Autism spectrum disorder is characterized by problems with social interaction and communication. It is a broad term that is used to describe a group of neurodevelopmental disorders. People with ASD may frequently show certain patterns in their behavior that are repetitive or restrictive.
Many individuals around the world, regardless of their background, culture, or race may have it. With all of that being said, there is more information that people are unfamiliar with when it comes to the Autism spectrum. This article will cover some of the things you should know about ASD.
What Is Autism?
Generally speaking, autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, is a developmental disability. It can affect someone’s capability to interact and communicate with others. Even so, it can look very different across the spectrum. There are individuals that have exceptional intelligence, while there are those that have some sort of intellectual difficulties. Some are not capable of communicating verbally while others are. As an example, Asperger syndrome is a disorder that is on the autism spectrum. It is considered “high functioning”. The reason is that people that have it do not show any notable difficulties with cognitive development or language. All individuals with ASD are unique and many of them can excel in different fields like music, academics, maths, art, and so on.
Symptoms
In the majority of the cases, autism symptoms may be evident in early childhood, usually between 12 to 24 months of age. Although, there are also cases when they have shown up later and even earlier. Those symptoms may include a delay in language or social development. Symptoms of autism are divided into two categories by DSM-5. The first one has to do with problems in communication and social interaction, while the second is about patterns, behaviors, and activities that are repetitive.
Problems with social interaction and communication would include difficulties in sharing emotions or interests or maintaining a conversation that is not one-sided. Another symptom would be connected with non-verbal communication like having trouble in maintaining eye contact and the inability to read the body language of others. It can be presented in child life early on, with the average age is between 3 and 6 years of age. Professionals from Aspergers Test Site have stated “If you believe your child exhibits any of these symptoms you should visit your pediatrician” which would be more than true. ASD should be identified as early as possible. It can have a significant impact on a child’s well-being as well as behavior. Not only in childhood, but later on in life. That is why it is recommended, in case you have children, you should discuss their development and potential risk for autism with their doctor.
Who Determines If a Child Is On Autism Spectrum?
When taking your child on a regular checkup, the doctor will perform screening in different areas. Those would be fields like motor development, social skills, language, and behavior. In a situation that they recognize something that is not as usual for the majority of children, you may be sent to a specialist that has experience in diagnosing ASD.
This is important to mention since people are usually not aware of what sort of procedure their child will undergo and which specialist they should visit in case such a situation befalls them. The most accurate diagnosis is going to be achieved by visiting these specialists:
- Developmental pediatrician
- Physical therapist
- Pediatric neurologist
- Psychiatrist or Psychologist for children
- Speech Therapist or Audiologist
Causes Of ASD
It is not known what is the exact cause of ASD. research so far, has shown that there is no single cause. There are certain factors to consider and that was found to indicate a possibility of autism. The possibility would increase when:
- One of the immediate family members has autism
- Influence of a genetic mutation
- The person has a genetic disorder like fragile X syndrome
- Having parents that are older
- The weight of the person was low when they were born
- Presence of metabolic imbalance
- Someone has a history of viral infections
- The fetus was exposed to medications like Thalomid or Depakene
- The exposure to environmental toxins and heavy metals was high
Both environmental and genetics can determine if a person can develop autism, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. There was a controversial claim in 1998 that has proposed a link between autism and the MMR vaccine. It was debunked in 2010 by other research and the theory was retracted.
ADS has no cure. Although, there are effective treatments that can assist those that have autism in having more productive and balanced lives. It would be wise to start treatments as early as the symptoms are noticed since the earlier someone is enrolled in these behavioral programs, the better the outlook will be. Keep in mind that autism is not simple, quite the opposite, it is complex, so it takes time for a person with ASD to find the proper program that is suited to their unique needs.
