Causes and Treatment of Autism: A Childhood Developmental Disorder

Have you ever seen the movie Rain Man? In this movie, Tom Cruise plays a car dealer who travels back to his hometown after his father died. He later finds out that his father left a large sum of money to his autistic brother Raymond. He had been put in an institution after his mother died because there was a fear that he would accidentally hurt someone or himself. In this movie, Raymond exhibited many of the signs and symptoms of autism. The car dealer (Cruise) and his brother Raymond go on a car trip across the country together and they form a truly strong bond with each other. This movie really opened up my eyes to the subject of autism. Has anyone in your family ever suffered autism? Is so, you probably already know a lot about this disorder. If not, well, this article should help you uncover some of the mysteries.

What are the Causes of Autism?

So what is the exact cause of autism? I would be lying if I said that we knew the exact cause. As a matter of fact, medical professionals have yet to determine the exact causes of autism. The fact of the matter is that there may not just be one single cause. According to WebMD, many possible contributors to the development of autism include heredity, certain kinds of infections, and problems during birth.

So exactly how may heredity play into the development of autism? According to WebMD, certain studies have shown that parents may pass on genes to their children that make them more susceptible to autism. Researchers do not yet know which genes make contribute to the vulnerability. Another theory is that the body may produce antibodies that are not needed and these antibodies may attack the child's brain. Yet another theory is that the timing of the growth of the child's brain is abnormal. It will probably take some time before we truly know what the cause or causes of autism is.

There has been some discussion and controversy over whether or not certain childhood vaccines contribute to the development of autism. According to WedMD, there is no hard evidence that shows this to be true. It has been noted that the vaccines contain a certain amount of mercury (a very toxic element), but it has been said that the amounts are too small to cause any serious problems. I will say that the benefits of getting a vaccine definitely outweigh the bad.

Treatment of Autism

As far as the treatment of autism goes, there is no cure. However, specialists can put them through educational and social skills training. There is even behavioral and medication therapies. As long as the treatment is started early, people with this disorder can live happy and healthy lives. Generally, the treatments for different types of autism are fairly similar. According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, there are three ways to treat the symptoms of autism. There is behavioral therapy, educational and school based options, and of course medication.

Behavioral therapy includes behavior management therapy. It helps to reinforce the wanted behaviors and reduce unwanted behaviors. Also, speech-language therapists help the children to better communicate and interact with others. Physical therapists may be needed to help the child strengthen and improve their motor skills.

Next, there is the treatment in school. A team of people work with the child all the way through their schooling years. These people include the parents, teachers, caregivers, school psychologists, and others who work in child development. They put together an educational plan that seems to best fit the child.

Finally, there is the medicinal approach. As of right now, there are no FDA approved medications that are used to treat the autism itself. Even so, there are certain medications that help control some of the symptoms to a certain extent. Some of these drugs include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclics, psychoactive-anti-psychotics, stimulants, and anti-anxiety drugs. Keep in mind that, like many drugs, there is the chance that the person taking the medications may experience mild to serious side effects.

Sources:

"Autism Spectrum Disorders." National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

"Autism Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, and More." WebMD.