Autism, scientifically known as Autism Spectrum Disorder, is a syndrome characterized by problems in communication, socialization and behavior, usually diagnosed between 2 and 3 years of age.
This syndrome causes the child to present some specific characteristics, such as difficulty speaking and expressing ideas and feelings, malaise among others and little visual contact, in addition to repetitive patterns and stereotyped movements, such as sitting for a long time swaying the body forward and backward.
Thus, they are symptoms and characteristics of autism:
- Difficulty in social interaction, such as eye contact, facial expression, gestures, difficulty making friends, difficulty expressing emotions;
- Communication impairment, such as difficulty initiating or maintaining a conversation, repetitive use of language;
- Behavioral changes such as not knowing how to play pretend, repetitive patterns of behavior, having many "hobbies" and intense interest in something specific, such as the wing of an airplane, for example.
These signs and symptoms range from mild, which may even go unnoticed, but may also be moderate to severe, which greatly interfere with the child's behavior and communication. To know how to identify the main symptoms of an autistic, check out autism symptoms.
What causes autism?
Any child can develop autism, and its causes are still unknown, although more and more research is being developed to find out.
Some studies may already point to probable genetic factors, which may be hereditary, but it is also possible that environmental factors such as infection by certain viruses, consumption of food types or contact with intoxicants such as lead and mercury, for example, can have a great effect on the development of the disease. Some of the main possible causes include:
- Deficiency and cognitive abnormality of genetic and hereditary cause, because it was observed that some autistics present larger and heavier brains and that the nervous connection between their cells was deficient;
- Environmental factors, such as the family environment, complications during pregnancy or childbirth;
- Biochemical changes in the body characterized by excess serotonin in the blood;
- Chromosomal abnormality evidenced by the disappearance or duplication of chromosome 16.
In addition, there are studies that point to some vaccines or to the over-replacement of folic acid during pregnancy, but there are no definitive conclusions about these possibilities yet, and further research needs to be done to clarify this issue.
How to confirm
The diagnosis of autism is made by the pediatrician or psychiatrist, through the observation of the child and the performance of some diagnostic tests, between 2 and 3 years of age.
It can be confirmed from autism, when the child presents features of the 3 areas that are affected in this syndrome: social interaction, behavioral change and communication failures. It is not necessary to present an extensive list of symptoms for the doctor to arrive at the diagnosis, because this syndrome manifests itself in different degrees and, therefore, the child can be diagnosed with mild autism, for example. Check out the signs of mild autism.
Thus, autism can sometimes be almost imperceptible and can be confused with shyness, lack of attention or eccentricity, as in the case of Asperger's syndrome and high-functioning autism, for example. Therefore, the diagnosis of autism is not simple, and in case of suspicion it is important to go to the doctor so that he or she is able to evaluate the development and behavior of the child, being able to indicate what it has and how to treat it.
Are there different types of autistic?
There are different types of autistic, and the form of presentation or the "autistic spectrum" is variable. Some patients have severe and mild impairment, such as high functioning autism. In the latter case the individual can be very intelligent and develop sophisticated software or have extreme ease for some specific activity, such as the mathematics like the American who inspired the movie "Rain Man", for example.
Some books that talk about this syndrome are: "The strange case of the dead dog", Ed. Record, and "An Anthropologist in mars", of the Company of Letters. These are often good readings for parents of children diagnosed with autism because they help understand the syndrome and how it can help your child.
How to treat
Treatment will depend on the type of autism that the child has and on his degree of impairment, but can be done with:
- Use of medications prescribed by the physician;
- Phonoaudiology sessions to improve speech and communication;
- Behavioral therapy to facilitate daily activities;
- Group therapy to improve the socialization of the child.
Although autism has no cure, treatment, when done properly, can make it easier to care for the child, making the life of the parents a little easier. In milder cases, ingestion of medications is not always necessary and the child can lead a life very close to normal, being able to study and work without restrictions. Check out more details and options for autism treatment.
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