Autism Spectrum Disorder: What is it and how to understand it?
Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how a person communicates, learns, thinks, behaves and interacts with others.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how a person communicates, learns, thinks, behaves and interacts with others. The person lives with this condition throughout his life, but some treatments may be sufficient for them to continue their lives without any problems, or some people may not experience any problems.
What is Autism?
Autism is a disorder of neurobiological development that lasts throughout a person’s life. Some people with autism never learn to talk. Depending on their specific strengths and weaknesses, people with autism spectrum disorder may have mild symptoms or more severe symptoms. Despite the variety of symptoms, most children with autism spectrum disorder are very intelligent, and even those with severe symptoms can learn to read, write, speak, and do math at a high level. Individuals with autism may exhibit a range of symptoms such as:
- decreased eye contact
- Differences in body language
- Lack of facial expressions
- Not participating in creative games
- Repeating movements and sounds
Some people with autism spectrum disorder may not have any of these symptoms. At the same time, these symptoms do not always mean that the person has autism spectrum disorder. People with autism often have socialization problems. These problems develop due to impairments in communication, learning and thinking skills.
What Causes Autism?
People of all ages, genders and races can have autism. It is not known exactly which condition causes autism. But when some genes and gene products do not work properly, the symptoms of autism may increase. There are many different factors that can increase the likelihood of a child having autism spectrum disorder, including environmental, biological and genetic factors. Risk factors that cause autism spectrum disorder include:
- Family history of autism spectrum disorder
- Fragile X syndrome
- tuberous sclerosis
- Genetic and chromosomal disorders
- Experiencing complications at birth
- late birth
How to Diagnose Autism?
Autism spectrum disorder is not a condition that can be diagnosed with blood tests or genetic tests. If parents are concerned about this, they should ask their pediatrician for an autism screening. Although in rare cases, individuals with autism may reach adulthood before being diagnosed, diagnosis is usually reached before they reach the age of 8.
Pediatricians are the first step in the autism diagnosis process. A variety of questions are asked about family history, the child’s development and behavior. If the child shows developmental problems or the doctor has concerns, the family is referred to a specialist for further testing. If the child needs further testing, the child psychologist, speech-language pathologist, and therapist may work together. This evaluation is usually to check for factors such as the child’s cognitive level, language skills, and other life skills such as eating, dressing, and going to the toilet.
Repetitive behaviors are common in children with autism spectrum disorder and may be one of the first symptoms. During these checks, tests containing criteria that facilitate the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder may be applied. Frequently used DSM-5 criteria divide symptoms into two categories. When symptoms are identified in both categories, they can be considered sufficient for diagnosis. The most common conditions in children with suspected autism spectrum disorder are:
- Lack of awareness of the presence or feelings of others
- Problems making friends with peers
- Stereotyped and repetitive body movements
- Constant preoccupation with parts of objects
- Difficulties with attention and motivation
- Some children with autism cannot speak until they are about 12 months old
- Avoiding physical contact
The Importance of Early Diagnosis in Autism
Medical tests are not available to diagnose autism spectrum disorder, which can cause delays. It is important for families to closely monitor their children’s behavior to avoid delays in diagnosis. If it is not noticed, the diagnosis may not be made until adulthood. This delay means people with autism spectrum disorders do not get the help they need early on. The younger the children, the more open they are to being educated. This provides a more suitable basis for adapting to life changes more easily.
Giving treatment to children with autism while they are younger may make it easier to implement new behaviors, help alleviate harmful behaviors, and help them adapt to lifestyle changes. At the same time, as children develop, it becomes easier for them to overcome the difficulties they may encounter. The earlier a child receives intervention for autism spectrum disorder, the better his or her chances of developing new skills and reducing symptoms. Every child on the autism spectrum has unique strengths and challenges. Some children have only mild impairments, while others have more hurdles to overcome.
What are the symptoms that occur with autism?
Autism is a spectrum disorder, which means people can experience a wide range of autism symptoms and varying degrees of severity. When a person has two or more disorders, these conditions are known as comorbidities. Various comorbidities are common in people with autism. These:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Epilepsy
- digestive system problems
- immune dysfunction
- metabolic disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Situations such as screaming, crying and attacking
- Trying to harm themselves
- repetitive behaviors
- Insomnia
- Irritability
Diagnosing and identifying these conditions can help prevent complications and improve quality of life for individuals with autism. Symptoms typically become apparent in early childhood, between 12 and 24 months of age. However, symptoms may appear earlier or later. Undiagnosed people may have difficulty speaking or have very limited speaking skills as they get older. Difficulties with communication can continue throughout adulthood. Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder; This means that a child is not developing as expected. Therefore, there are very few noticeable signs of autism in newborns. But symptoms usually become clear by age two or three. People with autism spectrum disorder may exhibit behaviors that put themselves at risk, cause difficulties for people around them, or are socially unacceptable.
Autism Treatment
Autism is a lifelong condition, and a wide range of treatments can help support people with autism spectrum disorder. Early intervention gives the best results. The aim of the treatments is to enable the person to live his daily life without any problems. Autism spectrum disorder affects each person differently, so they may all need different treatments. Treatment plans often involve more than one specialist and are tailored to the individual. Speech-language therapists can help people with autism improve their speech and language skills, as well as improve their overall ability to communicate and interact effectively with others. Drug treatments can also be applied to relieve problems such as depression, insomnia or difficulty focusing in some people. Children with autism spectrum disorder may also have thinner bones. Therefore, a nutrition plan that supports bones may also be recommended. Although treatment may improve some outward symptoms, people with autism always perceive sensations such as sound, sight, touch, and smell differently.
Autism is a lifelong condition, and symptoms of autism may first appear when a child is very young. Autism cannot be cured, but supportive treatments can help improve a person’s life. For this reason, it is important for people who think their child has autism spectrum disorder to apply to a health institution for early intervention.
