Autism is a developmental disorder that is characterized by difficulties in social interactions and complexities in non-verbal and verbal communication.
Further, individuals on the spectrum are prone to repetitive and restricted behaviors.
When are the Symptoms Detected?
Often, signs are detected during the first 24 months of the child’s life. Further, these signs are seen to develop progressively and at times autistic children are seen to reach the milestones at a gradual pace.
An early diagnosis is always recommended to help children diagnosed with the disorder.
What Causes Autism?
The disorder is often seen to be a combination of various environmental and genetic factors. Some cases have seen a strong association to pregnancy-related infections while on the other hand overuse of cocaine or alcohol by mothers is seen to trigger the symptoms in their newborns.
Every individual with autism is unique and each case has to be treated on an individual basis. It is often said, no two individuals can have similar symptoms of autism.
The causes of the disorder are seen to be surrounded with many controversies, for instance, vaccinations. However, the vaccination theory stands disproven.
The disorder is not caused by any single symptom neither is there any specified autism symptoms checklist. Multitudes of factors are seen to play a role in triggering the condition.
What are the affects of disorder?
The condition is seen to affect information processing ability in the brain of an individual in question by altering their nerve cells. However, the reason behind the modifications of cells is not completely understood.
The common symptoms of the disorder are
- Impaired Social Interactions
- Impaired Communication ability
- Repetitive Behaviors
- Restricted Interests
How can earlier interventions help children with autism?
Early interventions such as behavioral and speech intervention can help autistic children gain necessary communication and social skills.
It should be noted; although there has not been any cure for autism, there have been instances where children were able to integrate well into the society by timely and necessary interventions in place.
There have been multiple debates whether being autistic has to be accepted as a unique gift or it has to be treated as a disorder.
Autism has been estimated to affect millions of people globally. In the USA, one in every 68 children is seen to be autistic.
Boys are seen to be 4 times more likely affected in comparison to girls.
The researchers have attributed the increased detection and diagnosis of autism cases to advanced medical practices.
At times, autistic people are seen to superior in some aspects. The symptoms are believed to gradually develop past the age of 6 months.
The disorder is seen to continue into adulthood.
Other Symptoms
Individuals diagnosed with autism may show other symptoms which are often seen to be independent of the underlying diagnosis.
Unusual eating behaviors occur in some autistic children. However, malnutrition can be prevented with earlier interventions.
Few individuals with autism showcase superior developments in their perceptive and attentive skills.