The diagnosis of autism, put to the child, most parents perceive as a sentence. What kind of disease is this? Studies of childhood autism have been under way for a long time, but pathology still remains one of the most mysterious mental illnesses.
What it is?
The term "autism" means a disease, a characteristic feature of which is a change in the human psyche, its atypical behavior and inability to adapt in society. In addition, the child has a persistent violation of any interaction within society.
Autism in children is often diagnosed late. This is explained by the fact that many parents who have such a baby believe that deviations in his behavior are associated with the character trait of the little man.
Indeed, sometimes the disease proceeds in a fairly mild form. This greatly complicates the task of identifying the first signs of pathology and recognizing the disease, not only for parents, but also for doctors. More often than not, the diagnosis of autism is established in the United States and Europe. This is due to the fact that they have excellent diagnostic criteria. They allow the commission of doctors to make an accurate diagnosis both in the mild course of the disease, and in the case of its most complex manifestations.
In children with autism syndrome, negative changes occur in the cerebral cortex. They arise immediately after the birth of the baby. However, such changes may appear much later, after several years.
The disease proceeds without periods indicating persistent remission. If during the long course of the disease a variety of psychotherapeutic methods are used, then the behavior of the autistic baby, as a rule, improves. Positive changes in the behavior of the child are noted by his parents. But, unfortunately, a specific treatment for autism in children has not yet been developed. A similar fact means that it is not completely possible to cure the disease.
Prevalence
Today, an autism spectrum disorder , which is abbreviated as RAS, is diagnosed in every 88th child. This is 3% of all children. And most often boys suffer from this pathology. Girls suffer from this ailment, as a rule, only in those families where relatives have many such cases.
Most often, the most striking symptoms of autism are manifested by the age of three. And this is despite the fact that the disease itself begins its development even earlier. However, as a rule, up to 3-5 years, it remains unrecognized.
Causes of pathology
Why are some babies born with this disorder? So far, scientists have not received a clear answer to this question. Many experts believe that certain genes are to blame for this pathology. They disrupt the work of some departments located in the cerebral cortex. That is, in this case, the obvious cause of the disease lies in heredity.
In addition, it is believed that autism in children can also occur due to a variety of mutations and breakdowns of the genetic apparatus of a particular person. And this, in turn, is led by such factors:
- exposure to the fetus during pregnancy of the mother of ionizing radiation;
- infection with viruses and bacteria during fetal development;
- contact of a pregnant woman with dangerous chemical elements that can have a teratogenic effect on an unborn child;
- chronic pathologies of the mother's NS, in which a woman has to take symptomatic psychotropic drugs for a long time.
The mutagenic effects listed above often lead to a variety of disorders that are characteristic of autism. This is confirmed by the data of American experts. This effect is especially dangerous when 8-10 weeks have passed since conception. This is the period when the formation of all the most vital organs takes place in the body of the unborn child, including those areas of the cerebral cortex that will subsequently be responsible for behavior.
Gene, as well as mutational disorders that underlie autism, ultimately cause specific damage to some parts of the central nervous system. This deactivates the coordinated work of the neurons responsible for the social integration of the individual. In addition, the functions of mirror cells of the brain change somewhat, which also leads to pathology.
Types of Autism
Today, there are many different classifications of pathology. Each of them is distinguished by its variant of the course of the disease, the severity of manifestations, and also taking into account the stage of the disease. There is still no unified classification that would be used by Russian doctors, but, as a rule, it is believed that autism occurs:
- Typical. With this form of the course of the disease, the features of children with autism appear at a very early age. Such kids differ in that they make poor contact even with parents and close relatives, do not want to participate in games with peers, are more closed in their behavior. Such children with autism need better social integration, which will require a whole range of psychotherapeutic procedures. Such patients will also need the help of a specialist who is well versed in this problem (child psychologist).
- Atypical. This variant of the disease is found at a later age. Usually it is detected in babies after 3-4 years. Features of children with autism of this form are expressed in the manifestation of not all the signs inherent in the disease. Due to the fact that the atypical appearance is diagnosed late, the child is already beginning to develop more persistent symptoms that are difficult to treat.
- Hidden. About how many kids suffer from pathology with such a diagnosis, statistics have no data. With this form of the disease, its main clinical symptoms are quite rare. Such kids, as a rule, are considered introverts or too reserved people.
Children with autism syndrome aren’t letting anyone into their inner world. Communicating with such a child is very difficult.
Specific perception of the world
In order to identify and start treating autism in a timely manner, the causes of children, the signs (see photo below) of the pathology must be known to all parents. Experts believe that the ailment leads to a lack of the baby's ability to combine all the details to create a single image.
For example, such a child perceives a person only as a set of body parts that are not connected to each other. In addition, a study of the behavioral characteristics of children with autism reveals the fact that babies are not able to distinguish animate objects from inanimate objects. Moreover, any external influences, such as sound, light and touch, provoke an uncomfortable state in them. The child strives with all his might to leave for his inner world, not paying attention to what surrounds him.
Signs of pathology
How to recognize autism in a child? To do this, you need to familiarize yourself with the symptoms of the disease. Early autism in children is a condition that sometimes manifests itself as early as 1-2 years of life. Moreover, the manifestation of the pathology can be indicated by its three main signs, observed in different patients to one degree or another. Among them:
- violations in the field of social interaction;
- inability to communicate;
- stereotyped behavior.
Consider each of these symptoms in more detail.
Disorders in social interaction
The first signs of autism in children at 2 years old can sometimes be noted by parents. They manifest as symptoms in various forms of interaction. In the lightest of them, an eye-to-eye contact disorder is noted, and in severe it is completely absent. A child who is not capable of perceiving a holistic image of a person does not even try to speak with him. Even when viewing photos or videos, it becomes obvious that the facial expressions of a child with autism do not respond to changes in the current situation. He does not smile even when someone is trying to make him laugh, and, on the contrary, laughs for reasons incomprehensible to others.
Children with early childhood autism are distinguished by a mask-like face on which grimaces periodically appear. The baby uses gestures only to indicate his needs.
Healthy children for up to a year are interested in a new object. They laugh and point at him, demonstrating their joy. Autism in a child up to a year can be suspected in the case when the baby is behaving wrong. Parents, this fact must certainly alert. Signs of autism in children under one year of age are also manifested by the fact that the crumbs use a certain gesture if they want to get something. At the same time, sick kids do not seek to attract the attention of parents and include them in their game.
A person suffering from autism is not capable of understanding the emotions of other people. A similar symptom can also be traced from a very young age. If an ordinary child easily determines the mood of other people, then, they are scared, cheerful or upset, then an autistic is simply not capable of this.
Violation of social interaction is also expressed in the absence of interest in communicating with peers. It is also a sign of autism. Children of 1.5 years or a little later certainly have a desire for a company. They love to play and meet peers. If a child who has reached the age of 2 does not try to participate in games while plunging into his own world, then this should also alert parents. Those dads and mothers who want to recognize an autistic baby can just watch the company of children. A sick child will always be alone. He will not pay any attention to peers or will perceive them as inanimate objects.
A sign of autism in children at the age of 3 is the difficulty in participating in games where it is necessary to apply imagination. At this age, kids are happy to fantasize. At the same time, they even invent for themselves and after that they play various social roles. Otherwise, sick children behave. Autistic kids at the age of three cannot understand what a social role is, and also do not perceive their toys as whole objects. For example, such kids spin the wheel of a typewriter for hours or repeat other unsophisticated actions.
Such a child also does not seek to communicate with parents. Previously, it was believed that these children are not able to emotionally attach to loved ones. However, to date, scientists have proved that the child is anxious at the moment when his mother leaves. In the presence of family members, the baby does not look so fixated. If we consider 4-year-old children, the main sign of autism in them is the lack of reaction to the care of their parents. The baby has anxiety, but he does not even try to return dad and mom.
Communication disruption
Autism in children at 5 years of age is expressed in speech delay. It may also be completely absent, which is called "mutism." The further development of children with autism will depend on the type of pathology. With its severe form, the child will indicate his needs with certain unambiguous words. For example, "eat", "sleep", etc. The speech of children with autism in this case may not develop at all or be incoherent, not aimed at understanding by others. A sick kid for several hours in a row is able to repeat the same phrase, which makes no sense.
When studying the behavioral characteristics of children with autism, it becomes obvious that they always talk about themselves in the third person. How to treat such manifestations, is it possible to eliminate them? Everything will depend on the degree of the disease and the qualifications of the therapist.
Signs of autism in children are abnormal speech. Such a child, answering a asked question, sometimes repeats the phrase partially or completely. He can speak either loudly or too quietly due to improperly selected intonation. In addition, a sick baby sometimes does not respond to his own name.
Another sign of early autism is the lack of a period when a child asks parents a lot of questions. Autists have little interest in the world around them. If questions nevertheless arise, then they are very uniform, and do not have any practical value.
Stereotypical behavior
One of the main signs indicating the presence of an autism spectrum disorder is the baby's fixation on one lesson. For many hours, such a child can, for example, make up a tower or sort by color the details of the designer. It is very difficult for parents to stop such activities.
Experts confirm the fact that autistic children feel comfortable only in their usual environment. Even the slightest changes, which are sometimes expressed in a rearrangement in the room, in a change in the menu or route, provoke their aggression or explicit withdrawal into themselves.
Autistic individuals are prone to self-stimulation. They are able to repeat movements senseless to others many times. Thus, the manifestation of stereotype occurs. The child repeats those movements, which he often uses in an unusual environment. For example, he can clap his hands, shake his head, or snap his fingers.
The manifestation of pathology up to a year
Help for children with autism can be provided only if the parents sounded the alarm and turned in time with their baby for a consultation with a specialist. However, for this they must know the main symptoms of the disease, which have some differences depending on the age of the small patient. In the vast majority of cases, childhood autism is diagnosed when the baby is 2-3 years old. The fact is that it is during this period that parents and close people can judge the atypical behavior of the child.
But in children under 1 year of age, the signs of autism are still very blurred. And most often it happens that parents perceive them incorrectly. How then can health abnormalities be detected? Parents can test for autism in their children. But dads and mothers should remember that it is not worthwhile to independently interpret the results obtained. An accurate and final diagnosis can only be made by a specialist who will conduct thorough work with the child.
Signs of autism in children under 1 year of age, which should alert parents, are as follows:
- the child never looks in the eyes, and his eyes are always "empty";
- lack of need for the baby in close contact with the mother;
- the child does not have a concentration of gaze on a person close to him, but at the same time he is able to detain him at any other objects;
- the baby makes monotonous repetitive movements;
- the child is late in development in terms of the ability to hold his head and sit independently;
- the baby has a violation of muscle tone.
When conducting a more serious diagnosis of pathology in infants 6-9 months old, an increase in the volume of the brain and cerebrospinal fluid, atypical for this age, is revealed.
In addition, sick children do not show any reaction to a visual stimulus or a loud noise before the year of their life. Often they are excessively attached to one or two items with which they can spend almost the whole day. For games, they do not need outsiders. They feel wonderful in their world. If someone makes an attempt to invade their game, then this often ends with aggression or hysteria.
Children with autism almost never call adults to help. If they need any item, then they will try to take it on their own.
As for newborns and infants, they are distinguished by the absence of certain emotions on their faces. Such kids seem a little renounced. Often, when parents try to bring a smile to their child, he simply does not change his face, perceiving the efforts of loved ones too cold.
Such kids are very fond of considering various subjects. Their gaze dwells on some subject for a very long time.
Up to three years
Signs of autism in children in 2-3 years can be determined by the closeness of the baby, who does not show emotions. He practically does not know how to speak at this age, and his babble is something inaudible. The child constantly looks away from his gaze. It is simply impossible to achieve eye contact with him.
If the baby can give his name, then he does it in the third person. Such a child often walks on tiptoe. Altered gait is a clear sign of autism. Some children may bounce while moving.A similar symptom is very common. Attempts by parents to make a remark to their baby do not cause him any emotions. For a long time, the child walks as he wants.
Sitting on a chair, he prefers to swing on it. It is useless to make comments to parents about this. The child does not respond to them. This is not a desire to show your character. This is nothing but a violation of the perception of their behavior. In fact, the baby simply does not see and does not notice that he is doing wrong.
Outs get strange hobbies and interests. For example, it can turn on or off water or light.
The child does not have a reaction to falling and does not have tears for physical pain.
At the age of 3 years, the signs of personal space restriction begin to manifest themselves to the greatest extent. During walks on the street, sick children categorically do not want to play in the same sandbox with their peers. All toys and objects brought to them from home, they do not allow anyone to touch.
Kids at this age do not want to share something personal, trying to get away from what provokes such situations. From the side it sometimes seems that such a child is simply "on your mind."
Some babies have problems with fine motor skills. If they take small objects from the floor or from the table, they do it very awkwardly. Also, they are not able to squeeze their palms well. Helping children with autism to correct such a defect will require special classes aimed at improving such a skill. If this correction is not carried out, then in the future the child may appear to have a violation of gestures and letters.
At this age, autistic children are very fond of playing with switches or with water taps. They just love to open and then close the doors repeatedly. However, any similar movements will cause positive emotions in this child. He will do this until his parents stop him. Performing such actions, the baby himself does not notice that he does the same thing many times.
The nutritional preferences of autistic babies are also unusual. They always eat only what they like. Because of this, others sometimes mistakenly consider such children too spoiled. However, this is a huge fallacy.
A child with autism, before the age of three, does not see any differences between his behavior and the behavior of others. His sole purpose is to protect his personal internal space from external interference. In his childhood thinking, the formation of peculiar early fears takes place. Parents must understand them so that the child begins to have a little contact with at least dad and mom. Indeed, for such a baby, it is very important that loved ones understand his inner world.
At 3 years old, children suffering from autism can show their early attempts at contact with interlocutors. However, if they start laughing at them, then they will quickly shut themselves in. Also, there should not be in the life of kids outs and conflicts with peers. Otherwise, they will finally withdraw into themselves.
During a walk with such a baby, he needs to point to various objects of the world around him. This approach will allow some to bring the baby out of his closed state.
Period 3-6 years
At this age, a peak incidence of ASD is observed. Children go to kindergarten, where their violations of social adaptation are most noticeable. Children with autism do not express any enthusiasm for morning trips to DOW. They would be better off staying at home and not leaving their usual safe home.
Autistic children almost never get to know their peers. In the best case, they may have only one friend. He becomes the best friend for such a child. A large number of people will simply not allow an autistic patient to enter their inner world. Most often, he will try to close up to avoid traumatic situations.
The child is trying to explain his trips to kindergarten. For this, he comes up with a story in which he plays the main role. Nevertheless, such trips do not give the baby pleasure. He cannot get along with his peers and does not listen to the teacher.
In his personal locker, things are always stacked in order. After all, such children can not stand scattered objects and chaos. Any violation of the ordered structure causes them to aggressive behavior or apathy. If you try to force such a child to meet new children, then this can cause him severe stress.
In no case should babies with autism be scolded for the uniformity of their actions for a considerable period of time. For such a child, you just need to pick up the "key".
Often, teachers in kindergarten are not able to cope with a special baby. They perceive all unusual features of his character and behavior as nothing more than excessive spoiling. In this case, it is necessary to connect a specialist psychologist who will work with the child in a preschool every day.
6 years and older
In Russia, children with autism become students of ordinary schools. No special educational programs are provided for them. Such students often study very well. They have a penchant for a variety of disciplines. Many guys are even able to show the highest level of proficiency in one or another subject, on which they usually focus. Other disciplines that do not find a response in the soul of such a student will be mastered mediocre. This is due to the poor concentration of attention of such patients. That is why they simply cannot pay attention to several items at once.
Often, in the case of early diagnosis of pathology and the absence of problems with fine motor skills in children, out-of-genius talents for creativity or music are revealed. Kids spend hours playing various musical instruments and sometimes even composing pieces themselves.
In school years, as well as in kindergarten, children with ASD try to lead a closed lifestyle. They have a small circle of friends, rarely attend entertainment events that gather a large number of spectators. Being at home is always more comfortable for them.
Schoolchildren are not affected by fastidiousness regarding food. Such babies eat only those foods that they loved at an early age. At the same time, students strictly adhere to the diet, eating only according to their own schedule. Meals at the same time are necessarily accompanied by a certain ritual. Most often, they eat only from their usual plates and prefer to avoid dishes of a new color. Such a child places the cutlery on the table in a certain sequence.
Children with autism can finish school well. At the same time, in one of the disciplines they will definitely have excellent knowledge. Only in 30% of cases they cannot keep up with the school curriculum and bring home poor grades. As a rule, this group includes those guys who were diagnosed very late, because of which a timely and good rehabilitation program was not carried out, which would reduce the adverse signs of pathology and improve the social adaptation of the person.