The drama ‘Strange Lawyer Woo Young-woo’, which tells the story of a rookie lawyer Woo Young-woo with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is popular. Woo Young-woo, who graduated from law school with the highest degree, has a brain and memory so brilliant that he can memorize all the books he’s read once. He even finds things overlooked by other lawyers, leading my trial to my advantage.
However, his words and actions are slurred and he cannot make good eye contact with others. His social skills are poor and he struggles to get through the company’s revolving door. Social interest in autism is also increasing as dramas become a sensation. I got advice from the medical community and pointed out autism spectrum disorder.
○Repeat specific language… not interested in others
Self sleep, lungs to close. A pervasive developmental disability characterized by delays in social interaction and communication, characterized by a state of being trapped in one’s own world. In the past, terms such as infantile autism, developmental disability, and Asperger’s syndrome were used interchangeably, but in 2013, it was unified as autism spectrum disorder. This means that the behavior or language in question has a broad and complex spectrum.
Autism is a much more common disorder than is widely known. 2.64% of children aged 7-12 in Korea have autism spectrum disorder. The number of children with autism is increasing every year. The number of cases of autism diagnosed through national screening for infants and children has increased. The proportion of boys is higher than that of girls, and boys are five times more likely to be diagnosed with autism.
From a very young age, a normal child smiles at people such as mothers and fathers. From around the first birthday, they use one or two words at a time and begin to convey their thoughts. You learn how to understand other people’s emotions and naturally learn how to communicate.
However, children with autism spectrum disorder do not form basic interactions and emotional bonds. Doesn’t make eye contact with others, and has no interest in others. Language development is abnormal. As a result, they are unable to communicate well by using repetitive or unusual language. I terribly hate when other people touch my body, and even when I’m seriously injured, I don’t feel pain.
Kim Hyo-won, a professor of pediatric psychiatry at Seoul Asan Hospital, said, “In the drama, Woo Young-woo’s hand counting ritual before opening the door, his obsession with whales, echoes of a senior lawyer, and the rule of eating kimbap at every meal are real autism. It shows the symptoms of spectrum disorder well.”
○It cannot be cured… Relief of symptoms with long-term treatment
Symptoms usually appear before the age of 3, and some with relatively good intelligence are discovered later. Diagnosis is made through tests such as the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), the Autism Diagnosis and Observation Schedule (ADOS), and the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised Test (ADI-R). It is best to be diagnosed as early as possible.
The cause of autism has not been clearly elucidated. “It is known that complications before and following pregnancy and childbirth are related to metabolic disorders, congenital rubella, and organic lesions of the brain,” said Jeong Yoo-sook, a professor of psychiatry at Samsung Seoul Hospital. becomes,” he said. Drinking and smoking during pregnancy are also presumed to be factors influencing the development of autism.
There is no specific treatment that can cure it. It is limited to training to help development and learning by reducing symptoms such as language, cognitive, and sensory integration therapy. In severe cases, medications are administered to control aggressive behavior or self-harm. Children with autism usually have low intelligence and often exhibit symptoms of epilepsy. This is why long-term treatment and customized special education are necessary.
The medical community explains that genius autistic patients like Woo Young-woo are actually rare. “Kim Peek, the real-life model for the autistic movie ‘Rain Man’, was smart enough to memorize a thick phone book in an hour, but she mightn’t even wear socks alone,” said Ban Geon-ho, a professor of mental health medicine at Kyunghee University Hospital. Social life is not easy if you have autism. Only 2% of adults with autism have a job.
If there is a child with autism in the household, experts advise parents to adopt a parenting attitude similar to that of a normal child and consistent with the autistic child. This is because through discipline, you can learn the skills necessary for right and wrong judgment and social life.
Reporter Kim Jong-un [email protected]