Autism Through History
Autism is a complex neuro developmental disorder. Exact causation of autism is still not completely clear.
The word “autism” has its origin from the Greek word “autos,” which means “self.”
Eugen Bleuler first used the term “Autism” to describe symptoms of schizophrenia in 1911.
Dr.Kanner’s observations
Dr.Kanner used word autism for behavioural patterns and observations in his patients. He suggested that parenting might contribute to the development of autism. He also observed that the aloneness of these children was present very early on, making it unlikely that the disorder was the result of parenting. Dr. Kanner’s studies began with Donald Triplett and included the use of the autism diagnosis for eleven patients he was studying at the time.
Dr.Kanner presented his findings on autism in The Nervous Child. In 1943. He published his landmark paper Autistic Disturbances of Affective Contact. This paper describes 11 highly intelligent children who displayed “a powerful desire for aloneness” and “an obsessive insistence on persistent sameness.” Since Kanner’s demarcation of childhood autism, research on autism continues to be an area of increasing interest.
Hans Asperger
He published an article on autism as a communication disorder in children in 1944. Hans Asperger is the name sake of “Asperger syndrome,” or high-functioning autism.
Refrigerator mother theory
Bruno Bettelheim in the 1950s described the refrigerator mother theory. The Refrigerator mother theory, also known as Bettelheim’s theory of autism, is a discredited psychological theory. This theory states that the cause of autism is a lack of maternal warmth. According to Bettelheim autism was the product of mothers who were cold, distant and rejecting. These children lack the chance to “bond properly ” with their mothers
From the 1950s to the 1970s, people believed autism was a psychological disorder and blamed bad parenting, usually targeting mothers.
Now science has debunked this myth, recognizing autism as a disorder of brain development with genetic links.
The first twin study of autism was conducted in 1977 on 11 identical and ten fraternal twins across Great Britain, where at least one of the twins had autism. Concordance for identical twins was 36%, compared to 0% for the fraternal twins.
A variety of genetic factors are likely to be the ultimate cause of most cases of autism. These factors, or in combination with environmental factors, lead a child’s brain to develop differently and result in autistic behaviours.
In the 1970s – Pharmaceutical treatments for autism became the main treatment method. In 1987, the DSM expanded the definition of autism to include specific diagnostic criteria. Ivar Lovass, a Norwegian-American clinical psychologist and professor at the University of California, develops intensive behavioural therapy for children with autism. The Lovaas Approach, a form of Applied Behavioral Analysis, is used in early intervention programs for children with developmental delays and autism.
In 2013 Autism spectrum disorders were classified in DSM-V. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5) is the product of more than 10 years of effort by hundreds of international experts in all aspects of mental health. The DSM-5 is now the standard reference that healthcare providers use to diagnose mental and behavioural conditions, including autism.
According to WHO, About one in 160 children has an ASD worldwide
According to Autism Spectrum Australia, an estimated 1 in 70 people in Australia is on the autism spectrum.
Homeopathic approach in Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Homeopathy offers a wide range of medicines traditionally used to treat behavioral problems in children. In any homeopathic medicine selection, emotional symptoms and mental symptoms play a major role. Many remedies in the Homeopathic Pharmacopeia list symptoms like anger, crying, violent behavior, aversion to company, language delay, fear, and anxiety as keynote symptoms.
Homeopathy gained popularity in Autism treatment in the early 2000s.
One study in 2014 on 60 children with autism has demonstrated the usefulness of homoeopathic treatment in the management of neuropsychological dysfunction in childhood autism disorder, which is reflected in the significant reduction of hyperactivity, behavioural dysfunction, sensory impairment as well as communication difficulty.
Clinically homeopathy can show improvements of multiple autism symptoms, including behavioural issues, hyperactivity, anxiety, restlessness, sensory impairment, eye contact, sensitivity, speech and communication.