Janelle DeYoung


I: Intro
    1. I will be showing a clip from the movie

        Rain man highlighting certain instances in which he portrays

        extreme autistic behavior.
    2. Through this speech I hope to inform everyone of a condition

        that many people struggle with.
    3. The symptoms and characteristics, lack of precise causes, and

        possible treatments can make the condition both difficult to live

        with for those around them and make the disorder difficult at

        times to treat.
    4. Autism has affected my family in many ways because we have

        worked through diagnosing and treating a family members

        condition together.


II Body
1. Autism is not normally found until after their first years of life
    when symptoms begin to occur. 
         A:  In a child some symptoms could include arching their backs away
              from their caregiver to avoid physical contact.
         B:  In their childhood to adult years they may fall academically behind
              their peers and will usually insist upon repetition and pattern, having a
              tantrum if the pattern is broken.
2.  To date there is not a single indefinite cause of autism.
         A: One theory to the cause of autism is found in a group of three to five
             genes.
         B:  A different speculation is linked to the virus rubella.
3:  Since there is not a precise cause of autism, the treatment options are
             somewhat limited.
         A:  Some families choose to treat the condition with medications,
              like Ritalin, used for ADD.                        
         B:  Many families also use a treatment called ABA, which is basically a
              behavior modification technique.
III Conclusion
    1. Autism is a very puzzling disease and while the individuals may appear
        physically normal, the conditions associated with this condition can make

        a living situation difficult unless you know how to treat it.
    2. After learning about the symptoms of autism I hope that everyone will

        have a deeper understanding and sense of compassion for those

        suffering from this condition.  Also it may possibly help you to diagnose

        the condition if you ever notice the symptoms occurring in someone

        you love.  I will then recap the movie highlighting a peak where Rain

        Man is in a state of panic when his pattern is broken.