Regressive autism / late-onset autism /acquired autism, is where a child develops typically in early childhood meeting all developmental milestones, but then experiences a loss of previously acquired skills, at around 1.5 years to 4 years. Estimates of regressive autism range from 30 - 44% of kids who get diagnosed with autism in childhood. (1,2,3)
This loss/regression is especially evident in the areas of social communication and interaction; such as loss of interest in social interaction, loss of eye contact, loss of spoken language, loss of motor skills and the development of repetitive behaviors.
For instance, I met all my developmental milestones till 1.5 years, including the ability to able to speak short phrases. I was the happy social butterfly at my first birthday party; I interacted with everyone at the party. I pointed to the distant bird sitting on a tree and engaged in joint attention activities.
But after my regression at 16-18 months, I lost a majority of the previous skills. By age 2, I lost the ability to talk, the ability to make eye contact, the ability to point, the ability to do a pincer grasp and the ability to hold a spoon. I no longer recognized even my parents. I hid under the table, walked on tiptoe, endlessly spun the wheels on my tricycle and lined up every toy in the house. I was in a confused and dazed state and cried most of the time in daycare. I fussed for eating and sleeping.
Buck v. Bell (1927): This case involved the forced sterilization of a woman who was deemed "feeble-minded" by the state of Virginia. In its decision, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of Virginia's sterilization law and stated that "three generations of imbeciles are enough." (274 U.S. 200)
The History of Hurtful Words About Disability
The word "imbecile" used to be a medical term for people with intellectual disabilities, like autism.
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The growing number of young adult autistics of today will soon join the ranks of becoming Middle Aged Autistics of tomorrow.
There is limited research on issues specifically related to middle-aged autistics, as most studies tend to focus on children and adolescents with autism.
Acknowledging the need for knowledge of what happens in this phase, along with the services and supports that will be needed.
Peripersonal space (PPS) is the region of space immediately surrounding the body, where sensory inputs from multiple modalities are integrated to guide actions and protect the body. In autism, alterations in PPS processing may contribute to challenges in sensory-motor integration, social interactions and spatial navigation. This area of research, which I am exploring in graduate school, holds promise for interventions at the individual level and disability accommodations at the societal level. Stay tuned for more in-depth posts on this topic.
PlainSpeak: Peripersonal space (PPS) is the space right around our bodies that helps us sense and respond to things nearby. For autistic individuals, differences in how this space is processed might explain some of the sensory and social challenges they face and how we navigate the space around us. I'm studying this in grad school and will be sharing more insights in upcoming posts.
Related Posts on [PPS] [Peripersonal Space]
Alzeheimers and Oxidative Stress was the topic of study at my cell neuroscience course.
Increasingly research is showing a link between Autism and Alzheimer's though they had been considered distinct neurological disorders in the past.
