VOA标准英语2012--Definitions of Autism Are Changing

Definitions of Autism Are Changing

The Perromat family has three beautiful boys: Lucas, Philip and Thomas. Philip is the middle child. By the time he was a toddler, Kim and Carlos Perromat had already suspected that Philip's failure to make eye contact and his unwillingness¹ to speak were caused by more than just slow development. So they were not really surprised when he was diagnosed with autism. 

Carlos says he tried to learn everything he could about the disorder². He believes he wasted a lot of valuable time trying to find the right treatment program for his child.

"It's not a question of lack of information. It's a question of too much. It's impossible to sift³ through," he said.

Kim and Carlos have been taught to use applied⁴ behavior techniques to help Philip identify what he wants. 

At first, it was just one word, and even though Philip knew the word for the toy he wanted, he wouldn't say it until he realized it was the only way his parents would give it to him. 

The genetic⁵ link to autism may be prevalent in more than one male member of the Perromat family. Carlos believes that he and his father, and now perhaps his oldest son Lucas, also have signs of a high-functioning type of autism called Asperger's Syndrome⁶. The youngest boy, Thomas, has shown no symptoms.

Katie Divelbiss of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders⁷ says parents should find a way to communicate with their autistic child as soon as possible.

“Teach them how to communicate," said Divelbiss. "That could be using pictures, that could be teaching them how to use hand signs, that could be a one word or a 'ugh' - one utterance⁸."

For decades, autism was categorized incorrectly as a form of childhood schizophrenia, and in recent years as a diverse spectrum⁹ of developmental brain disorders. Doctor Susan Hyman of the American Academy of Pediatrics says the definitions of autism are changing because the difference between disorders on that spectrum can be hard to distinguish. 

"It's better to think of it as a single spectrum or a singular category with different degrees of intensity¹⁰ and different other factors that impact how significant the diagnosis¹¹ is," said Hyman.

Professor Roy Richard Grinker is a recognized authority on autism whose own daughter was diagnosed with the disorder in 1994. Back then, Grinker says, there was little awareness¹² or understanding of autism in the United States. That has changed, he says.

"I don't know that the treatments for autism today are that much different than the treatments for autism back in 1994 or 1995, except for this: Society understands autism. Society gets it. Autism is no longer invisible," said Grinker. 

1 unwillingness   

n. 不愿意，不情愿

参考例句：

• Her unwillingness to answer questions undermined the strength of her position. 她不愿回答问题，这不利于她所处的形势。
• His apparent unwillingness would disappear if we paid him enough. 如果我们付足了钱，他露出的那副不乐意的神情就会消失。

2 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

3 sift   

v.筛撒，纷落，详察

参考例句：

• Sift out the wheat from the chaff.把小麦的壳筛出来。
• Sift sugar on top of the cake.在蛋糕上面撒上糖。

4 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

5 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

6 syndrome   

n.综合病症；并存特性

参考例句：

• The Institute says that an unidentified virus is to blame for the syndrome. 该研究所表示,引起这种综合症的是一种尚未确认的病毒。
• Results indicated that 11 fetuses had Down syndrome. 结果表明有11个胎儿患有唐氏综合征。

7 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 utterance   

n.用言语表达，话语，言语

参考例句：

• This utterance of his was greeted with bursts of uproarious laughter.他的讲话引起阵阵哄然大笑。
• My voice cleaves to my throat,and sob chokes my utterance.我的噪子哽咽，泣不成声。

9 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

10 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

11 diagnosis   

n.诊断，诊断结果，调查分析，判断

参考例句：

• His symptoms gave no obvious pointer to a possible diagnosis.他的症状无法作出明确的诊断。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做一次彻底的调查分析。

12 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。