IntroASD-U2A

CE340 Unit 2 Assignment Template Name: Term: Discuss two ways that treatments and views on ASD have changed over time: Knowledge of the topic of ASD has developed over time. Previously, ASD was often misunderstood, and methods of diagnosis and treatment were based on discarded theories, resulting in numerous misdiagnoses. Before, it was thought that "refrigerator mother" or insufficient parental care were the causes, but this has since been proven to be incorrect (History & Timeline of Autism, n.d.). The theory concluded that autistic children lacked maternal warmth, which caused them to become unresponsive and emotionally cold. Many parents have been blamed for causing their children’s condition since the theory has been disapproved. People with ASD were, in some cases, given the labels of "mentally retarded" or "schizophrenic," which resulted in a stigmatizing attitude and inadequate treatment. Nevertheless, the medical terminology has evolved, and ASD has been recognized as a neurodevelopmental disorder with a wide spectrum of characteristics and symptoms. Treatment strategies for autism spectrum disorder have made a considerable number of changes over the years. The complex interplay between genetic, environmental, and neurobiological factors causes the treatment changes. In the past, the approaches were mostly based on behavioral alteration or institutionalization. Current interventions emphasize early intervention, personalized therapy, and support services designed according to the needs of each individual with ASD (Chung et al., 2024). This change shows the wider recognition of the complexities of ASD and the emphasis on the core difficulties. Applied Behavior Analysis is one of the most commonly used evidence-based approaches, and its approach is based on the re-conditioning of the targeted behavior (Lordan et al., 2021). Discuss three suspected causes of ASD today: Obtained from (PDF) Environmental risk factors for Autism. (n.d.). ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258035225_Environmental_risk_factors_for_autism It is still unclear what the main cause of ASD is, though scientific studies show that several factors contribute to ASD. Studies found that genetic background is a main contributor to the development of ASD. Different investigations have revealed some gene mutations and chromosome anomalies that are responsible for ASD-related risk. Although genes alone do not cause ASD, they can cause susceptibility and shape how people are affected by their interpersonal environment. Having one child with ASD can cause an increased probability of having one more family member with the syndrome. Environmental Factors such as Prenatal and early-life environmental exposures may likely induce ASD as a potential risk factor. These factors may be any infections in the mother during pregnancy, toxins, chemicals, medications, or birth complications (Dietert et al., 2011). Furthermore, complicated factors like advanced age and diabetes in mothers can also be added to the rate of ASD. This background is fundamental in designing interventions to improve maternal health and reduce ASD risk. Irregular brain development, specifically the areas associated with social communications and sen...