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Autism/Aspergers
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Question
What are the most common level of Aspergers (mild-severe) and how are they treated?
Is it safe to say that no matter how mild or severe your child's Autism or PDD is, medication coupled with therapy is recommended and is also highly beneficial to that child?
I ask these questions for a paper on the benefits of medication alone versus medication and therapy for Autistic disorders for school.
Hi there, Jackie!
Unfortunately, when it comes to these questions, I would have to look the first one up my own self. Thus, for the first one, I suggest that you give Google a wander-through and see what you can find. :) It's frowned-upon for us to give answers to homework, and as I couldn't give any better information than a Google search on that one, I'm going to have to defer to your own research; it will probably be more thorough than anything I could offer!
However, you say 'is it safe to say' the above. IMO, I actually would not say that it is safe to say this. Medication, in the case of a mildly Autistic child, may end up being worse than simple therapy. In this over-medicated world, I strongly believe that at times, it is better for a child, particularly if the child is quite young, if things can be done through simple therapy and education rather than relying on a pill to help things along.
The medications given to children with autism are extensive and varying. There is no single 'autism pill'. Instead, the children are treated for the symptoms: seizures, depression, anxiety, et cetera. Due to this, if a child is simply labeled 'autistic', immediately turning to these medications would be a great deal more harm than help.
I, my own self, have never been medicated for my autism. Years were spent being given a varying number of antidepressants, antianxiety medication, and various other medications to try and 'fix' the problem. The biggest help I had in the medication department? Getting me off the medications. Therefore, while I may be a bit biased in this area, it points out that no, being medicated certainly isn't 'safe to say' that it's the recommendation and highly beneficial thing to do.
If there is a specific medication that you are doing the paper on, I can probably do a little more research and check it out. It may very well be that studies have been done that I'm not privy to. However, just in the general term, I have to go with the above.
Questions? Comments? Feedback? Follow-ups? Feel free to send them!
Trey
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Answers by Expert:
Trey McGowan
Expertise
My primary expertise is in the area of the social, psychological, and mental development of Aspergers Syndrome and other high-functioning Autistic Spectrum Disorders. I am also very knowledgeable in the communication disorders and common co-existing issues. I'm well-read on most of these as well as having experienced it myself. Other aspects of autism, I can do fairly well at as well, from the oversensitivity to the recognition of it. Warning: I am *not* a medical professional, and while I can research answers through books and online, I can not give direct medical expertise.
Experience
I am 19 years diagnosed Asperger's Autistic, and have been reading up and studying it, as well as taking 'first hand accounts' for most of those 14 years. In addition, I have had three children, adopted elsewhere, all of whom are varying degrees of autistic from mid to high functioning. My mother has done some research on the subject as well, and passed some of it on to me.
Education/Credentials
I have completed grade school and most of high school, and achieved a GED. I've also received home schooling.
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