Increasingly, one can hear about the manifestations of autism in people of different ages, but many people get acquainted with the peculiarities of this disorder only when diagnosing the problem with their relatives, acquaintances, or themselves. What is an ailment? Features and symptoms of autism, as well as types, causes and treatment, we will consider in the article.
Definition
Autism is a certain state of the human nervous system that accompanies it throughout life. The problem can manifest itself in different ways, depending on the age and degree of adaptation of the patient to the world and society.
Common features of autists are the preference for loneliness over human communication, a violation of the emotional spectrum and an incorrect perception of reality. So what is autism? It turns out that this is the definition of pathology associated with communication difficulties. They are often caused by the inability to express their own emotions and a lack of understanding of the behavior of other people. Often the problem of autism entails speech impairment and a decrease in intelligence.
Reasons for the appearance
A violation in communication and perception of the surrounding world occurs due to the lack of coordinated work of individual parts of the brain, but what exactly causes this problem is not known for certain. Experts believe that the most common cause of autism (signs and symptoms of the disorder will be discussed below) is a hereditary disorder in the formation and development of the brain. Interestingly, but parents may not have any manifestations of the disease at all. If one of the parents has such a diagnosis, then the probability of having a baby with a pathology increases.
An increased concentration of testosterone in an infant during fetal development, according to some reports, may also cause a neurological disorder in the future.
Disorders in the development of the amygdala are observed in absolutely all autists, because this body is responsible for emotions and communication, so its developmental defects can also lead to a disorder.
It is also noted that at the age of 3 years, the brain of children with a diagnosis of autism is always larger than their healthy peers, therefore, stopping the growth of an organ can theoretically prevent the development of a disorder.
Among less popular theories, there are speculations about the dependence of the disease on the amount of heavy metals, nutrients, chemical and biological balance, some vaccines, and even the view that frequent rainy weather leads to disturbance of the emotional state. The most likely factors for the manifestation of the disorder is considered a combination of several possible causes, but to date, none of the theories has received confirmation.
How common is the disorder?
According to official statistics, one out of a thousand children is diagnosed with autism, but many parents simply do not seek the help of specialists with the characteristic behavior of their children, attributing this to character traits. It should also be borne in mind that the pathology has many variations, some of which are very difficult to diagnose even to experienced doctors. Thus, the actual number of autistic individuals can vary greatly.
Who is autistic? This is most often a boy suffering from problems in communication and perception of the outside world, since, according to the same statistics, girls have a 4 times lower risk of such a violation.
Symptoms of pathology
Some characteristic definition of the signs of the disease simply does not exist, because depending on the age and degree of violation of the nervous system in each person, the violation can manifest itself in its own way. Among all this, one can single out only common characteristic features that manifest themselves in each in an individual set:
- Violation of social interaction. This problem is most common for autistic people and is found in almost everyone with varying degrees of difficulty. People with a similar disorder find it difficult to establish contact with others, since in most cases they themselves do not want to. Children do not seek to play with their peers, avoid direct eye contact, and adults do not remember faces well and recognize emotions. Attachment can only develop to things, pets or to very close people who care about autism.
- The second characteristic sign of a patient with autism is a looping behavior. The interest of such people is determined by only one thing throughout their life, and they are not going to change it. Stability in general is very important in absolutely everything. Monotonous daily rituals of everyday life and form a comfortable autistic environment. This applies to a certain sequence of actions, the same breakfast products or the same walking routes. Any change knocks out the usual rhythm of life, even if it is just a rearrangement of furniture. Compulsive behavior, which is also a manifestation of cyclicity, can also be attributed to this. It differs from everyday rituals in that it does not bear any practical benefit. The patient can simply regularly put out books in a certain order or always store dishes in strict sequence. The implementation of such an action is a certain dependence, and if the autist does not do it, he will be constantly in a nervous state.
- Autism syndrome manifests itself and a violation of the sensory perception of the world. This may be weak or, conversely, a pronounced sensitivity of one of the senses or several. Hearing difficulties are most often encountered, so people with pathology do not recognize individual sounds or, conversely, hear absolutely everything around them and cannot concentrate, constantly being in discomfort. Visual impairment is manifested by problems with the perception of space, image distortion, the ability to focus only on parts of the subject, and so on. With insufficient tactile sensitivity, patients often injure themselves, taking pleasure in strong pressure on the skin. Hypersensitivity leads to the avoidance of any contact with people and the careful selection of clothing. Taste buds can be disrupted in a similar way. With a lack of perception, eating inedible objects and a preference for spicy foods are observed. Hypersensitivity leads to a careful selection of food and the preference of certain dishes.
- Often autism (what it is, described above) is manifested by a violation of the vestibular apparatus, so people with this diagnosis prefer quiet exercise and rarely play sports. To improve control over the body they help those same movements. That is why one can understand why autists do not like change. Very rare, but characteristic only for this diagnosis is a syndrome of substitution of feelings, called "synesthesia". It is manifested by the ability of patients to “see” the wind, “hear” taste or “feel” music.
Pathology does not have physiological manifestations, but patients often have a violation of the pancreas, intestines and immunity. This is associated with insufficient development of the body, a detached lifestyle and a limited diet of people with autism. Who are autistic people can be found in general from the article or by the specific definition given above.
Diagnosing a problem
According to many experts, autism is not a disease, but a violation of the development of the nervous system, which cannot be completely eliminated. With timely diagnosis, it is only possible to carry out correction of human behavior with pathology as efficiently as possible, which is already very good.
So, since the violation is considered congenital, then you can notice its first signs already in the first months of the baby's life. Specialists, of course, recommend testing at the age of 1.5-2 years, and children get confirmation of early autism at 2-3 years, when their communication problems and speech impairment become most noticeable. There are cases when, until school age, the baby has an absolutely normal development and does not show any signs of pathology, and after 5 years it changes completely. In these children, intelligence is preserved to a greater extent, as is social communication.
A complete and accurate diagnosis of autism can only be done by a specialist. Existing tests of IQ and secondary cognitive impairment are not able to give an accurate result. Only after talking and observing the patient’s behavior, the doctor can highlight certain features and make a diagnosis.
Adult autism
About 1% of adults are people with autism. Those who have such acquaintances know that depending on the form of the disorder and the correctness of its correction, patients may practically not differ from ordinary people. Partially adapted autists even go to work, but only to the one that requires the same type of action and will fit into their usual rhythm of life. Severe forms of pathology are also encountered, when adults practically do not talk and require constant monitoring. Depending on the form of the disease, several groups of patients can be distinguished:
- Heavy. These people are not able to self-service themselves and constantly need care and supervision.
- Closed. Communicate only with loved ones, very rarely and exclusively on certain topics. It is difficult for outsiders to understand them due to speech impairment.
- Medium degree. These people have certain abilities, can communicate with others, but do not show any interest in contact and do not recognize the general rules.
- Light form. This pathology practically does not differ from ordinary indecision, therefore it is difficult for an amateur to understand whether it is a nature or autism. What causes this disorder, it does not matter, timely diagnosis and careful work on the correction of behavior helps to achieve a positive result.
- Highly intelligent people. Since autists are fond of a specific type of activity, it is very often in this area that they are specialists.
Male autism
In representatives of the stronger sex, pathology always manifests itself more typically and vividly than in women. Men are very interested in any interest and are ready to devote all their time to him.
Their affection most often arises for pets than for people, and the theme of romance generally remains closed for many years. Even if the form of the disorder allows a man to get a job, then career advancement is unlikely to await him. First of all, due to the lack of social contact necessary for this, and secondly, due to the lack of interest in the profession itself. Of course, if the main passion of an autist coincides with his profession, then the situation can radically change.
Female pathology
The diagnosis of autism in this case becomes as difficult as possible, as women tend to behave in a patterned manner, and it is almost impossible to understand whether this is a natural reaction to a particular action or a learned one. Autistic women do not have specific interests. They may be interested in TV shows or books, as well as ordinary women. The hallmark here is only a certain obsession. A woman with a nervous pathology will devote absolutely all her time to her chosen interest, which often comes at the expense of other matters.
Autism syndrome in women does not manifest itself in isolation, almost all ladies tend to communicate, but choose a small number of interlocutors for this. Of course, after sessions of social interaction, patients need a lot of time to restore the nervous system, so after a working day or meeting friends they need to spend some time in silence or at their favorite pastime.
Often, adult autistic ladies suffer from depression.
To determine that a girl develops autism, at an early age it is often possible by hyperlexia - a quick mastery of reading and a deep immersion in works.
Early autism in children
This is a complex developmental disorder characterized by a distortion in the course of various mental processes. When a baby is different in behavior from his peers in the first months of his life, this is early autism. How is this behavior manifested? Kids do not fix their eyes on their faces and prefer to look at the space around them, do not seek contact with adults and do not react to many sounds. The latter is often associated with hearing impairment, but in fact, children simply perceive what they hear in their own way and do not show any interest in it, even if it comes to their own name. Early autism manifests itself already at the age of 2 years by attachment to certain objects or toys, a tendency to cyclical actions. The child has no interest in communication and speech development.
What is childhood autism? This definition depends on the specific time, since patterns of behavior and symptoms of its manifestation change with age. If the baby is not able to smile and express joy in six months, this is a clear sign of pathology. At 9 months, you should pay attention to his reaction to contact with an adult, and in a year - to the presence of gestures and babble during communication. At one and a half years, a healthy child should say some words, and add simple phrases at 2 years. Autism is rarely diagnosed at this age, attributing developmental disorders to other ailments, but with timely detection of behavioral disorders, it will be much easier to correct the behavior and adapt the baby in society.
Children's uniform
Children's form of autism differs from the early one in some additional ways. What is childhood autism? This is a similar nervous breakdown in babies already 2-11 years old. Among other symptoms at this age, there is a lack of interest in communicating not only with adults, but also with peers. Kids do not show their own interest and try to avoid any attempt to engage them in conversation from the side.
At this age, healthy children are interested in many things, while autists are only interested in one thing, completely rejecting the rest.
Children react very sharply to any change in their lifestyle. Even a change in the regime of the day can lead them to a state of panic, so it’s very difficult for kids to get used to the new routine when school is necessary. There may be situations where the child often repeats a sound or phrase.
Depending on the degree of development of the pathology, all of these symptoms may not attract the attention of adults at all, or they may manifest very acutely. A mild form of autism in children at this age is characterized by more detachment than a complete rejection of communication.
Teenage form
Teenage autism is a consequence of the development of a childhood form of pathology. It is at this age that even in the lungs, in raising children, serious problems begin. This is primarily due to the fact that autistic children noticeably begin to lag behind their peers in development and suffer from social isolation. In adolescence, unusual children are more likely to be harassed, which can worsen their condition. There is also an increase in sleep problems. In rare cases, patients may be at risk for epileptic seizures. Of course, a physical change in the body entails certain advantages:
- the child needs to learn self-care, which is a new skill;
- the tendency to cycle is reduced;
- irritability decreases.
Treatment
In fact, there is simply no way to treat autism in children. It is impossible to solve such a problem with medicines, and taking various drugs is relevant only if necessary to eliminate certain symptoms of the pathology. All treatment should be reduced to psychological support, adaptation of the baby in society and help in establishing social communication. This is carried out by psychotherapists, neuropathologists, psychiatrists and parents. There were cases when, due to intensive care, it was possible to achieve a remission of the disease and the child was deregistered as autistic, leaving only marks on the presence of autistic disorders.
It is worth noting that autism is such a unique and diverse disorder that manifests itself differently in each patient. That is why the result of treatment can be noticeable in a short time in some children, while others can not be observed for years.
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Specific advice depending on the individual case will be given by a specialist. According to statistics, children with a diagnosis of autism have a chance of recovery within 3-25%. The scatter is due to inaccuracies in the diagnosis.
Help for the sick
Even when diagnosing a mild form of the disease, autists, like the people around them, constantly need help and advice. To provide them with information support, special autism centers have been created. Such organizations help families of patients and themselves to adapt more quickly in society, to correct their behavior and timely diagnose improvement or worsening of their condition. The staff of the centers is always ready to answer all questions of interest regarding the pathology to relatives and to conduct a psychotherapy session with the patient. In autism centers, communities of people whose relatives or friends suffer from a nervous breakdown are often organized. Such groups are very useful because they help to find friends of interest and ordinary people who are ready to share their experience.
Autistic Relations
The article discusses the symptoms, signs and treatment of autism in children, but the question of their relationship with loved ones remains open. When parents find out about such a diagnosis for their child, most often it becomes a shock. Recognizing the baby’s nervous breakdown is very difficult, and some prefer to completely deny what is happening, attributing the characteristics of his behavior to character. Of course, after a time after observing and comprehending the behavior of the child, the parents return to normal, because without this it is simply impossible, because such a baby needs special care that can only be provided by a loved one. To help the child adapt, adults should have a lot of patience. Features of the behavior of an autistic child are not his whims, and you can not blame them. The kid needs to gently explain the rules of behavior.
In addition, almost the entire burden of education rests with the parents, even if the child attends school. The point here is that autists do not perceive information from strangers and everything that was said in the lessons should be repeated at home. In general, before choosing a training program, you should consult with a specialist, since the child may need full home schooling.
It is in the interest of parents to also stimulate the baby's interest in the world, communication with people and the manifestation of emotions. It is very important to observe his reaction, since children with pathology often show a need for communication with aggression or constraint. Parents will achieve maximum productivity in correcting their child’s behavior if they regularly communicate not only with doctors, but also with specialized organizations. Autism centers provide theoretical and practical assistance to many parents.
With age, the disorder does not go away, and adult autists also require special treatment. In the case of severe forms of the disease, patients are not even able to take care of themselves, therefore they need not only moral support, but also regular physical care. Often a severe degree of ailment requires the use of medications to relieve certain symptoms - outbreaks of anger, impaired coordination or depressive conditions.
Of course, with timely diagnosis and serious work on correcting behavior, most adult autistic people have a mild form of the disease. With her, they are able to go to work and self-service themselves. Relations with people around them are formed only by workers. Autistic people prefer romantic feelings to affection for pets or communication with parents who have been with them throughout their lives.
Very often, a mild form of pathology is accompanied by savantism. This phenomenon represents the presence of outstanding talents in a certain field as opposed to lagging in other sciences. Most often this is due to the incredible interest in a specific hobby since childhood. For example, Bill Gates, a world-famous autistic person, has shown interest in computers since childhood and flatly refuses to study the humanities.
Conclusion
Even with all modern technologies and methods of therapy, it is impossible to determine the nature of autism and the methods of its treatment. This pathology is a nervous disorder that has many forms and is difficult to classify. Relatives of many autists are sure that the violation is not a deviation at all, but is a special condition, a character trait that requires a specific approach. Among such diverse opinions, one can specifically say only that it is impossible to get rid of such a state forever. With timely detection of a problem, one can only well adapt a person to an independent life in society.