The Signs and Effects of Autism Essay -- Autism Autistic Disorders Ess

The Signs and Effects of Autism Autism is a rare disease that has been noticed for centuries. The purest form of autism (high IQ and almost normal behavior yet still self-contained) occurs in about â€Å"one in 2,000 people†. When the many other forms of autism are added in, the ratio is â€Å"one in 750†. Autism is found in every race, ethnic group, nation, and social standing, although â€Å"males outnumber females by four or five times† (â€Å"Autistic Disorder† – 2). Autism is a broad range of disorders that stretch from mild to severe. There are many theories on the cause of autism, but no definite solution. Because of the broadness of the disease, there are many types and categories. The effects of autism are frustrating, and hard to live with. Since the causes remain unknown, there are no specific treatments that can cure autism. The first signs of autism are shown within the first three years of life. As an infant, parents will notice that the child is distant and does not respond to many things. The baby usually doesn’t develop any bonds with his/her mother or caretaker. When parents go to pick up an autistic child, he/she will seem rigid, limp, and will not do normal things like reach out for the parent. Another symptom is little to no eye contact. As with autism at any age, the child is obsessed with sameness and routines. For example, a child will want to eat the same foods every day at the same time. Inanimate objects also fascinate autistic children, though they do not use them as they are intended. They will play with a single toy for hours at a time. Autism was once thought to be the result of cold and distant parents. If the mother disliked or did not want the baby, it was thought that the baby knew this and would enclose itself in its own world. That theory has now been disproven and ma ny scientists now believe autism is caused by -1- genetics and/or illnesses. There are many stated genetic and biological causes but none seem unique to autism. Likewise, no specific gene has been targeted to cause autism. New evidence reveals that â€Å"the serotonin-transpoter gene† (Rapin, Isabelle – 101) may be related to the cause of this disease. Complications in birth are also taken into consideration. â€Å"Prenatal factors are intrauterine rubella, tuberous selerosis, chromosomal abnormalities, and brain abnormalities. Perinatal factors have little to no ... ...â€Å"Autistic Disorder† – 4). Another way of helping an autistic individual have a somewhat successful adult life is to develop his/her communication skills by age five. With the knowledge of communication he/she will likely improve. Yet, most will still need some sort of help from one or more adults. In conclusion, the broad range of disorders, known as autism, can’t be cured, but they can be helped in many ways. Many autistic people receive help from family and relatives. In an autistic person’s life, all he/she needs is love and understanding. -4- Although they may seem mentally challenged, many are very bright. Many have a higher IQ then what is usual. Autism can be a devastating disorder but to the affected individual, it is his/her normal world. BIBLIOGRAPHY â€Å"Autistic Disorder† McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. CD-ROM. 1998 ed. Campbell, Robert. The Enigma of the Mind. New York: Time-Life Books. 1976 Rapin, Isabelle. â€Å"Autism.† The New England Journal of Medicine 10 July 1997: 97 Wing, John. Reasoning About Madness. New York: Oxford University Press. 1987. Wing, Lorna. â€Å"The Autistic Spectrum.† The Lancet 13 July 1997: 1761-66.

Beowulf Essay

Epic heroes usually exemplify traits most admire in their societies, and Beowulf is no exception. Beowulf is set in the Anglo-Saxon society, a time when war was common between people trying to conquer different kingdoms in England. Also, during that time Christianity and pagan views were popular. There were various Christian references and elements that can be interpreted within the text. An example of this is the reference to the biblical figure Cain being a related figure to a despise of the kingdom. Beowulf is successful in upholding both the heroic and Christian ideals. Beowulf has the traditional characteristics of an epic hero. Even though he is famous for his massive strength, he has other attributes that are noticeable other than his strength. The attributes, mentally strong, bravery, and a strong love for his people are what make Beowulf become such a powerful, epic hero. Bravery is his most underrated strengths. For example, even having been told all of those horror stories that he hears about Grendel, he still fights the cursed beast without any hesitation. His dedication to the people was shown when he was not a member of the clan he still fought for them. His mental strength was tested after all of those wars, but he calmly took it and got stronger after every one. In an epic it is usually found that the hero often determines the fate of a nation or group of people based on their strengths. Throughout the poem Beowulf relied on God to get through hard times. Even though Beowulf had much to be proud of, he knew his true place. He was under God first and King’s second. For example, when finally the adventures band of warriors finished the journey over the sea; the first thing Beowulf did was thank God for their safe journey. Another example is when before his battle w/ Grendel, Beowulf prayed to God. In that prayer Beowulf asked God to award either Grendal or himself the victory, as the â€Å"Ruler-all-wise† saw fit. The battle with the dragon was described as fierce and at one point the lord of the Geats is not too confident about being victorious in battle with the dragon. During the battle all of Beowulf’s men deserted him except one, Wiglaf. The dragon was eventually killed by Beowulf, but Beowulf took a lot of damage. Beowulf died not soon after and left his orders with Wiglaf. He wanted to be buried with his treasures and that of the dragon. Beowulf, like other epic heroes, possesses the following heroic qualities: epic heroes are superhuman types of beings. They show great bravery, intelligence, strength and resourcefulness. They have a strong admiration for the values of their society. They are dominant male figures and suffer severe pain, but in the end, they conquer evil. Beowulf sjows all of these traits of an epic hero, and more. He did that with his physical strength, belief in god, and the battle with the dragon. These characteristics led me to believe, Beowulf is successful in upholding both the heroic and Christian ideals.

Theories of Child Development Essay - 1010 Words

Theories abound around how people develop emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually. This essay will examine the theories of five leaders on the subject of development. Jean Piaget believed in four stages of development that were fairly concrete in description (Atherton, 2010). 1. Sensorimotor stage (birth – 2 years old) – Children begin to make sense of the world around them based on their interaction with their physical environment. Reality begins to be defined. 2. Preoperational stage (ages 2-7) – Concrete physical stimuli are needed in order for a child to develop new concepts. 3. Concrete operations (ages 7-11) – As a child accumulates experience with the physical world, he/she begins to conceptualize to explain†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"An essential feature of learning is that it awakens a variety of internal developmental processes that are able to operate only when the child is in the action of interacting with people in his environment and in cooperation with his peers† (2004). Erik Erikson like Piaget had distinct stages of development assigned to specific ages. However Erikson ascribed development even into old age. Eight stages beginning with birth to old age described a conflict that had to be resolved by the person before moving on to the next, termed the epigenetic principle (Boeree, 2006). As each conflict is resolved a person gains strength to move on to a more complex battle. These struggles are inner conflicts revolving around Freud’s theories of ego, i.e. the first stage, birth to age one, trust vs mistrust is the conflict or stage eight, age 50 and beyond, integrity vs despair. As a situation arises a person has two ways of resolution, adaptive or maladaptive (Cramer, Flynn, LaFave, 1997). This conflict must be mastered before progressing. Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory of the development of moral reasoning is laid out in seven stages, within three levels, preconventional, conventional and principled morality. 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