Autism is a form of mental disorder. It develops in connection with existing violations in the functioning of the brain. A person with autism has difficulty interacting with others. At the same time, there is a pattern of his thinking, emotionlessness, narrow interests and other symptoms.
Autism is diagnosed in the early childhood, but as for its final cure, it does not lend itself to it. That is why adult disease is replacing childhood illness. Nevertheless, a mild form of autism can be corrected by a psychotherapist and by taking medications. This requires only a timely and competent approach of a specialist. But it is worthwhile to understand that certain signs of a disorder will continue to accompany a person throughout his entire future life, preventing him from fully realizing his personal potential.
Causes of pathology
Why does autism occur? To date, scientists have not been able to come to any final conclusion about the causes of pathology and the mechanism of its development. According to many experts, several genes can be considered guilty of the development of the disease, leading to the malfunction of some parts of the cerebral cortex. This conclusion was made on the basis of the analysis of cases. Indeed, a hereditary factor often became apparent when diagnosing a disease.
There is another theory of autism - mutational. Some scientists believe that the cause of the pathology is a malfunction in the genetic apparatus of a particular person. Factors such as:
- exposure to the fetus in the womb of ionizing radiation;
- infection with viral or bacterial infections during the pregnancy of a woman;
- negative impact on the unborn child of hazardous chemical elements;
- mother’s chronic nervous diseases, due to which she took psychotropic symptomatic drugs for a long period.
Especially dangerous, according to experts, are similar effects on the fetus in the first 8-10 weeks from the moment of conception. After all, it was at this time that the formation of the main organs, including those that are responsible for the functioning of various zones located in the cerebral cortex, takes place.
Disease onset
Mutational or gene disorders underlying the pathology, ultimately lead to the occurrence of specific damage to some sections of the central nervous system. This disrupts the coordinated work of the neurons responsible for social integration.
In addition, the functioning of mirror cells located in the brain changes. Such an effect leads to the fact that a person has specific symptoms of autism, expressed in the fact that the patient performs this or that same action many times in a row or pronounces separate phrases.
Pathology classification
When diagnosing and treating a disease, its variants of the course, the severity of symptoms, and also the stage are distinguished. Similar characteristics underlie the classification of pathology. A single grouping of different variants of the disease does not exist, nevertheless, doctors distinguish autism from all variants of the disease:
- Typical. With this form, the disease manifests itself in childhood quite clearly. Kids with this diagnosis are distinguished by a more closed behavior, a lack of interest in games with peers, as well as a low communication ability, which is expressed in poor contacts even with parents and close relatives.
- Atypical. This variant of the disease is diagnosed a little later, after 3-4 years. With this form of the disease, not all specific signs of autism are observed, but only some of them. Due to the late detection of the disease, this type of pathology is less amenable to therapy due to the appearance of more persistent symptoms by this time.
- Hidden. How many babies can be diagnosed with this diagnosis is not exactly known. Indeed, with this form of the disease, the main clinical symptoms of the disease are extremely rare. Children with a latent form of autism are often considered introverts or simply too introverted. It is very difficult to establish communication with such a patient, because he will never allow an outsider into his inner world.
In modern medicine, it is customary to distinguish between four degrees of autism. Each of them has its own level of severity and symptoms. The first degree is considered the most difficult. It is characterized by the presence of a vivid manifestation of pathology syndromes. A disease related to the second and third degree is expressed by signs by which the diagnosis of the disease is possible.
But the fourth is considered easy. The course of the disorder is mild.
The difference between light and heavy
As mentioned above, autism can occur in several forms. They all differ depending on their severity. As for the mild form of autism, it is diagnosed in a larger number of patients. For this degree of pathology, a violation of social adaptation is characteristic. It manifests itself in the absence of the child's desire to communicate with others or to establish contacts with them. In order to correctly identify the disease, it is important to understand that such behavior is not due to the modesty of the baby or its excessive isolation. This is how he manifests the disease. Diagnosis of the disease is possible by such a symptom as the late development of speech.
With a mild form of autism, personality disorder does not occur. Kids make good contact with people closest to them. As a rule, children with a slight degree of autism choose only a few of their members from the whole family, who, in their opinion, show great care and attention. Autistic kids do not like bodily contact. They try to avoid hugs and do not like kisses.
With a more severe course of the disease, children in every possible way avoid contact with people. For them, attempts at a hug or touch made by close relatives sometimes cause severe mental trauma. Only the people closest to him can touch such a child. This is a fairly important symptom by which it is possible to diagnose a severe form of autism. From a very early age, such patients painfully perceive the slightest interference in their personal space.
Some severe variants of the disease are expressed in the mental tendency to harm your body. Kids with this diagnosis often bite themselves. Growing up, they make attempts to inflict various injuries, that is, they show aggression in relation to their own personality.
Mild autism is most often not diagnosed. Such children grow up and continue to get sick already in their adult life.
Signs of the disease at an early age
What are the symptoms of mild autism in children? Signs of this degree draw a fine line between a healthy and autistic state. That is why it is so difficult to diagnose the pathology of this form.
In sick children, increased vulnerability and tearfulness are noted. This is observed against the background of attempts to make contact with the child and maintain a dialogue with him.
What are the symptoms of mild autism in children? Sometimes a small patient logically, emotionally and correctly reacts to everything that happens around him. At the same time, his facial expressions give out pathology. After all, it seems that all manifestations of feelings are demonstrative. Similar is present in novice actors. All of their actions seem openly played to the viewer.
One of the signs of mild autism in children is the ability of young patients to look into the eyes of their interlocutor, even if for a short time. Patients with all other degrees of pathology are incapable of this.
Another sign of mild autism is the slow conversation of a small patient. It seems that the child selects the right words for a very long time that will allow him to form a phrase. Social contacts for such a baby are possible. However, he goes to them only in the presence of those adults whom he trusts. During contact, taking any action, the child will raise an interrogative look at the parents, trying to get approval.
With a mild form of autism in children, difficulties are observed when parting with a loved one. Moreover, in such a situation, the clinical manifestations of the syndrome are significantly enhanced. That is why, at a time when the pathology is corrected by treatment, psychologists do not recommend leaving patients with strangers.
The development of intelligence and the ability to teach a child with a mild form of autism practically do not distinguish them from healthy peers. If some help and support will be provided to the small patient from the parents and specialists, then after the transition to adulthood, all the social opportunities available to healthy people become available to a person.
Symptoms of mild autism differ based on the gender of the patients. For example, in girls it is sometimes impossible to recognize the signs of the disease. So, they almost completely lack a loop on the same type of actions. In addition, mild autism in girls does not delay mental development. Young patients are often attached to personal relationships and to individuals.
Symptoms of the disease in adolescence
What are the signs of mild autism in middle school students? Teenagers with this diagnosis are not much different from their peers in terms of cognition of relationships, including sexual and romantic. But at the same time, they sometimes have problems with those sources from which they receive the necessary information.
Adolescents with mild autism have very few or no friends with whom to discuss such topics. Unfortunately, the only source for them are porn films (for boys) or “soap operas” (for girls). Seen may be a kind of scenario of what to do and how to act on a date.
In addition, unpopular girls who were not accepted into any companies, after the changes that occurred to them during puberty, are very pleased with the attention of the boys. However, they are so completely unaware that this interest is only sexual in nature.
Symptoms of the disease in adults
What are the signs of autism in old age? Among the signs of mild autism in adults, a normal, and in some cases a high, intellectual level of a person stands out. It is determined by the IQ. However, in parallel with this, the patient is having difficulty solving unexpected and urgent tasks. In addition, he has a lack of an adequate reaction when making changes to familiar life rituals.
What are the other signs of mild autism in adults? Despite the fact that the speech of these people is absolutely normal, there are still some difficulties in communication. For example, people diagnosed with autism are mildly aware that the word “drink” has several synonyms. Nevertheless, it is very difficult for such a patient to make a specific order in a cafe. In addition, during the conversation, patients have a monotony of speech or they pronounce words with an unnatural tone, the tone of the robot.
Mild autism in adults can also be recognized by their behavior. They are characterized by fixation on a certain topic or a very narrow circle of interests. Such people show rigidity to changes in routine actions, which creates difficulties for them at work or when living in a hostel.
Among the symptoms of autism in mild form in adults, anomalies manifesting themselves in social behavior are also distinguished. In such patients, sometimes long eye contact is difficult. They are unable to maintain a lively dialogue, to recognize facial expressions, gestures and poses of the interlocutor. Also, patients often can not communicate with people of different ages in accordance with social norms. People with mild autism rarely agree with another person or accept the point of view developed by the team.
The manifestation of the disease in women
Ladies with mild autism stand out among the rest of the fairer sex in that:
- beautiful and fashionable clothes, they will prefer comfortable, since practicality for them is above all;
- they will not waste time building an intricate hairstyle on their heads, but will confine themselves to simple combing;
- will not apply makeup;
- sometimes they look eccentric, but at the same time do not understand this at all;
- their behavioral and voice skills, as well as their appearance, are more reminiscent of children's ones, not corresponding to their real age;
- have more expressive non-verbal functions than men with the same diagnosis;
- they are lost in the awareness of themselves as individuals, taking at the same time other people as a model and copying their behavior;
- their favorite pastime is avoiding reality in the virtual world, for which it uses reading books, computer games and watching movies;
- the comfort zone for such women is the house or any other place convenient for control over reality;
- create rules for themselves, and then follow them steadily, showing discipline, repetitive actions and semantic habits.
Diagnostics
Anyone who has found signs of mild autism in themselves or their child should consult a doctor (pediatrician, general practitioner, psychiatrist or neurologist) for advice.
A specialist will carry out diagnostics that will identify the pathology. Its main forms are survey or observation. The doctor will talk with his patient, identify the features of his movements and behavior. After that, special tests will be carried out. If after this suspicion of the presence of the disease remains, the doctor can give direction to:
- electroencephalography;
- Ultrasound of the brain;
- examination by an audiologist.
The doctor will give an exact conclusion only after carrying out the procedures prescribed by him.
Treatment
The psychologist’s recommendations are used to correct the symptoms of mild autism. Sessions can be conducted by him, during which the patient will learn the correct behavior in society.
In addition, the use of drugs will help eliminate the symptoms of the disease. But it should be borne in mind that these funds will only mitigate the symptoms of the disease, making the patient's life somewhat easier. They suppress isolation, apathy, aggression and stimulate the brain. And this is very important in the presence of this pathology.
Doctors, as a rule, prescribe four groups of drugs to their patients. Among them:
- Nootropics. Reception of these funds allows you to improve brain function and increase its activity. The patient begins to communicate easier with people, which is why there are fewer problems in his life.
- Antipsychotics. With the help of this group of drugs, stress is relieved, aggressive thoughts are eliminated and the patient calms down. In part, such drugs have a positive effect on the brain, stimulating its work.
- Antidepressants. If the patient often has a depressed mood, and he does not want to interact with others, then doctors resort to the help of drugs of this group. With their help, all such symptoms are eliminated.
- Tranquilizers. They are prescribed infrequently due to their negative effect on the nervous system.
With a mild degree of autism, suppression of symptoms is sometimes possible with conventional vitamin-mineral complexes. The active substances of such drugs improve metabolic processes in the body, normalize brain activity and protect the patient’s nervous system from negative influences from the outside.
You can suppress the symptoms of the disease with the use of other means. So, with a mild degree of autism, high efficiency can be obtained by:
- cognitive behavioral therapy;
- social interaction training;
- classes in special training centers.
As additional measures to normalize the patient's condition, it is necessary to ensure that he:
- took a balanced diet;
- kept to the daily routine;
- not overworked;
- I did sports;
- communicated with others as much as possible.
As you can see, there is nothing wrong with the diagnosis of autism if you know what to do and to whom to turn for help.