 |
 |
|
|
|
|
What is Autism ?
Autism is a developmental disability
characterized by impairments in social interaction, in verbal
and non-verbal communication and a pattern of repetitive,
stereotypic activities. Autism is the most common condition in a
group of developmental disorders known as Autism Spectrum
Disorders (ASDs). Other ASDs include Asperger syndrome, Rett
syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder and Pervasive
Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified(PDD-NOS). Autism
represents the most extreme form of PDD. Experts estimate that
3-6 children out of every 1000 children will have autism. Males
are 4 times more likely to have autism than females.Autism is a
neurodevelopmental spectrum disorder, and although it is defined
by a certain set of behaviors, children and adults with autism
can exhibit any combination of these behaviors in any degree of
severity.
Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically
appears during the first three years of life and is the result
of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning
of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social
interaction and communication skills. The hallmark feature of
autism is impaired social interaction. It is a sensory
integration and communication disorder. Sensory system of
autistics is quite different from the sensory system of other
people, since certain stimulations can affect an autistic
differently than a non-autistic. Autism is a complex
neurobiological disorder of development that lasts throughout a
persons life. It is called a developmental disability because
it usually starts before age 3, in the developmental period.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Signs &
Symptoms of Autism
Autism is characterized by difficulties in social interactions,
problems with verbal and non-verbal communication, and
repetitive behaviours or narrow obsessive interests. Some
individuals mildly affected may exhibit only slight delays in
language and greater challenges with social interactions. They
may have difficulty initiating and/or maintaining a
conversation. Their communication is often described as talking
at others instead of to them.
Some children with autism are particularly sensitive to sound,
finding even the most ordinary daily noises painful. Because
different people with autism have different features or
symptoms, autism is regarded as a spectrum disorder-a group of
disorders with a range of similar features. |
|
A number of behavioural symptoms of
autism are observable by 18 months of age. Children with autism
appear to have a higher than normal risk for certain co-existing
conditions, including fragile X syndrome (which causes mental
retardation), tuberous sclerosis (in which tumours grow on the
brain), epileptic seizures, Tourette syndrome, learning
disabilities, and attention deficit disorder. For reasons that
are still unclear, about 20 to 30 percent of children with
autism develop epilepsy by the time they reach adulthood. While
people with schizophrenia may show some autistic-like behaviour,
their symptoms usually do not appear until the late teens or
early adulthood.
People with autism also process and
respond to information in unique ways. In some cases, aggressive
and/or self-injurious behavior may be present. Persons with
autism may also exhibit some of the following traits:
Resistance to change
Difficulty in expressing needs, using gestures or pointing
instead of words
Repeating words or phrases in place of normal, responsive
language
Laughing (and/or crying) for no apparent reason showing
distress for reasons not apparent to others
Preference to being alone
Difficulty in mixing with others
Little or no eye contact
Unresponsive to normal teaching methods
Obsessive attachment to objects
No real fears of danger
Noticeable physical over-activity or extreme under-activity
Uneven gross/fine motor skills
Non responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf, although
hearing tests in normal range.
Many children with autism engage in self abusive behaviour
such as biting or head banging.
They tend to start speaking later than other children.
Many of them may have reduced sensitivity to pain.
Abnormally sensitive to sound, touch or other sensory
stimulation.
Causes of Autism
There is no known single cause for autism, but it is generally
accepted by the medical community that it is caused by
abnormalities in brain structure or function. Brain scans show
differences in the shape and structure of the brain in autistic
versus non-autistic children. Studies suggest that people with
autism have abnormal levels of serotonin or other
neurotransmitters in the brain. These abnormalities suggest that
autism could result from the disruption of normal brain
development early in fetal development caused by defects in
genes that control brain growth and that regulate how neurons
communicate with each other. Its likely that both genetics and
environment play a role. Recent studies strongly suggest that
some people have a genetic predisposition to autism. In families
with one autistic child, the risk of having a second child with
the disorder is approximately 5 percent, or one in 20. Autism
tends to occur more frequently than expected among individuals
who have certain medical conditions, including Fragile X
syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, congenital rubella syndrome, and
untreated phenylketonuria (PKU).
Some harmful substances ingested during pregnancy have also been
associated with an increased risk of autism. Whatever the cause,
it is clear that children with autism and PDD are born with the
disorder or born with the potential to develop it.
|
|
Diagnosis of Autism
Autism varies widely in its severity and symptoms and may go
unrecognized, especially in mildly affected children or when it
is masked by more debilitating handicaps. Doctors rely on a core
group of behaviors to alert them to the possibility of a
diagnosis of autism. These behaviors are:
impaired ability to make friends with peers
impaired ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with
others
absence or impairment of imaginative and social play
stereotyped, repetitive, or unusual use of language
restricted patterns of interest that are abnormal in intensity
or focus
preoccupation with certain objects or subjects
inflexible adherence to specific routines or rituals |
|
|
|
Doctors will often use a
questionnaire or other screening instrument to gather
information about a childs development and behavior. Autism is
a complex disorder. A comprehensive evaluation requires a
multidisciplinary team including a psychologist, neurologist,
psychiatrist, speech therapist, and other professionals who
diagnose children with ASDs. Children with some symptoms of
autism, but not enough to be diagnosed with classical autism,
are often diagnosed with PDD-NOS. Children with autistic
behaviors but well-developed language skills are often diagnosed
with Asperger syndrome. Children who develop normally and then
suddenly deteriorate between the ages of 3 to 10 years and show
marked autistic behaviors may be diagnosed with childhood
disintegrative disorder. Girls with autistic symptoms may be
suffering from Rett syndrome, a sex-linked genetic disorder
characterized by social withdrawal, regressed language skills,
and hand wringing.
Treatment for Autism
Currently there is no definitive, single treatment for ASDs.
However there are a variety of ways to minimize symptoms and
maximum learning. In some cases, appropriate treatment can help
people with autism function at near normal levels. The ideal
treatment plan coordinates therapies and interventions that
target the core symptoms of autism: impaired social interaction,
problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and obsessive
or repetitive routines and interests. Most professionals agree
that the earlier the intervention, the better.
Educational/Behavioral interventions: Therapists use highly
structured and intensive skill-oriented training sessions to
help children develop social and language skills. Family
counselling for the parents and siblings of children with autism
often helps families cope with the particular challenges of
living with an autistic child.
Speech language therapists can help people with autism improve
their general ability to communicate and interact with others
effectively, as well as develop their speech and language
skills.
Occupational therapists can help find ways to adjust tasks and
conditions that match their needs and abilities.
Physical therapists design activities and exercises to build
motor control and improve posture and balance.
Medications: Doctors often prescribe an antidepressant
medication to handle symptoms of anxiety, depression, or
obsessive-compulsive disorder. Anti-psychotic medications are
used to treat severe behavioral problems. Seizures can be
treated with one or more of the anticonvulsant drugs. Stimulant
drugs, such as those used for children with attention deficit
disorder (ADD), are sometimes used effectively to help decrease
impulsivity and hyperactivity.
Medications may include
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors a group of
antidepressents, to treat compulsive obsessive behaviour ,
anxiety and aggressive behaviour.
Tricyclics another group of antidepressents to treat
depression and compulsive behaviour.
Psychoactive or antipsychotic medications may decrease
hyperactivity.
Anti-anxiety drugs help relieve anxiousness and panic
disorders associated with autism.
|
|
Article Contributed By: Shaonli
Dasgupta
|
|
|
|
|
