Autism is a developmental disorder in which there are disorders of motor skills, speech, social interaction. This disease has a serious impact on the whole future life of the baby. There are currently no specific medical tests that can diagnose autism. Only in the process of observing the baby, the peculiarities of his behavior, the correct diagnosis is made.
Features of the disorder
The main symptom of autism in children is a profound impairment of the communicative function. Regardless of what level of intelligence a child has, whether he speaks or not yet (underdevelopment of speech in this case acts as a secondary problem), such children are not able to enter into social interaction corresponding to their current level of development.
If it is possible to compare two babies - with a certain degree of mental retardation and with autism - you can see that the first one will be much more clearly able to signal to an adult about his actual desires andneeds. In other words, a child with autism has an excellent memory, but tends to remember only the information that is interesting and exciting for him. For example, brands of cars, locations of toy stores, billboards on the roads with your favorite logos.
Depending on the intellectual abilities of the baby, and on the degree of safety of his emotional sphere, autistic children may have various features. For example, if at the age of three the baby is active, shows stubbornness, then by the younger school age he may well become very talkative. However, his speech will remain specific, and his style of thinking will be more likely to be characterized as inconsistent.
Research history
Symptoms, causes and signs of autism in children have been studied since 1943. The first study was conducted by Leo Kanner on a sample of 11 children. The kids had common features. Although they did not have schizophrenia or mental retardation, the children were characterized by social isolation, little interest in other people, and other traits. Symptoms, causes and signs of autism almost at the same time became the object of research by Hans Asperger, an Austrian scientist. His first article was published in 1944, but attention was paid to it only after a few decades.
During the first 20 years after the disease was discovered, scientists conducted studies that described various phenotypes. Current causes, symptoms and treatmentautism in children due to the development of genomic analysis and neuroimaging are well-studied areas. In particular, scientists have found specific genes that are associated with the disease.
Causes of disease
Autism is a complex CNS disorder with no single cause. As a rule, scientists talk about factors that increase the risk of its occurrence. Autism is a genetic disorder that can be either hereditary or non-hereditary. In addition, there are non-genetic factors in autism that affect the genetic ones. There may also be overlap between the two types of factors and other CNS disorders, such as speech disorders, ADHD, schizophrenia.
There are genes that are directly linked to autism. One of them is the CNTNAP2 gene. It is associated with both this disease and speech impairment. Also, a risk factor for autism and schizophrenia in a child is an infection suffered by the mother during pregnancy, as well as conception at a later age. It is also believed that monozygotic twins are much more prone to autism than fraternal twins. In general, scientists estimate the risk of autism from 1/60 to 1/100.
The role of early and late pregnancy
In a large international study, scientists have found that there is a direct link between the risk of autism and parental age. In the course of the study, it turned out that the level of autism among adolescent mothers is very high. Also, the risk of disease inthe child steadily increases if the mother and father are older than 40 years. Scientists emphasize that although there is a connection between the age of the parents and the disease of the child, the mothers and fathers themselves do not have autism. In particular, studies have shown that those children whose fathers were older than 50 years of age, the risk of being sick was as much as 66% higher than for babies whose fathers were between 20 and 30 years old. As expected, the risk of the disease increased even more if both parents were older or teenagers.
Main signs of distorted perception
What are the most common symptoms of autism in children? Consider the main nuances of perception in such babies.
- Difficulties of co-directed attention. The kid will not use the pointing gesture (or will start doing it quite late). He does not express a gesture of surprise - "Look, what a huge red house!". At the same time, the baby can still use this sign, but with a different purpose - its meaning will be rather “give, I want”, and not “look.”
- Motor stereotypes. As a rule, these include waving the hands, or twisting. They are one of the early symptoms of autism in children and are somewhat reminiscent of infants expressing joy when they bounce and wave their arms. It is not uncommon for a child with autism to stare at their hands for a long time, which is also a lot like infant play.
- Impaired thought processes. Often moms and dads call this "lack of logic." When a child tells something, he can understand itonly a parent or close relative who knows about the context of the situation the child is describing.
- Baby talks about himself in the second or third person. This situation continues until 5-6 years of age. For example, to the question, “Would you like to take a walk?”, the child will answer “Do you want”, or “Peter wants”. In some foreign sources, you can see the definition of this phenomenon - "reversion of pronouns".
- Baby does not use various common gestures sufficiently. He will not nod his head when you need to say "yes" or "no". However, many psychologists point out that in children with autism, negative gestures are formed much earlier than positive ones.
- Reluctance to make eye contact. The baby doesn't have to avoid looking at all. He just may do it much less often than other children. For example, ask a question and then look away with a blank look.
- Kids at 3-4 years old quite selectively respond to their own name. For example, if you call a child simply: “Petya!”, And the baby is at that time passionate about something, then he will turn around after several times. It should be noted that the kid is almost always passionate about his own affairs. However, if you say "Petya, hold the candy", then he will immediately come running.
- Stereotypical activity. It can appear in completely different ways. In some cases, this is a senseless running around in the same circle, or lining up toys in even rows, twisting wheels, or a long game with water or sand. For example, a baby can draw dots or strokes with colored felt-tip pens for a very long time, but please"draw a house" will cause quite violent resistance. Also, kids can observe increased attention to certain logos. In other words, stereotypical activities include everything that the baby is ready to do for a long time and aimlessly. As a rule, at such moments he may have an absent appearance, and any attempts to switch him to a more useful activity will cause protest.
There are other features of children with autism - for example, selectivity in food, features of facial expressions, a reduced threshold for perceiving danger. All these features are described in the literature, but are not necessarily characteristic of all children suffering from autism spectrum disorders. Some of these signs may be present, others may not. However, the communication sphere is the main difficulty.
Disease Manifestation
There are quite a few differences in how a violation can manifest itself. Most often, boys suffer from it. For every four boys with autism, there is one girl. There are changes in how the disease manifests itself and develops. As a rule, the onset of symptoms occurs in the second year of life. The baby's social involvement decreases, he begins to avoid eye contact with other children and adults. There are difficulties in the development of speech.
Some babies may develop speech during preschool years and catch up with their peers, although they may still have difficulty using speech to communicate. Stereotypes, sensitivity andlimited interests increase during the preschool period. For most children, autism peaks between 4 and 5 years of age. During primary school age, the symptoms become even more pronounced and stable. In adulthood, there may be slight declines in the main points of the disease. However, during this period, the risk of depression may increase. They are treated with special medicines and psychotherapy.
Recognize disease before 1 year of age
During early infancy, it is very difficult to diagnose the disease. Parents often become worried if their child does not like to cuddle, or does not show interest in certain games. However, this is not yet a full symptom of autism in children.
In some cases, the baby may begin to speak and then lose speech skills. Sometimes it seems that the baby does not hear sounds, or, on the contrary, listens to them selectively - for example, he hears only distant background sounds (traffic noise, a cry in the distance).
Usually, the following symptoms of autism in children under one year old are distinguished:
- Does not respond to mother.
- Pay no attention to the collective games of older children.
- Does not respond to parents' calls.
- Baby can be very difficult to get used to the hands of the mother. For example, you have to change the position for feeding several times, as the baby is either too relaxed or, on the contrary, tense.
- Prefers to play with only one toy at all times.
- One of the most important symptoms and signs of autism inchildren under one year is to avoid contact with strangers. May show irritation or displeasure when other people try to talk to him.
- The gaze is not fixed on someone else's face, the child tends to avoid eye contact.
- The child may also have a weakened immune system, leading to increased susceptibility to disease.
As a rule, the physical and mental development of such a baby will be late. Unlike his peers, he does not begin to use speech skills for a long time. It should be noted that avoidance of eye contact is one of the main symptoms of autism in children under one year old.
Signs of the disease from one to two years
During this period, the symptoms become more pronounced. If in the period up to a year the baby simply seemed non-contact, now at the sight of strangers or clusters of children, the autistic simply panics. The main symptoms and signs of autism in children under 2 years of age are as follows:
- Baby does not want to participate in the conversation.
- Indifferent to guests, gifts, new toys.
- Ignores adults when trying to talk to him.
- It is difficult for a child to master the basic skills of self-care - dressing, buttoning, brushing teeth.
Symptoms of autism in children under 2 years old can vary, but one of the most telling is the way they play. The baby does not know how to have fun in a team. He is not interestedsituational or role-playing games, they only annoy him. One of the main symptoms of autism in children under 2 years old is that babies feel great in their own small world, they are completely satisfied with one or more familiar toys.
Signs of illness between the ages of 2 and 3
Autism can be suspected at this time, although a definitive diagnosis is usually made after age 5.
- Baby may not respond to lights or sounds.
- He has a distant look, directed past a person or a bright toy.
- One of the main symptoms of autism in children under 3 years old is that the baby does his best not to attract the attention of others, wanting to remain in his own world.
- The level of intellectual development can be different - both low and high.
An autistic child can be very attached to one family member on the level of a symbiotic, inseparable existence. Even the slightest threat of breaking this connection can provoke a strong reaction in the child on a physical level. Usually the child gets upset if, for example, his mother leaves for half a day, but it can be switched to something exciting. One of the indicative symptoms of autism in children of 3 years old is a sharp reaction to the need for even a short separation from the object of affection.
The baby in this situation may have a fever, start vomiting. At the same time, an autistic child may not demonstrate his affection at all in thatwhen his mother is around. He will not in any way try to tie his mother to his game, or share his experiences with her. Such reactions can be a symptom of autism in children under 2 years of age. Another sign is the inability to predict the behavior of the baby. The child is almost unable to bear physical contact with other people.
Diagnosis at 3 years
Symptoms of autism in children 3 years of age and older often manifest as learning disabilities. The child cannot go to kindergarten. After all, he has practically no communication skills. Symptoms of autism in children 3 years old are most often indirect. Even if parents were able to detect some of them in their baby, they still do not talk about the presence of the disease.
- Baby is more interested in household items than toys.
- He almost completely ignores children's games.
- He doesn't have the urge to imitate adults that usually appears in children after 1 year.
- Child almost never smiles in response to a smile.
School age
The listed symptoms of autism in children 5 years and older are becoming more noticeable. However, most often the disease becomes apparent in primary school age. The student does not remember the material heard in the lesson, ignores the teacher, cannot find a common language with classmates. In the end, parents transfer the baby to home schooling. It should be accompanied by sessions with a psychologist and observation.psychiatrist. Such children should be trained according to an individual program, and those specialists who work with them should have a sufficiently high level of training.
Autism in teenagers
In adolescence, despite classes with psychologists, children still prefer to be alone more. Their life credo is this - "do not touch me, and I will not disturb you." Often, autistic people transfer their inner experiences to paper, expressing them with the help of drawings. As a rule, by the age of 14, a child has already decided on his creative path, and devotes every free minute of his time to his favorite work. Often, thanks to perseverance and perseverance, talented musicians and artists grow out of autists. However, the period of puberty in such children is quite difficult. Hormonal changes take place in the body, however, due to difficulties in communicating with the opposite sex, they often become closed, aggressive.
Features of intellectual development
The first signs, symptoms and sensations of autism in children usually appear between the ages of 3 and 7. At this time, the child perceives information very well, absorbing everything around like a sponge. But unfortunately, the same cannot be said about autists. Often this disease, due to deficient conditions in the brain, is accompanied by pathologies such as microcephaly or epilepsy. In this case, the situation is seriously complicated, and the autistic child begins to suffer from mental retardation and lack ofintellectual development.
With the symptoms of mild autism in children and correctly selected therapy, the level of intelligence can reach normal. It is worth noting that there are many gifted children among autists. One of the main features of autistic kids is the selectivity of intelligence. Some of them are characterized by savantism. In other words, the baby can easily embody on a piece of paper a picture he once saw, or reproduce a complex melody without knowing the notes.
Autistic Speech
Typically, students and adults with autism have difficulty participating in conversations. It is difficult for them to concentrate on only one goal, they cannot explain their thoughts to other interlocutors. They find it difficult to use social methods of communication (such as greetings, gossip). They do not understand jokes, sarcastic remarks. An autistic person's speech can be extremely formal. He can speak in a monologue, use rare words. However, his speech will not describe other people's feelings.
Autism and Apraxia
The signs and symptoms of autism in children (photos can be found in this article) are the subject of ongoing research. In June 2015, scientists reported that one of the rare speech disorders - apraxia - is present in almost 65% of children suffering from autism. Apraxia is a difficulty in coordinating the movements of the jaw, tongue, and lips during speech. A child with this disorder may pronounce the same word differently each time. As a result, even mother and father find it difficult to understand what exactlyhe wants to say.
Asperger Syndrome
There are two main forms of autism in children. The symptoms of these two diseases allow us to classify each of them as severe and mild.
Asperger's Syndrome scientists refer to a mild form. Rett syndrome is severe. A mild version of autism appears at the age of about 10 years. The kid can be well developed intellectually, his speech is not disturbed. Its only difference is its obsession. For example, he can tell the same story many times, watching the reaction of "listeners". Such children are egocentric, although they can be quite successful in life if they have a good upbringing. Consider the main symptoms of mild autism in children.
- Intermittent eye contact. In normal communication, a person looks at the interlocutor for 5-8 seconds, and then looks away. If communication is unpleasant for us, then we tend to look away, and this is quite normal. However, a child with Asperger's may be happy to talk about everything, but turn away, looking at something outside the window.
- The speech of such children is also very peculiar. She seems mechanical, weakly expressive.
- Psychologists recommend paying attention to the child's motor skills. He can be awkward, stiff, pinched.
- In a conversation, a child can safely communicate such information that people usually do not tell not only to acquaintances, but also to close people - for example, how many times a day his mother gave him an enema.
- One morea symptom of a mild form of autism in children is the use of "book expressions". At the same time, a rich vocabulary may correlate with immaturity of judgments.
- Unfamiliar people a child may consider his friends - for example, children who play with him for only half an hour. If parents are in doubt as to whether their child has symptoms of mild autism, they can use the following pre-analysis technique. To do this, you need to ask the child the question: "What is the difference between friends and acquaintances?". An ordinary child understands it from about 5 years old. It is difficult for a child with Asperger's syndrome to answer it even at 11-12 years old.
Rett Syndrome
This form of the disease is severe and is accompanied by damage to the nervous system. Only girls suffer from it, and it is quite rare - 1 in 10,000 newborns. The main symptom of autism in children in this form is absolutely normal development up to 1.5 years, after which the growth of the head slows down, and all the skills that were acquired earlier are lost. In addition, the child's coordination of movements is gradually disturbed. The prognosis for the disease is poor.
Questions to aid diagnosis
To clarify the picture for themselves, the psychologist can ask the following questions to parents.
- When the baby was 2-3 years old, did you ever want to take him to the lore and check his hearing, since he very rarely responded to his name, but immediately resorted to if they offered him something sweet?
- When did he get the pronoun "I"? Was there a period whendid the baby talk about himself in the third person (“Katya wants candy”)?
- Did the baby take an interest in other children in the playground? How did he get to play games together? Were there any difficulties - maybe he did not understand the rules, or did he constantly want to be the first, was he "clever" too much?
- Did the baby play story games in which he beat the impressions received (for example, after going to the zoo, circus)?
- Was the kid willing to share the news after the kindergarten turned gray (“Today Petya got into a fight with Vasya, and they gave us semolina porridge again for lunch”)?
- Did the age of 4-6 have periods of excessive enthusiasm for any topics unusual for children of this age - volcanic eruptions, astronomy, technology (trains, tools, blast furnaces), flags, maps?
If parents answer yes to most of these questions, then problems in communication and learning are caused by the specifics of the development of the child, related to the autism spectrum. In this case, it is necessary to consult a doctor to fully clarify the diagnosis. This will allow parents to be aware of the peculiarities of their baby, not to make impossible demands on him.
Treatment
Psychotherapy is currently considered the best treatment for autism in children. Symptoms of the disease cannot be completely eliminated, however, its course can be significantly mitigated. The most widely used approach involves the analysis of behavior. This means that complex tasks for the baby are divided into small steps, each of whichovercome with the help of additional motivation of the child. For older children, social skills training programs are used. For example, you can teach your child how to behave on the first day of school - how to say hello, introduce yourself, etc.
Sometimes pharmacological methods are also used, but most often they are used for concomitant disorders - psychological problems, anxiety, drowsiness, epileptic seizures. However, there are no drugs that would be aimed at getting rid of the symptoms and signs of autism in children (photo can be seen in the article).
Future prospects
It is believed that the future of autism therapy will be similar to those emerging in other medical fields. For example, this is a personalized approach, the purpose of which is to work with both biological prerequisites and psychological characteristics. Since much is currently known about the biological basis of autism, in particular about genes and their expression, it is quite possible to develop new drugs for people with genetic mutations. The signs, symptoms, and causes of autism in children are becoming more and more clear to scientists every year. Although this violation is a mystery, many of its aspects can now be quite fully explained by science.
Treatment of autism, as a rule, comes down to visiting three specialists - a psychologist, a defectologist and a speech therapist. Various behavioral disorders are corrected by a psychiatrist. In general, the treatment of the disease is a multifaceted process, andshould be directed to those areas of child development that require increased attention. The earlier parents see a doctor, the more effective the therapy will be - it is believed that it is most advisable to start treatment before 3 years.
