Autism discrimination and learning outcomes

Autism: Discrimination Learning

Autism is no longer a condition that can be wished away or ignored in the American society today but has to be tackled efficiently. As a matter of fact autism prevalence is estimated to be at one child for every 110 children counted. These statistics that puts autism at a higher prevalence rate than a combination of cancer, pediatric AIDS and diabetes among the children. Effectively, there is an estimated 1.5 million Americans with autism another ten of millions across the world. The American government estimates that the condition increases at a rate between 10% and 17% each year. Though there is no solid evidence and explanation given to this rise in the numbers, it is thought that the perfection of the diagnosis process makes the medical fraternity keener on the condition hence with the increase in the medical science and practitioners awareness, the there is more detection and consequent increase (Autism Speaks Inc., 2011b).

Autistic children are those who have developmental brain disorders more of ten than nor referred to as Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) due to the complex nature that they have. Among the PDD are others like Rett Syndrome, Disintegrative Disorder and Asperger Syndrome. Many medical practitioners refer to these as Autism Spectrum Disorders (Autism Speaks Inc., 2011a).

Symptoms of autism

This group reacts in a weird manner to the average daily conditions and happenings; a good example is the reaction to the sounds of automobiles or even the domesticated animals. These sounds and sights that may seem relatively a commonplace to the average kid may be absolutely discomforting to the extent of moving away or covering their eardrums to block the noise. Other common gestures like peck or hugs may be so discomforting to this child suffering from autism such that they may prefer solitude (The Nemours Foundation, 2011).

There can be difficulty in talking among the sufferers of this condition and generally inability to expressing themselves using words. This inability makes them to withdraw from the peers and most require aid in communication.

Autistic children have been observed to be having challenge in getting the meaning of spoken words. Though they may hear words or sentences, they do have difficulty in connecting the words to meaning and effect what they the instructions are. This is a big barricade in communication between the instructor and an autistic child and needs extra skills to ensure the word is accompanied by a relevant non-verbal cue for communication.

An autistic child cannot make connections as easily as other kids are able to, between a symbol and the meaning. For instance, a kid with autism may have problems translating a smile that someone gives to the emotion of happiness hence may detest a smile or may not react at all.

This group of people is likely to portray relatively queer behavior patterns like constant flapping of hands, extreme anger and tantrums, display of echolalia or repeat of a set of words over and over, obsession with some items or toy. Most kids in this group will also prefer a single routine and resist a change in routine. They may also have a particular order that they would like to see their items or toys in and any attempt to arrange otherwise will be met with violent resistance.

Based on the above traits that have been observed about this group of children with autism, there is evidence that there is a deficit in the discrimination learning in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASP). This deficit in discrimination makes the ASD patients not able to effectively discriminate between details of one item from another or one behavior from another, for instance inability to discriminate between the donkey doll and a cow doll or between letter M. And N. provided there was no prerequisite cue that this amount of detail would be needed.

This group is also known to be unable to differentiate or discriminate between targets and distracters or even from a superior view to pick out the discreet features of a target. However, there are several other studies that have indicated that people with ASD may not be keen enough to discriminate between the global features but are better than the typical individuals in processing the discreet or local information once they have been exposed to the global features (Dermot M. Bowler, pg105). He says that "given the appropriate testing conditions, individuals with ASD can process stimuli at the global level" (Pg105).

There is need then for an instructor to be able to pick out the stimuli that have the highest effect on an ASD patient and know how to vary this stimulus with an aim of assisting the child in terms of learning and studies.

There have been several experiments carried out to determine the performance of ASD children and one of them was as below as extracted from Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, (1985);