What is Autism?
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder which effects normal functioning of the brain and results in impaired communication skills, restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests or activities. The symptoms are usually recognized within two years of birth.
What is ASD?
ASD stands for Autism Spectrum Disorder or Autistic Spectrum Disorder. The term ADS includes a wide range of developmental disorders which are caused by abnormalities in brain. ASD or Autism is a wide spectrum disorder which means no two individuals with autism will have the same set of symptoms. The severity of symptoms also varies from person to person. ASD include three types of developmental disorders
- Autism
- Asperger Syndrome
- Pervasive Developmental Disorder -Not Otherwise Specified PDD.-NOS
Signs and Symptoms of Autisms
No two individuals suffering from ASD have exactly same symptoms. The set of presenting symptoms vary in severity of presentation or the symptoms themselves vary. Thus, homeopathy can be a great help in improving the life of the patient.
Repetitive pattern of behaviour
Autism seems to have an elevated pattern of repetitive behaviour. Repetitively stacking or lining up objects is associated with autism. Going through the same activity or motion or routine is their way of life. People with autism find it difficult to cope up with changes.
Social skills- People suffering from ASD seem socially clumsy, they make less eye contact. People with ASD may not understand the cues that normal people give each other while interacting. At Many instances they want to interact but due to their restricted ability cannot do so. Although by understanding the people with ASD and giving proper training these skills can be improved.
Empathy
It is harder for a person with autism to understand the feelings of other people. They may not be able to instinctively empathize with the feelings of others.
Speech
The severity of autism is directly proportional to problems in communication skills. Many patients suffering from autism repeat the words and phrases that they heard. This is called echolalia. Alterations in speech are seen from one year, it includes delayed onset of babbling, unusual gestures, diminished responsiveness, and vocal patterns that are not synchronized with the caregiver.
Physical tics
Tic means difficult jerky movement. Physical tics are common in people with autism. Some of them are able to control tics after exercise and others cannot.
Co-occuring symptoms
ASD people may have some associated features like Tourette syndrome, learning disabilities, and attention deficit disorder, Fragile X syndrome (which causes intellectual disability), tuberous sclerosis. Many individuals with autism develop epilepsy as they reach adulthood.
Unpredictable learning- Individuals with ASD show unusual abilities. Sensory abnormalities are found in over 90% of those with autism. Many individuals with ASD show superior skills in perception and attention, relative to the general population.
How is ASD diagnosed?
Diagnosis of autism is based on behavior, not cause or mechanism. Specially trained physicians and psychologists administer autism-specific behavioral evaluations because there are no medical tests. Usually parents are the first one to notice abnormal behavioural pattern like the child not making eye contact, repetitive pattern in behaviour and other symptoms. At many instances clinicians feel that milestones are delayed instead of autism. If any confusion of this sort persists, the child should be evaluated further.
Usually two modules are used for diagnosis of autism. One is concerned with interview of parents called the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) .The second part includes observation and interaction with the child called the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) uses observation and interaction with the child. Autism can be diagnosed as early as fourteen months and at any later age.
High Functioning Autism
HFA applies to autistic people with an IQ of more than 70 that is individuals with cognitively higher functioning as compared to other people with autism. High Functioning Autism needs to be differentiated from Asperger Syndrome. The basic criteria for diagnosing HFA is a significant delay in the development of early speech and language skills before the age of 3 years. Studies suggest that individuals with High Functioning Autism have criminal behaviour. Other conditions that may be associated with HFA are ADHD, Tourette syndrome are depression, bipolar disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). There is no single accepted standard diagnostic measure for HFA, one of the most commonly used tools for early detection is the Social Communication Questionnaire.
Screening of Autism
Parents mostly notice the abnormal behaviour of their child by eighteen months. . Failure to meet any of the following milestones "is an absolute indication to proceed with further evaluations:
- No babbling by 12 months.
- No gesturing (pointing, waving, etc.) by 12 months.
- No single words by 16 months.
- No two-word (spontaneous, not just echolalic) phrases by 24 months.
- Any loss of any language or social skills, at any age.
There are many interview based clinical tests to screen individuals for ASD.
Management of Autism:
Autism or autism spectrum disorder has a wide range of symptoms, as discussed the symptoms vary from individual to individual. Homeopathic remedies can be helpful in improving the life of patients. In few cases it may even remove or minimise the symptoms if psychotherapy, family support and medicines are combined. A range of specialist education and behavioural programs (often referred to as interventions) can be effective in improving the skills of children with ASD.