Autism: Symptoms and Treatment

What is autism?

Recognized as the most common in a group of developmental disorders, known as the Autism Spectrum Disorders(ASD's), is autism, also known as ' Classical Autism '. Those who suffer from autism encounter problems with verbal and non-verbal communication, impaired social interaction, as well as unusual and repetitive physical actions and have severely limited activities and interests. It is estimated that 3 - 6 out of every 1000 children will be affected by autism, and males are four times more likely than females to acquire this disorder.

Symptoms of autism

The main characteristic of autism is impaired social interaction, and is usually first noticed by parents at a young age, as early as infancy. Some signs indicating possible autism are the intense focusing by a baby on one item for a long period of time, or the baby being unresponsive to people.

There are three distinctive behaviors of those with autism. These are categorized under social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, and repetitive, obsessive or narrow-minded behaviors.

As an autistic child grows older, they will begin to display other signs, such as failing to respond to their name, avoiding eye contact, and difficulty understanding other peoples emotions or feelings. A lot of this is due to their lack of understanding social indicators such as facial expressions and voices.

Many autistic sufferers will engage in repetitive movements; rocking and twirling, self-abusive behavior; biting and head banging, and often refer to themselves by their own name instead of "I" or "me".They may also have a heightened sensitivity to touch and sound, but have reduced sensitivity to physical pain. They are also at a higher than normal risk for co-existing conditions including Tuberous Sclerosis, Tourette Syndrome, mental retardation, ADD, and epileptic seizures, of which 20 - 30% will develop by adulthood.

Diagnosis

Because of large variations of severity and symptoms within autism, doctors rely on a core group of behaviors in order to diagnose possible autism. Listed below are these groups of behaviors:-absence or impairment of social play or imagination
-preoccupation with particular subjects or objects
-inability to adhere to routines
-impaired ability to make friends
-impaired ability to initiate or sustain conversation

Based on presence and severity levels of these behaviors, doctors can analyze results and initiate treatment.

Treatments

There is no known cure for autism, but substantial improvement in behaviors can be obtained through specific symptom-related behavior and therapeutic intervention. The sooner the intervention, the better.

The ideal treatment plan will consist of precise coordination of interventions and therapy aimed at the three distinctive behaviors mentioned earlier. As well as therapeutic treatment, also available, solely, or combined with, are medicinal aids.

There are two main types of treatment for autism:

Educational/Behavioral Intervention - Therapists help the individual develop social and language skills by use of highly structured and skill-oriented training sessions. There is also a focus on on family counseling, including parents and siblings of the child, in helping to cope with living with an autistic child.

Medications - To handle symptoms of anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorders, doctors usually prescribe anti-depressant medications. For severe behavioral problems, anti-psychotic medications are prescribed, and for those who experience seizures, anti-convulsant medications are prescribed. Some autism patients with impulse and hyperactivity disorders are prescribed some of the same stimulant medications as taken by those with Attention Deficit Disorder.

There are a few unconventional and experimental methods of intervention therapy, but these are not supported scientifically, so caution and professional opinion is urged before trying these.

Currently ,The National Institute of Neurological Disorders(NINDS), one the federal governments leading supporters of biomedical research on neurological disorders, has an extensive program aiding in the treatment of autism. Although there is no cure, as research continues and develops, those who suffer from autism and their families can expect easier adaptation to this disorder in the future.

*National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke*