Families with an Autistic Child

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at some of the challenges that are faced by families with an autistic child. It begins by presenting a case study of a family who struggled to diagnose a child with autism. It also discusses crisis issues within families who have children with autism. The paper then analyzes a study that looks at whether there is a connection between language and theory of mind between autistic children and those with moderate learning difficulties.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Families with Autistic Children and Crisis
Methods
Results
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"In another study titled, "The Broader Cognitive Phenotype of Autism in Parents: How Specific is the tendency for local processing and executive dysfunction?" (Bolte, 2006, p. 639) showed parents of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children performed faster in processing their children with a myriad of interactive tests (Embedded Figures Test, Block Design, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Tower of Hanoi, and Trailmaking Test) compared to parents with schizophrenia or mental retardation (640-1). It seems that autistic children need more attention from parents compared to the other children having schizophrenia and mental retardation. As the parents learn to cope with autistic disorder, their children seem to trust and cope with their parents."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bolte, S. & Poustka, F. (2006). The broader cognitive phenotype of autism in parents: How specific is the tendency for local processing and executive dysfunction? Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 47(6), 639-645.
• Dawson, G., Ozonoff, S., and McPartland, J. (2002). A Parent's Guide to Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism: How to Meet the Challenges and help your child thrive. Soho: Guilford Publications, Incorporated.
• Fisher, N., Happe, F., & Dunn, J. (2005). The relationship between vocabulary, grammar, and false belief task performance in children with autistic spectrum disorders and children with moderate learning difficulties. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 46(4), 409-419.
• Grandin, T., and Scariano, M. (1986). Emergence: Labeled Autistic. New York: Warner Books, Inc.
• King, G., Zwaigenbaum, L., King, S., Baxter, D., Rosenbaum, P., & Bates, A. (2006). A qualitative investigation of changes in the belief systems of families of children with autism or Down syndrome. Child: Care, Health and Development, 32(3), 353-369.

More papers on Families with an Autistic Child:

• Research Paper # 113386 : "Autistic Children and the Effects on the Family"
• Cause and Effect Essay # 94530 : "Autism"
• Essay # 7177 : "Personal Experience with the Disabled"

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