Autism: A Brief Overview
Autism has affected more than 1.5 children in the USA. It is a
lifelong condition for which there is no cure.
What is Autism? Autism is a disorder caused in children during
the first three years of their life. Autism is essentially a
brain disorder. It affects the normal functioning of the brain.
Autism is characterized by a disability in a child's verbal and
non-verbal communication. A child with autism suffers from
mental retardation, stereotyped activities and impaired
learning. The child also suffers from restrained social
interactions and pursuits of individualistic interests and
hobbies.
What causes Autism? Despite the fact that autism is such a life
impairing disorder, researchers have not detected its common
cause. Several studies indicate that it is caused due to
abnormalities in the brain's structure and working. This fact
has been supported by various brain scan comparisons. The
comparisons showed that an autistic child's brain shape and
structure differs from that of a normal child.
Genes are also considered as a cause of autism. Genetics play an
important role in a person's lifestyle and behavior. A child can
suffer from autism if he has a family history of autism or other
disabilities. 1 out of every 500 children is believed to develop
autism on a genetic basis. Even if one child in the family
suffers from autism, the chances of autism increase in the other
children up to 20 percent.
Prenatal infection with viruses such as cytomegalovirus (CMV)
and rubella can also result in the development of autism in a
child. If the pregnant mother has not built up immunity against
this virus, it can cause autism in the new-born child.
Autism can also develop in individuals suffering from medical
conditions like Fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis and
undiagnosed phenylketonuria (PKU). Developmental brain
abnormalities like macrocephaly, cerebral dysgenesis and
microcephaly can also cause autism. Neurological disorders like
bacterial meningitis and lead encephalopathy which are acquired
after the birth can also lead to autism.
Features of a child suffering from autism Autism is known to
affect three prime areas of a child's life- verbal and
non-verbal communication, creative mind play and social
interaction. A child's ability in these three areas is impaired.
The severity varies from individual to individual.
One of the prime symptoms of autism is impaired social
interaction. A child suffering from autism fails to respond to
his name. The child avoids looking at other people and their
activities. A child would remain passive to various tones of
voice. He would remain blank about facial expressions and would
not react to emotions of people. He is completely oblivious of
what others feel for him, and what impact he is leaving on
people.
A child suffering from autism tends to engage himself in
repetitive activities like biting, rocking, hair twirling and
even head banging. Autistic children refer to themselves by
their names instead of 'I' or 'me'. They also tend to speak
quite late compared to other children.
An autistic child shows unusual responses towards touch, sound
or any other sensory stimulation. He might show decreased
reaction and sensitivity towards injury or pain. He might react
against being cuddled and other activities.
A child suffering from autism shows impaired learning. He finds
it difficult to adjust himself to a daily give and take routine.
He would avoid making eye contact with almost everyone. He
spends his time in solitude and offers resistance to being
kissed and hugged. He doesn't even react in the absence of
parents. He tends to takes longer time in interpreting and
understanding things.
As they grow, autistic children can become aggressive and show a
tendency to harm others. They become increasingly frustrated and
may even harm themselves. Children might also develop a
condition known as echolalia. In this condition they only learn
things by parroting what they hear.
A child suffering from autism also suffers from a lack of
creativity. He might simply gaze at a new object or toy, or hold
it. He would not play or experiment with it, like normal
children.
Treatment There is no specific medication that can be given in
the treatment of autism. Treatment differs according to the
severity of the impairment in a child. If you feel your child
displays signs of autism a specialist should be consulted
immediately for diagnosis and also to suggest what treatment can
be given.