ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
AUTISM
Natural as well as environmental factors can be considered equally affecting human
growth and development. Many developmental disorders (diseases) evolved as a result
of both genetic (natural) cause as well as the environmental (nurture). Nurture means
the environment where human interacts with the other components. The components
may be (nature) living as well as other non-living components. Cultural aspects shape a
growing child’s growth and development, a child born in a society, interacts within the
social settings and gradually learns the values of life. A growing child depends upon its
environment in order to grow and develop into a full flagged human is more precise
process aspects of human development.
Natural (gene) or nurture (environment) or the both nature and nurture can affect
human growth and development. In the sense that they play key role in control
development process and potentially cause adverse effect in the overall process of
growth and development. The neurological disorders or diseases like -autism, ADD, and
ADHD resulted due to genetic mal-function as well as other environmental effects in
young brain cells and tissues. Any agents (microorganism) or substance like drug,
radiation, smoke, alcohol which primarily affect the growth and development at genetic
level is simply called as teratogen. The teratogens are mainly work as inhibitors, and
disturb or retard the normal growth and development process. Similarly, malfunctioning of growth hormone (proteins) due to drugs, radiations, smoke, alcohol and
so on in the tender developing brains.
Source: Shute, Nancy. Scientific American, Oct2010, Vol. 303 Issue 4, p80-85, 6p, 3
Color Photographs, 1 Diagram, 1 Graph
Summary: Autism is one surprising neurological disorder which is caused by improper
development of prefrontal cortex. Prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that mature at
slower rate than the other parts. The development of prefrontal cortex continues from
early infancy up to childhood and adolescence. Therefore, prefrontal cortex is the most
vulnerable part of the brain. Any causes can lead to brain damage such as shaking
baby, teratogens, impersonal situation. Developmental Researchers have found that
therapies could be the effective means as for autistic children, and referred them as
alternatives therapies. “Alternative therapies by parents of autistic children as valid
treatments become rarer. It is obvious that therapies could be the best measure to deal
with the children with such developmental problem. According to the author, the
percentage of autistic children in the U.S. that are receiving alternative treatments is
high.” Drugs may be harmful in respect to little child and for their safety, chemicals may
have severe side effects brain cells.
Analysis: I agree that drugs may not be the clear cut remedy for neurological disorders
cases. We know very well that each and every drug may have some sort of side effects.
Truly, speaking use of the drugs in the treatment of neurological disorder may unsafe
for young child. Use of drugs may affects or hinder the activities of young and
developing brains and its most sensitive parts like-prefrontal cortex, cerebral
hemisphere, medulla oblongata and spinal cord.
Evaluation: The source is found accurate as well as useful to give enough information to
parents as well as other authorities concern with developmental diseases. It stated out
the ways and means to incorporate to deal autistic children. Hence, it is creditable
Source: Jacobsen, Kurt. History of Psychiatry, Dec 2010, Vol. 21 Issue 4, p436-454,
19p; Historical Period: 1938 to 2010; DOI: 10.1177/0957154X09341438, p1387-1434,
48p, 14 Charts, 4 Graphs; Historical Period: 2000.
Summary: Secondly, autism is a social problem, and the way how the autistic children
get social treatment determine its complexity. In the general sense, the way how our
kids grow up is the way how they are treated. Maltreatment and other influences can
make the problem very critical. In such situation social treatment, I mean socialization of
the problem is beneficial. “Our general understanding about how one’s social network
influences one’s own attitudes and behavior. “Is applies very well in this context.
Analysis: Human beings are social creature, and live in a society, and hence the social
settings determine (influence) the overall progress of human development. Society
primarily affects mental health and other psychological aspects of development. There
is direct relationship psychology with the social relationship. Hence social networking is
one of the essential aspects of human development. Developmentalists, and
Developmental Psychologists always emphasized parents not to leave child in such an
environment the frightened a child, because infants in frightening homes or impersonal
institutions are more likely at risk for lifelong brain damage.
Evaluation: The source is helpful in generating new idea to deal autistic children in the
social setting. It is more effective in local level as well as it has advised significantly the
authority, and plays role to formulate new plans and policies at the national levels to
address the issue correctly.
Source: Settle, Jaime E.; Bond, Robert; Levitt, Justin. American Politics Research,
03/01/2011, Vol. 39 Issue 2, p239-263, 25p; Historical Period: 2001 to 2002;
Summary: Human life is influenced by nature and nurture. Growth and development has
both natural and the environmental aspects. Hence, environment (nurture) affects
everyone’s gene (nature) and determines human characters. “A specific geneenvironment interaction that contributes to ideological self-identification and it highlights
the importance of incorporating both nature and nurture into the study of political.” The
way how gene gets interacted with the components in the environment may shape
human and its ideology. Self -perception is more likely to be the result of both nature
and nurture.
Analysis: Human life begins with gene (gamete), and is followed by prenatal
development. The substances, the teratogens and environment inside the mother’s
affect child development, hence overall growth and development in prenatal stages.
Alcoholism, smoking, bacteria, virus radiation may serve as the environmental factors.
These have direct affect in prenatal development, whose effects hinders the overall
growth and developmental of human being.
Evaluation: The information found in the source is more reliable, contextual, concrete
and trustworthy. It has been used in correct sense and can has given clear and enough
sense to describe the topic and become one of the reliable evidence, that nature and
nurture shape the human being.
Source: Herzog, Dagmar. Women's Studies Quarterly, Spring/Summer2011, Vol. 39
Issue 1/2, p300-314, 15p; Historical Period: 1939 to 2011
Summary: Early diagnosis means early treatment. Development is a continuous
process, and hence early finding of any disorder can be checked along with the
developmental stages. “Early diagnosis and its interventions are valuable for monitoring
autism and the developmental disorder.” Absolutely correct, early diagnosis means half
way to cure disease. As we talk for developmental diseases like autism, early diagnosis
plays the most effective role in ministering the process of development and to take
necessary steps if necessary to cope up with the issue.
Analysis: “A preplan is half done.” Similarly, an early diagnosis means half way cure
disease. Early diagnosis can prevent the condition from being (critical) complicated and
become more worsen. Even a cancer can be treated perfectly, if it is diagnose at the
correct time, at an early stage. Evaluation: The source is more beneficial in the context,
because any disease if diagnosed early can get better treatment and could be cured
easily. It is useful, it emphasizes -time and importance of time in our daily lives.
Source: Anderson, Lynell; Findlay, Ammy. Canadian Public Administration, Sep2010,
Vol. 53 Issue 3, p417-438, 22p, 1 Chart; Historical Period: 2000 to 2010; DOI:
10.1111/j.1754-7121.2010.00136.
Summary: Human being is a social animal. A child born in a society, society is the first
place of interaction of a child. Similarly general public has much more influence on child
development. A child interacts within his/her family and the society as well. In this way
he/she learns more. “Public reporting has become the preferred mechanism in a range
of policy areas, including early learning and child care, ant its accountability as and
accountable measure.” Here the good thing to know is publication of the issue. Any
unusual or undesirable behavior of a child seen in public, means the behavior noticed
by members of child care units. They have to report to parents. Analysis: Any problem
or information can be made general through public report. Hence public reporting has
much importance to relay information to general mass. In any society the preferred
method to deliver any information is public reporting, or in the other words it is also
called as publication of the source. New papers, magazines, and TV programs are
some other of the public sources. Evaluation: We relay information through public
presorting. Publication of any topic is to make known to all. The source is as much as
credible as it is reliable in addressing the issue.
Source: Bennett, Katherine; Reichow, Brian; Wolery, Mark. Focus on Autism & Other
Developmental Disabilities, Sep2011, Vol. 26 Issue 3, p143-152, 10p; DOI:
10.1177/1088357611405040.
Summary: Teaching is also an interaction. Teaching involves interactions. A child learns
through interactions by making the use of its young brain. Hence teaching involves
exercising of the brain. “Structured teaching, and its’ effects in the behavior of young
children with developmental disabilities.” Structured teaching is one of the means that
helps child development. As a child learns new thing through teaching methods, he/she
may set up new structures (impressions) in his/her young brain. Developmental
disabilities like autism is more likely to be cared better with repeated teaching of things
for a child, repetition can have positive role in planting in long term memory.
Analysis: We know one of the way how we relay the information is general mass is
through reporting. Teaching is also the way to publicize any sort of information. Among
many methods, teaching also caters in providing information to general mass. Here
structured teaching is emphasized because it is important and helpful to deal with
behavioral issue. Repeated teaching one same concept may have positive impressions
in the brain and the information can be set up in long term memories.
Evaluation: One of the way how we generate information in the mass is through
teaching. Teaching and learning process can exercise our brains and teaching may
contribute positive effects to behavioral disabilities too. Systematic teaching called
structured teaching many be found useful in curing certain behavioral problems like
autism. Hence the source is very much useful