04/02/2019
☘️World Autism Awareness Day☘️
🍃What is autism?
Autism spectrum disorder is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs a child's ability to communicate and interact with others. It also includes restricted repetitive behaviors, interests and activities. These issues cause significant impairment in social, occupational and other areas of functioning.
There is no cure for autism, but early, intensive interventions can make a big difference in the lives of many children and their families.
🍃Symptoms
Some children show signs of autism spectrum disorder in early infancy, such as reduced eye contact, lack of response to their name or indifference to caregivers. Other children may develop normally for the first few months or years of life, but then suddenly become withdrawn or aggressive or lose language skills they've already acquired. Signs usually are seen by age 2 years.
Some children with autism spectrum disorder have difficulty learning, and some have signs of lower than normal intelligence. Other children with the disorder have normal to high intelligence — they learn quickly, yet have trouble communicating and applying what they know in everyday life and adjusting to social situations.
🍃Causes
Autism spectrum disorder has no single known cause. Given the complexity of the disorder, and the fact that symptoms and severity vary, there are probably many causes. Both genetics and environment may play a role.
🌱Genetics. Several different genes appear to be involved in autism spectrum disorder. For some children, autism spectrum disorder can be associated with a genetic disorder, such as Rett syndrome or fragile X syndrome. For other children, genetic changes (mutations) may increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder. Still other genes may affect brain development or the way that brain cells communicate, or they may determine the severity of symptoms. Some genetic mutations seem to be inherited, while others occur spontaneously.
🌱Environmental factors. Researchers are currently exploring whether factors such as viral infections, medications or complications during pregnancy, or air pollutants play a role in triggering autism spectrum disorder.
🍃Social communication and interaction
A child or adult with autism spectrum disorder may have problems with social interaction and communication skills, including any of these signs:
🔸Fails to respond to his or her name or appears not to hear you at times.
🔸Resists cuddling and holding, and seems to prefer playing alone, retreating into his or her own world.
🔸Has poor eye contact and lacks facial expression.
🔸Doesn't speak or has delayed speech, or loses previous ability to say words or sentences.
🔸Can't start a conversation or keep one going, or only starts one to make requests or label items.
🍃Patterns of behavior
A child or adult with autism spectrum disorder may have limited, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities, including any of these signs:
🔸Performs repetitive movements, such as rocking, spinning or hand flapping.
🔸Performs activities that could cause self-harm, such as biting or head-banging.
🔸Develops specific routines or rituals and becomes disturbed at the slightest change.
🔸Has problems with coordination or has odd movement patterns, such as clumsiness or walking on toes, and has odd, stiff or exaggerated body language.
🔸Is fascinated by details of an object, such as the spinning wheels of a toy car, but doesn't understand the overall purpose or function of the object.
🍃Prevention
There's no way to prevent autism spectrum disorder, but there are treatment options. Early diagnosis and intervention is most helpful and can improve behavior, skills and language development. However, intervention is helpful at any age. Though children usually don't outgrow autism spectrum disorder symptoms, they may learn to function well.
🍃Complications
Problems with social interactions, communication and behavior can lead to:
🔸Problems in school and with successful learning
🔸Employment problems
🔸Inability to live independently
🔸Social isolation
🔸Stress within the family
🔸Victimization and being bullied
🍃When to see a doctor
Babies develop at their own pace, and many don't follow exact timelines found in some parenting books. But children with autism spectrum disorder usually show some signs of delayed development before age 2 years.
If you're concerned about your child's development or you suspect that your child may have autism spectrum disorder, discuss your concerns with your doctor. The symptoms associated with the disorder can also be linked with other developmental disorders.
Signs of autism spectrum disorder often appear early in development when there are obvious delays in language skills and social interactions. Your doctor may recommend developmental tests to identify if your child has delays in cognitive, language and social skills, if your child:
🔸Doesn't respond with a smile or happy expression by 6 months.
🔸Doesn't mimic sounds or facial expressions by 9 months.
🔸Doesn't babble or coo by 12 months.
🔸Doesn't gesture — such as point or wave — by 14 months.
🔸Doesn't say single words by 16 months.
🔸Doesn't play "make-believe" or pretend by 18 months.
🔸Doesn't say two-word phrases by 24 months.
🔸Loses language skills or social skills at any age.
