Autism-Home-Page.com

Autism is an increasingly common but complex developmental disorder that affects a child’s ability to communicate and interact with others.   This disorder, sometimes called “classic Autism” appears the first three years of a child’s life.  Autism affects individuals differently and to varying degrees. There is no known cause for Autism but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the disease is prevalent in 1 in every 150 infants. Autism affects boys four times more likely than girls.

Early signs of Autism include impaired social interaction, nonverbal and verbal communication problems and unusual monotonous or severely limited activities and interest.  Children with Autism experience the world differently as its hard for them to communicate with other people and express themselves through words.  They usually keep to themselves as they cannot communicate without special help.

Autism statistics are very overwhelming as it has been dubbed by the CDC as the fastest growing developmental disability with an annual growth of 10-17 percent.   Children with autism do not “outgrow” the disorder, but studies show that early diagnosis and intervention lead to significantly improved outcomes.

Early identification of the signs of Autism can change and improve lives. At the center of Autism is impaired social interaction, hence parents can begin by paying attention to their infant’s behavior in social situations. Here are some signs of Autism:

• An infant with Autism may be socially unresponsive and focus on one item for long periods of time, even though there may be other objects within reach. A child with Autism may appear with their development on track but withdraw and become indifferent in social settings.
• Other signs of Autism include a failure to respond to their name when called. Most children with Autism start speaking later than the average child and usually refer to themselves by name instead of “I” or “me.”
• Children with Autism avoid eye contact with other people and have difficulty interpreting the feelings and thoughts of others. They have difficulty understanding social cues such as tone of voice, facial expressions and they lack empathy.
• Repetitive movements are another sign of Autism. These movements include rocking, twirling or self abusive behavior such as biting or head-banging.
• A child with autism does not know how to play or interact with other children. They have little regard for what the other person to whom they are speaking with is interested in as they have a narrow range of topics they like to engage in.
• Sensations can be an interesting thing for a child with Autism. They have a reduced sensitivity to pain and an increased sensitivity to other sensory stimulation, like hugging and cuddling, which they tend to resist.

Autism symptoms can improve with treatment and age, as some children grow up to lead normal or near-normal lives. Some children under the age of 3 whose language skills have regressed are at risk to develop epilepsy or seizure-like brain activity. Adolescence with Autism experience depression and behavioral problems. Parents need to be prepared to adjust treatment as their child’s needs change.

Researchers are not sure what causes Autism. They believe the disorder can be attributed to both genetics and environment.

Scientists have identified a number of genes associated with Autism. Several regions of the brain show irregularities in people affected with the disorder while other studies indicate abnormal levels of serotonin and other neurotransmitters. According to researchers, these abnormalities could be a result of a disruption in fetal brain development caused by defects in genes that control brain growth and regulate how neurons communicate with each other.

Some believe environmental factors such as unprecedented exposure to toxic substances and over vaccination of infants and young children are key factors in the cause of Autism. This has been a very controversial topic.

All the controversy surrounding the causes of Autism is preliminary and definitely require further study before any concrete determinations are made. There have been theories that parental practices are responsible for Autism, but these have been laid to rest.

Autism requires a very complicated diagnosis procedure. Doctors often begin with a questionnaire or other screening instruments that are used to gather information on the child’s development and behavior. Parents must work closely with doctors as they have the power of observation that maybe limited during screening. It’s the combination of parent and doctor observation that may indicate the possibility of autism. Once a child may be considered at risk, more comprehensive evaluation is then conducted.

The next level of comprehensive evaluation is very complex, as Autism is a very complex disorder. This next level requires a multidisciplinary team consisting of a psychologist, neurologist psychiatrist, speech therapist and other professionals who diagnose children with Autism Spectrum Disorder ASD. The patient undergoes a thorough neurological assessment, cognitive and language testing. Hearing is also tested as hearing disorders can be mistaken for Autism as with hearing problems speech is delayed. After a series of tests, the doctors meet with the parents to discuss the results.

Diagnosis of Autism may come in several different ways as Autism is one of five types of what is called Autism Spectrum Disorder. The other four are Asperger Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, Rett Syndrome and, Pervasive Developmental Disorder — not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS, including atypical autism).

Children with some symptoms of Autism, but not enough to be diagnosed with Classical Autism are often diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder or PDD-NOS. Children with autistic behaviors but well-developed language skills are often diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. Childhood Disintegrative Disorder is the diagnosis for children who develop normally and then suddenly deteriorate between the ages of 3 to 10 years and display marked autistic behaviors. Rett Syndrome, a sex-linked genetic disorder, is diagnosed in girls with autistic symptoms and can be characterized by social withdrawal, regressed language and handwriting skills.

Autism is one of five types of Autism Spectrum Disorder which are developmental brain disorders. These development disorders can be characterized by a limited range of activities and interests and impaired social interaction and communication skills. Other types of autism spectrum disorder include:

Asperger Syndrome
Unlike Autism, children with Asperger Syndrome retain their early language skills. Children with Asperger Syndrome are obsessive about a single object or topic and nothing else. They want to know everything about their topic of interest, limiting their conversation with others to nothing else. They become little professors with high levels of vocabulary and formal speech patterns on their area of expertise. Other characteristics of Asperger Syndrome include: repetitive routines or rituals, peculiarities in speech and language, limited social interaction, problems understanding nonverbal communication and clumsy and uncoordinated motor movements.

Rett Syndrome
A relatively rare condition, Rett Syndrome affects primarily females and occurs in1 in 10,000 to 15,000 people. It is characterized by impaired communication and social skills, restricted and repetitive behavior. Children who develop Rett syndrome develop normally for the first 6 to 18 months, after this period, the autism-like symptoms begin to appear. Mental and social development regresses with little or no response in social settings, talking stops, control of feet is lost and hand wringing begins. Rett Syndrome has symptoms that can be treated with physical, occupational and speech therapy. These can help with coordination, movement and speech. Researchers have discovered that a mutation in the sequence of a single gene can cause Rett Syndrome. This discovery brings doctors one step closer to helping slow or stop the progression of the syndrome. Further research may lead to better methods of screening for Rett Syndrome and better treatment of the disorder.

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
Two children per 100,000 diagnosed with ASD meet the criteria for Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, which makes it a very rare form of autism. This disorder is more common in males than in females and appears by age two, but the average onset is between ages three and four. Before the onset of the disorder, the child has ‘normal’ communication and social skills development. This period of normal development before the regression is what differentiates Childhood Disintegrative Disorder from Rett Syndrome. Diagnosis of Childhood Disintegrative Disorder is also accompanies by low IQ, seizures and loss of control of the bladder and bowels.

Pervasive Developmental Disorder — not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS, including atypical autism)
Pervasive developmental disorders are characterized by delays in the development of socialization and communication skills. Parents may note symptoms as early as infancy, although the typical age of onset is before a child is 3 years old. Children with PDD-NOS have repetitive body movements or behavior patterns, difficulty changing routine or familiar surroundings, problems with using and understanding language, difficulty relating to objects, people and events and unusually play patterns with toys and other objects. The abilities of children with Pervasive Developmental Disorder vary widely in abilities, intelligence and behavior. In some cases, children do not speak at all, while others speak in limited phrases or conversation, or some may have relatively normal language development. They also respond abnormally to sensory information such as noises and lights.

The question has been asked by many, is Autism a genetic disorder? Studies on Autism are relatively new, limited and ongoing. Recent studies on Autism strongly suggest that some individuals have genetic predisposition to Autism. Research has found that in families with one Autistic child, the risk of a second child being born with the disorder is increased to a 1 in 20 chance. Since the research is new, researchers are still looking for clues to which genes contribute to the increased susceptibility. It has been found that relatives and some parents of an Autistic child exhibit mild impairments in social and communicative skills or engage in repetitive behaviors. Evidence also suggests that some emotional disorders, such as manic depression, occur more frequently than average in the families of people with Autism.

Currently there is no cure for Autism only methods to improve the lives of people living with the disorder.  A team of experts such as doctors, therapists, special teachers and parents is needed to help children with Autism overcome the disorder so they can adjust to normal everyday life.  The earlier the disorder is detected the faster treatment can be started as in some cases significant improvements have been experienced.

The best treatment plan is one that coordinated therapies and interventions that target the main symptoms of Autism.  The main symptoms of Autism are impaired social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication issues, and repetitive and obsessive routines and interests. Therapists address the behavioral symptoms of Autism by using highly structured and intensive skill-oriented training sessions to help children develop social and language skills.

Children with Autism have different needs but the core need is communication and an all important first step. Therapists understand that children learn words better by seeing them, so using pictures or sign language maybe used to improve communication.  Children are also taught social skills like greeting people, following directions and waiting for a turn. Living skills such as brushing teeth and making the bed are also taught.  Some Medicine may be prescribed to help moods and behavior, but there is no medicine that makes Autism go away.

Medications that are prescribed for children with Autism are antidepressants that help handle symptoms of anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Some anti-psychotic medications are used, but only in cases with severe behavioral problems.  Some children with Autism suffer from seizures. These seizures may be treated with one or more 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.

Children with mild Autism can sometimes go to regular school, however this may not be the best environment to promote behavioral improvements. Children with Autism need a structured, calmer environment with professionals trained to understand the problems that have with communication and learning.

There are a number of very controversial forms of treatment for Autistic children.  Few of these treatments are supported by scientific studies. Parents are urged to use caution before adopting any of these treatments. Always consult your child’s physician before starting any new treatments.