Running head: AUTISM: CHILD AND ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT 1

Autism: Child and Adolescent Developmental Concentration

Abstract
AUTISM: CHILD AND ADOLECENT DEVELOPMENTAL CONCENTRATION 2

This paper presents extensive research about autism and how it affects

concentration in child and adolescent development stages. The main aim of the research is

to understand and identify how lives of children and adolescents living with autism are to be

made better and more accommodated in society. The paper is an insight accompanied by

numerous responses by students, expertise, and parents on their knowledge about causes,

symptoms, treatment, traits, effects and whether they have ever come across victims of

Autism. Various methods of collecting data during the research were used including handing

out questionnaires to students, doing interviews and through observation of children and

adolescents ailing from autism disorder. Data collected was carefully analyzed through and

narrowed down to percentages. The paper also contains the results obtained after the

research. Armed with information, the research is accompanied by a discussion about the

situation of autism in child and adolescent concentration. Furthermore, there are references

and sources of information for extensive research about Autism.

Introduction

Autism is a disorder that occurs during child development and affects the brain.

Complications in social in interaction, resistance to growth in that the child has repetitive

habits and poor and slow communication are some of the most evident symptoms of autism

in children and adolescent. According to Strand et al (2017), there is no medical diagnosis

of autism, instead, observation of behavioral change and development or rather lack of it is

used to diagnose autism. However, some children exhibit a normal growth rate for the first

2-7 years before the onset of autism. It is worth noting that autism is a long term disease

and may time to do away with it. Autism is highly prevalent as in 2015, approximately 24.7

million in the world were living with autism (Sachser et al, 2017). It is worth noting that

males are at a higher risk of autism than females since it is five times more likely to affect

males than females. There has been an alarmingly increasing rate in the number of people

affected by autism since the 1950s. In developed countries such as the United States,
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autism is more prevalent amongst children and adolescents (Stoner et al, 2014). About 2%

have been victims in 2018, an increase from 0.5% in the early 2000s.

Literature Review

According to Mayes et al., (2019) autism is caused by several factors. Basically, it is

instigated by a permutation of both environmental and genetic factors. However, risk

factors especially in the pregnancy trigger autism the most. Sachser et al (2017) postulate

that risk factors during pregnancy include ingestion of toxic substances such as alcohol,

acids such as valproic acid, cocaine, heroin, cigarette smoking, bhang, air pollution, rubella,

and autoimmune infections. Therefore, these scholars seek to identify the best solution for

eliminating autism through avoidance of causative factors. Subjecting people without autism

in some predisposing factors to identify their reaction is a good method of identifying the

best treatment approaches. However, there is uncertainty on other environmental causes of

autism such as the hypothesis of vaccines. According to these scholars, these causes of

autism are known to affect the brain: they change the organization of synapses and nerve

cells thus altering the processing of information. There are different forms of autism based

on the cause and the extent of the infection. Passive disorder in autism and Asperger

syndrome are less simple forms of the ailment. An autism spectrum is a severe form of

autism. Therefore, autism is triggered by various environmental and genetic factors such as

ingestion of toxic substances like alcohol, acids; valproic acid, cocaine, heroin, cigarette

smoking bhang, air pollution, rubella and autoimmune infections in pregnancy period (Keim,

Bodnar & Klebanoff, 2014).

According to Wu et al (2015), there are various traits of autism in child and

adolescent concentration. Traits of autism are observable and may not need medical

scrutiny. Taking on strange speech forms such as the tone of a robot, alien or amplified

forms of a normal child or adolescent individual is an early sign of autism. Children and
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adolescents suffering from autism may avoid eye contact and not respond to their names

whenever they are called (Stoner et al, 2014). These scholars sought to investigate whether

all the symptoms displayed by children with autism apply in all situations. However, they

realized that the signs were evident only in the extreme conditions of the disease. Autism

infected children may turn out to be a nerd and indifferent. Both children and adolescents

with autism may not understand themselves, their feelings or how to express their desires.

Stoner et al (2014) argued that children with autism lack central coherence and are unable

to derive meaning from large information. There is recorded slow speech development and

inability to start and maintain a meaningful conversation amongst children and adolescents

suffering from autism. Moreover, they are retarded to mental growth in that they form

repetitive patterns of their activities such as arranging objects in neat ways. Additionally,

they are preoccupied with activities that consume much of their time, energy and

concentration for a long time (Wu et al., 2015). However, autism children and adolescents

may exhibit lower, normal or higher capabilities compared to normal children and

adolescents. Impaired communication is the main trait of autism amongst children and

adolescents. Thus, there are numerous traits of autism including change in speech tone,

avoidance of eye contact, not responding to their names whenever called, indifference,

dawdling speech development, inability to start and maintain a meaningful conversation,

forming of repetitive patterns and impaired communication.

There are numerous ways to manage autism. The main aim of managing autism is to

reduce dependence and distress among family members of children and adolescents

suffering from autism. Due to the diversity of autism, no form of treatment or management

can be singled out as the best; however, treatment is tailored to the needs of the child. The

children’s and adolescent’s intelligence quotient (IQ) level determines their responsiveness

to treatment. Social settings such as family, school and religious places are the most

recommendable places of autism management amongst children and adolescents. Autism is

AUTISM: CHILD AND ADOLECENT DEVELOPMENTAL CONCENTRATION 5

best manages through therapy. Since it is a brain disorder, there should be extensive

knowledge about psychology. Therefore, the services of professionals such as teachers,

behavior analysts, speech pathologists, and qualified psychologists are highly

recommended. With professionalism, sustained and effective special education platforms

and programs have developed to help equip children and adolescents with autism with skills

such as the ability to compose a sensible speech, ability to express themselves, self-care

and conforming to the societal social standards. Therefore, autism can be managed through

various methods such as tailored treatment for children and adolescents, therapy,

professional assistance and development of programs to equip autism children and

adolescents with skills such as self-care, ability to compose a sensible speech and ability to

express them.

The society has responded to autism in a positive way in an attempt to

accommodate people with autism. Being an emerging issue, society is trying to be tolerant

of the condition. A remarkable attempt is a movement for autism rights. In the movement,

they inform people of the causes, symptoms, treatment, and management if the infection

(Strand et al., 2013). However, awareness is meant to educate people and enlighten them

that autism is a variance and not a malady. Thus, the movement is geared towards

acceptance of children and adolescents with autism not cure. Worldwide, autism awareness

has been commemorated by a number of events such as Autism Sunday and Autreat.

Furthermore, there has been an increment on the number of organizations creating autism

awareness such as Autism Speaks and the Autism Society of America. The media

perception of autism has played a key role in autism control. A film such as Rain Man

portrays an autism character as a man with incredible ability and a revered talent. Indeed,

the society has responded in a positive way to autism through organizations, days of

commemoration and the media.

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Prognosis of autism is uncertain since there is no well-known cure. Furthermore, the

recovery from autism is not certain and predictable. Occasionally, children and adolescents

recover after continuous and dire treatment and attention, others don’t. In other cases,

autism children and adolescents recover naturally without necessarily being given special

attention. With age, more present symptoms such as the inability to make a comprehensive

speech become less severe (Keim, Bodnar & Klebanoff, 2014). These scholars further found

out that children with autism show numerous symptoms of the condition such as mind-

blindness and find it hard to concentrate on a particular subject. It is worth noting that

recovery from autism is a mystery, however, the greatest way to recover is not by

medication but by the provision of meaningful relationships, social support, and self-

determination. In the opinion of these scholars, it is crucial to give attention to autism

among adolescents and children since it has dire effects if it persists to adulthood. In the

United States, the employment rate among adults with autism is 55%. However, it is known

that many adults suffering from autism end up unemployed.

Alteration of the genetic makeup of the parent during pregnancy or the child or an

adolescent may result in autism. Scientist argues that change in the genetic makeup is

intentional or triggered by events such as radiation from X-ray and radioactive substances

(Taylor, Jick & MacLaughlin, 2013). The genetic makeup change may result in alteration of

the brain function of children or adolescents resulting in the autism disorder. However, in

events where radioactive activities are necessary such as X-ray services in hospitals, the

intensity of the rays used should be regulated to prevent it from triggering the autism

disorder. The mutations that take place during pregnancy might as well result in autism

disorder. Mutations during pregnancy are unavoidable and there can be only hoped that

they do not result in mutations. Exposure of children and adolescents to radiations such as

the ultra-violet rays from the sun at a tender age make them vulnerable to mutations which

may result in autism (Baio, 2014). Unfortunately, continuous global environmental pollution
AUTISM: CHILD AND ADOLECENT DEVELOPMENTAL CONCENTRATION 7

leaves humans to exposure to the rays. In an effort to control autism, we should strive to

avoid any radiations that may result in alteration of the genetic makeup.

Autism is accompanied by several other diseases when it occurs among children and

adolescents. These diseases may include genetic disorders such as the single-gene disorder,

weaker intellectual ability, epilepsy, insomnia and anxiety disorders. However, the other

ailments might be as a result of the environmental or genetic alteration as well as autism.

Methods and Results

The aim of the research is to obtain information about autism from various points of

view: the public about their knowledge about autism among children and adolescents,

parents of children and adolescents living with autism and stakeholders who champion for

children and adolescents with the autism condition. For accuracy, speed, and effectiveness,

the research was conducted using qualitative methods. The data collection was primary. The

paradigm of positivist was used to avoid the influence of outcome by the researchers’

expertise or point of view. The positivist approach is advantageous in that data collected is

examined as an object and remains so even with the provision of results. Therefore, three

methods of primary data collection were used; observation, interviews, and questionnaires.

During the research week, fifteen respondents were given questionnaires with both

closed and open-ended questions about autism and its child and adolescent concentration.

Each of the respondents was to answer at least five questions giving an explanation about

their knowledge of matters autism: whether they had encountered children and adolescents

with autism, if yes, what was their reaction and attitude towards victims, the causes and

symptoms of autism, management of autism, how they perceive autism and whether they

were aware of autism movements and celebration days in the world. At the end of the

questionnaire, respondents were to give their personal suggestions on how to contain

autism.
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In order to get more comprehensive results, questionnaires were given every week

for the next 4 weeks. The sixty students who responded included thirty male and thirty

female. Each respondent filled the questionnaires from their own experience and returned

them at the end of the week for collection. For effectiveness, respondents were chosen

randomly. In response, 76% of the respondents had heard about autism. However, only

32% had encountered people with autism. In the responses, many respondents admitted to

having looked down upon children and adolescents with autism when they met them for the

first time. 52% of the respondents had read about autism in their curriculum, newspapers,

blogs, and journals (Wong et al., 2015). Unfortunately, very few respondents understood

the causes, symptoms, and management of autism. Only 16% had heard about celebrations

and movements concerning people with autism. In their suggestion, respondents thought

that it would be wise to undertake awareness exercises around the states and worldwide

about autism.

As an evaluation of the questionnaire method, some advantages and disadvantages

were identified. To our advantage, questionnaires gave us time to carefully organize the

data collection process precisely. With questionnaires, there was room for reference.

Moreover, respondents could pick the questionnaires at the time of their convenience, think

about the answers and submit them at the end of the week. The questionnaires were

limitless: with the right medium, we could seek a response from students from other

departments. The questionnaires allowed respondents to make their suggestion with

detailed information (Mayes et al., 2019). However, several disadvantages emerged. On the

first weeks, the response was quite low and the fact that they could not capture human

reaction. In deduction, questionnaires have a number of advantages such as giving the

researcher time to organize data collection precisely, there is room for reference and they

are meant to the convenience of the respondents. However, they have disadvantages like

response may be quite low and they do not capture human reaction.
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Interviews were conducted as part of the research. As questionnaires, they were

conducted for four weeks amongst the students as respondents. With the respondents’

consent, the interviews were recorded. Questions during the interviews were asked and the

respondents were given time to answer. The researcher was taking notes of both questions

he asked and the responses given. It was strategic that people who answered the

questionnaires were not included in the interview since questions were almost similar. There

was a personal appeal. The questions were based on their knowledge about autism:

whether they had heard about autism before, their perspective of people suffering from

autism, their knowledge about causes, symptoms, and management of autism. However,

most respondents were in groups of two, three or four individuals. The respondents were to

also give their suggestion on how we could make the world a better place for people with

autism.

In the analysis, we had interviewed twenty groups of students and a total of 62

students. In the responses from the interviews, 76% of the respondents had heard about

autism among children and adolescents. Only 28% had encountered children and

adolescents suffering from autism, 68% admitted to having disliked autism unknowingly

(Keim, Bodnar & Klebanoff, 2014). To our surprise, 56% of the respondents had never

heard about autism and our encounter was the first to them. Of the respondents who had

heard about autism among children and adolescents, 82% knew the causes, symptoms and

how to manage autism. However, most of the respondents had no knowledge of any

celebrations about autism in the world. In harmony, 94% of the respondents admitted that

there is a need for extensive and far-reaching creation of awareness for autism, especially

among the children and adolescence.

During the interview exercise, several challenges and incredible advantages emerged

about this particular method of data collection. The advantages were, to many respondents,

the questions were clear and encouraged open-minded answers, the interviews enabled the
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10

respondents to get clarification of questions they could not understand and effecting

efficient answers, the respondents could openly explain their point of view to the

interviewers, the respondents could give unlimited information, giving a deep insight into

their opinion about autism among children and adolescents, the presence of the viewer

physically allowed more comfort while giving the responses by the respondent and in case

there were no means to interview the respondents, phone and video calls were used.

However, some challenges such as the process were time-consuming, tedious, proving to be

costly and some people were not ready to respond to the interview questions.

The observation methodology was used to carry out research about autism among

children and adolescents in the United States. Observation, involved observing different

individuals with the autism condition: their concentration spans, their interaction with other

children and adolescents and how often they expressed themselves. The behaviors were

recorded in a notebook to be analyzed later. The observation was the most realistic method

of collecting data. Children and adolescents with the autism condition were observed

exhibited low socialization status, had very few interests in relationships and were slow

learners (Christensen et al., 2018). However, they had long and uninterruptible

concentration spans for things they were happy and interested in such as patterns and cars.

From observation, children and adolescents with autism conditions had a repetitive way of

doing what they enjoyed. They were not eager to learn any new content, and if so, it was

gradual and voluntary. Often, children and adolescents with the autism condition confined

their feelings to themselves and had low or no interest in sharing them

As part of the questionnaire and interview collection exercise, autism stakeholders

and parents to children and adolescents living with autism participated. These include

psychologists, teachers, medical expertise and directors of major autism movements in the

United States. Both parties in their respondents expressed the need for more awareness
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11

about autism to the world. The professionals and parents noted that people were still in

neglect of children and adolescents living with autism. It is worth noting that most parents

were not aware of their children’s’ and adolescents’ condition until they sought medical

assistance. Parents disclosed that the first symptoms of poor speech development were

perceived as other diseases that occur during child development. It was an indicator of low

awareness among people about autism. Furthermore, the issue raised concern that there

might be other children globally who have the autism condition but have never got

meaningful assistance as it is perceived as a strange malady. Parents to children and

adolescents living with autism admitted to having numerous challenges in bringing up their

children who had the autism condition including failure to get places that their children could

school with their condition and the backlash from the society due to their autism condition.

However, there was noted an improvement in their attempts to create an autism

accommodative world and appreciated the corporation by the masses. Furthermore,

stakeholders emphasized that the solution of autism was largely depended on how the

people socially accommodated autism children and adolescents.

In the results obtained, it was evident that awareness about autism among children

and adolescents was wanting despite the rising number of people who were living with

autism in the world. Consequently, there was neglect of children and adolescents living with

autism due to the lack of knowledge that it was a condition that could be solved by the

establishment of good social relations (Baio, 2014). In an effort to make lives of children

and adolescents with the autism disorder better, it was necessary to create worldwide

awareness about the causes, symptoms, management, and effects of autism to the rest of

the population. It was crucial to educate the masses that autism was not a malady but a

condition that could be gradually erased through healthy social interaction between the

victims and society. This effort would urge the masses to take the courage to accommodate
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12

autism children and adolescents as part of the variant society. Furthermore, it was also

affirmed that autism is a brain disorder due to a number of environmental and genetic

factors. Consequently, due to genetic factors, it was almost impossible to control the cause

of autism. However, vaccines were being engineered to curb the condition but there was no

success so far. Tailored medical attention is to be given to children and adolescents with the

autism condition.

Discussion

The environmental conditions shaped and determined the lives of children with

autism. There was a need to create an accommodating environment for children with

autism. In different countries such as the United States and India, it was noted that children

and adolescents with autism were developing differently to the exposure to different

environmental conditions (Baio et al., 2018). Furthermore, it was evident that children and

adolescents who had been discriminated, rejected and subjected to unfavorable

environmental conditions due to their autism condition were responding slowly to the

condition compared to those that were accommodated and placed in an enabling

environment. Moreover, children and adolescents in the United States who had enrolled in

learning programs tailored for autism were adjusting and gradually recovering from the

condition.

Scientists and psychologists argue that parents are part of the blame for the rising

number of children and adolescents with autism. Parents put their fetus at risk of autism

due to their poor and unhealthy eating habits. According to scientific research and

observation, pregnant mothers are supposed to observe some crucial meals and practices

before and after giving birth in order to reduce the risk of autism condition. Unheard of,

some parents were taking alcohol, cocaine, heroin, acids and other toxic substances during

pregnancy, putting their fetus at the risk of autism. The environmental conditions in which
AUTISM: CHILD AND ADOLECENT DEVELOPMENTAL CONCENTRATION
13

children and adolescents are raised are a contributing factor to autism. During development,

children may consume food substances and water that contains chemicals putting them at

risk of autism. Scientist advice parents to have developed enough physically before they get

pregnancy since early pregnancies may result in children with the autism condition.

Therefore, to reduce the increasing rate of autism through parents, parents should bear

children when they are mature enough, they should observe certain meals and practices

recommended to them by medical practitioners during and after pregnancy, they should

avoid ingestion of toxic substances during pregnancy and lactating period and they should

monitor the development of their children to prevent them from being exposed to agents of

the autism conditions.

In order to better the lives of children and adolescents living with autism, it is wise

we accommodate and improve their lives during the developmental stage. This can be done

by providing a well-structured system of education with programs tailored to people with

autism (Andersen et al., 2018). The government should put up classrooms with

architectural designs that enable children and adolescents with autism condition to be at

comfort. Research has previously shown that learning conditions provided for children with

autism are an added advantage to children with normal capabilities. Also, the research

emphasizes the crucial role played by the environmental conditions within schools to the

recovery of children and adolescents with the autism condition. The education role is

dynamic as it attracts variant forms of improvements that can be made for children and

adolescents with autism condition. The change of class architectural designs, graphics and

furniture to suit children and adolescents with the autism condition would shape the school

life and fasten the process of recovery of children and adolescents from autism. Therefore,

improving the learning and environmental conditions for children and adolescents with

autism would make their lives better.

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14

There is a need for the creation of autism awareness globally. From the research, it

is evident that awareness about autism in the public domain is haphazard. Furthermore, a

good number of those who have heard and understand the condition are biased and look

down upon children and adolescents who have the conditions (Allen & Jones, 2018).

Information about the causes, symptoms, and management of autism is very minimal in the

public domain. Pregnant parents have no idea of the risk that might be exposed to their

fetus due to some filthy habits that should be avoided. It has come to attention that some

children develop the autism condition but their parents cannot identify the condition due to

lack of knowledge. All the inadequate information in the public domain makes it difficult and

unbearable for children and adolescents with autism to survive. In order to better lives of

children and adolescents with the autism disorder, it is crucial we create awareness through

seminars, world commemoration days, celebrations, having autism as part of the curriculum

and civic education. In a move to boost the efforts, the government should support the

efforts through financing and passing legislation that favors awareness. The media should

spearhead awareness about autism: its cause, symptoms, prevention measures and

management. Therefore, the public should be aware of the causes, symptoms, and

management of autism which can be done through the media, autism movements, world

commemoration days and the government.

In a nutshell, this comprehensive research gives an insight into the autism condition

amongst children and adolescents across the world. It is aimed at the improvement and

betterment of the living conditions of children and adolescents with autism. This research

explores the causes of autism such as environmental and genetic disorders, the increasing

rate of the autism condition, using primary methods of data collection, information about

autism in the public domain is gathered and loopholes identified. The biggest failure in the

fight against autism is lack of awareness globally among others such as environmental
AUTISM: CHILD AND ADOLECENT DEVELOPMENTAL CONCENTRATION
15

pollution resulting in radiations and lifestyle by parents during pregnancy. There is a far-

reaching discussion on the possible ways of curbing and improving lives of children and

adolescents with autism such as creating global awareness with the help of non-profit and

non-government organizations, the media and the government, creation of a favorable

environment such as a tailored education system and programs for children and adolescents

with autism and preventing exposure to toxic chemical. The all-inclusive significance of this

research is to better the lives of children and adolescents living with the autism condition

globally.

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