements in interaction, communications, and repetitive behaviors. These results are in a line with those obtained in previous studies and should be confirmed in further studies. Assessment of parental and patient quality of life should be performed in future studies that should include a control group. Briefer E. St. George's Comment Y. Cohen D. and St. George's 2022. Play therapy is a type of therapy that uses play as a means of communication between the child and the therapist. The therapist uses toys, games, and other activities to engage the child in play. Play therapy can allow parents or guardians to actively participate in their autistic child's growth and development. These are different types of play therapy techniques that can be used for autistic children. For example, the four-time approach is a play-based technique that builds on an autistic child's own interests to develop relationships, communication, and social skills. The play project is another therapeutic approach that uses play as a tool for building skills in autistic children. Rudy, 2023. Another one is cognitive behavioral therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy appears to be a frontline treatment for verbal children with ASD and maladaptive and interfering anxiety. Cognitive response was achieved after manual-based CBT provided by therapists with modest training and weekly supervision. Therapists involved in clinical research with expert supervision may be well-prepared to implement CBD for children with ASD. Extending these findings to community clinicians without specific ASD expertise is a necessary next step, as Woods et al., 2020. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Another one is family systems therapy. Although parent-assisted social skills intervenes may reduce social challenges in preschool-age children with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, limited research has explored whether intervention gains are maintained several years after treatment. The study examined the durability of PEERS for Preschools, a parent-meditated social skills training program for preschool-aged children with ASD and other social challenges. Twenty-nine parents reported on child and family outcomes one to five years following treatment. Results demonstrated maintenance of treatment gains on measures of ASD-related social impairments, including social communication, social responsiveness, social motivation, and peer engagement. Post-treatment improvements in problem behaviors and parenting stress were not maintained at long-term follow-up. Implications of these results are discussed in Tripathi et al., 2022. With family systems, therapy can create positive family relationships that can help create cohesive and supportive environments. From a biblical perspective, therefore, one of primary concerns with the label of autism as a disorder is how stigmatizing and devoting that label can be for a group of people who are made in the image of God, just as all humans are. We are a much better society because of the autistic persons who live among us, and I am grateful to each of them. Focusing permanently on the weakness, as these diagnostic lists and descriptions sometimes do, seems unfair when the strengths are ignored, as shown in Shaw, 2019. For we do not have high priests who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are without sin. Therefore, let us draw nearer confidence to the throne of grace so that we may receive mercy and find grace in help of time of need, Hebrews 4, 5, 15. To put it the way I've always been taught is all children are a child of God, and created in him his image. Perspective. I do not believe that one type of therapy will work with children or individuals with ASD. I believe that each therapy will work for a child. I also believe that all children are individuals and not one type of therapies will work, since each child is unique and will require a unique mixture of therapies or therapy. And references are listed below. Thank you.