Find out more information about Autism Spectrum Disorder
Find out more information about that disorder and the impact that it has on the lives of people.
1. What are the symptoms? In other words, talk about the symptoms that would lead to a diagnosis. Also, if you have more technical terms such as “alogia”, a good paper would not just list the symptom without describing what it means.
2. Is it difficult to diagnose? In other words, is it sometimes confused for other problems? Can it take patients some time before they receive the correct diagnosis? If so, how long does it tend to take for a correct diagnosis to be made?
3. Is this disorder comorbid with other disorders, or does it lead to other complications? If so, which ones? A good paper would also consider if this complicates the diagnosis, or when discussing treatments complicates treatment? And how it might do so?
4. How many people are affected? A good paper would also address if some groups are more affected than others (e.g., age, gender, racial/ethnic, etc.)?
5. What is/are/or speculated to be the cause or causes? I am expecting more detail than “It is thought to be both a combination of genetic and environmental factors.” Everything about us is a combination of these, you need to be more specific.
If genetics are assumed, a good paper would discuss research on inheritance rates among identical/fraternal twins, or among family members (e.g., parents and children), or if specific genes have been identified.
For some disorders there might be information on the brain regions and neurotransmitters assumed to be involved in the disorder.
If the environment plays a role, a good paper would describe the specific environmental factors that have been linked to developing the disorder.
6. How is it treated? Here I am looking for more than just the name of the treatment. If it is a medication, what is its name, what does the drug do, are their side effects? If it is some type of therapy, what is its name, what happens in that therapy? Finally, how well do most people respond to treatment?
7. How does it affect people’s lives? A good paper would discuss its impact on the person’s work/school life, physical health, and social relationships. It would also consider how it might affect the lives of loved ones. Is it fatal or shortens the life expectancy?