Autism

Autism

Autism, as a disorder, can significantly affect a person’s quality of life. Understanding the way to manage and treat this disorder can be a challenge; however, when the treatment gets performed accurately, it can offer the client an opportunity to do well and function in professional, social, and familial settings. For this assignment, various medications that are used for treatment or management of autism symptoms get identified, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, parent training, communication training as well as psychotropic drugs, and specific vitamins when combined with other approaches.

Autism gets marked with very repetitive, imaginative play and rigid behavior. According to Baio (2014), autism affects approximately 1 in 59 children in the U.S today. Most of the patients become actively involved in specific objects such as rubber bands, plastic lids, and buttons and may carry or collect these objects and play with them regularly. Additionally, children with this disorder may get involved in self-injurious behaviors.

Treatment of autism disorder may assist individuals in adapting better to their surroundings. Although no recognized treatment fully reverses the pattern of the disease, various treatments help such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, parent training, and communication training. Additionally, psychotropic medication and specific vitamins have sometimes assisted when combined with other approaches such as Multi-sensory Environments or Snoezelen (DeFilippis and Wagner, 2016).

Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been applied in the treatment of autism to teach on new and appropriate behaviors, including social skills, self -help skills, classroom skills while decreasing negative behaviors (Van Der Meer et al., 2014). Therapists often use operant conditioning and modeling. Communication and language difficulties can take various forms. For example, echolalia is one common speech peculiarity, individual echoes exact phrases spoken by others. Besides, pronominal reversal is another communication problem leading to the misapplication of pronouns (Van Der Meer et al., 2014). As a consequence, Communication training is essential since half of the patients with autism, even when given intensive behavioral treatment, remain speechless. These people get trained in other forms of communication, such as simultaneous communication and sign language. Again, communication training can also include augmentative communication systems like computers that use symbols, written words, or “communication boards” in representing objects or needs. These programs currently combine child-initiated interactions to enhance communication skills (Van Der Meer et al., 2014). Parent training can be done in various ways. For instance, behavioral programs are training parents so that they can apply the techniques of behavior at home (Van Der Meer et al., 2014). Additionally, support groups and personal therapy have become more available to assist parents in handling their own needs and emotions.

Regarding drug performance in the management of the symptoms of autistic disorder, Risperidone (Risperdal) has proven effective in the treatment of irritability related to autistic disorder in young people from 5 to 17 years of age. It is an antipsychotic that blocks the receptors of the brain for serotonin and dopamine (Nikoo et al., 2015). Off- label uses involve treating other autistic disorder symptoms such as hyperactivity, self-injurious behavior, and inattention. Studies indicate that risperidone improves disruptive behavior symptoms related to the symptoms of the disorder in young people between 5 and 17 years (Nikoo et al., 2015). As a result, it enhances lethargy/social withdrawal, inappropriate speech, and stereotypic behavior (Nikoo et al., 2015). However, according to Nikoo et al. (2015), in adults, risperidone reduces the incidence of T repetitive behavior, irritability, anxiety, aggression, and it may require high doses in such cases.