Jake: A Case Study in Autism

From a biological perspective, Jake possesses certain biological characteristics that deviate from those of his normal counterparts. Compared to his peers, Jake seems to have a significantly larger head. Furthermore, imaging studies have identified certain abnormalities in his brain structure. These findings accord with those of neuroanatomists who have seen abnormalities in the brain structure of autistic children, which undermine their ability to process information appropriately (Stokstad, 2001). In addition, Courchesne, Carper and Akshoomoff (2003) found that the head circumference of autistic children is significantly larger than that of normal children.

According to Jake's mother, he is unable to make sustained eye contact with anyone and tries to avoid looking at people directly even when spoken to. In addition, Jake engages in other types of atypical behaviors such as flapping his arms and spinning incessantly. He often picks up a favorite object such as a car and moves it back and forth before his eyes and scrutinizes his trains for a long time from multiple perspectives.

What is most troubling for Jake's mother is her difficulties with taking

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Approximate Word count = 950
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page)