It's hard to describe what autism is in a few words. The translation of the word "autism" means: "a person who has withdrawn into himself" or "a person within himself." Since there are various variants of this disease, the term autism spectrum disorder is often used. It carries with it a number of mental and psychological problems. Autistic disorders are expressed by a severe deficit of emotional manifestations and limitation of social communication. People with autism never show their feelings, and their actions do not carry any social orientation. Such individuals are not able to communicate with others through speech and gestures.
Autism - what is this disease? Not only scientists and psychiatrists are interested in this issue, but also teachers of schools, preschool organizations and psychologists. It is worth noting that the signs of autistic disorders are typical of other mental illnesses (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder). But in thiscase of autism is considered as a syndrome on the background of another mental disorder.
What is autism? Causes, symptoms and correction of the disease - you will learn about all this in the process of reading the article.
Factors influencing the occurrence of autism
Most often people suffering from autism are perfectly developed bodily. And by visual examination it is impossible to determine that they suffer from disorders of the nervous system.
What is autism and why does it develop? In our time, there are many hypotheses of the origin of this mental disorder. But since none of them has received a specific justification, reliable causes of autism have not been found. However, experts identify several points that contribute to the manifestation of autistic disorders. These include:
- Heredity. If a child's parents or relatives have suffered from autism, it is believed that the child will be predisposed to developing the condition. This hypothesis arose on the basis that autism often occurs in members of the same family. However, there is a possibility that the disease is spreading due to the difficult psychological microclimate in families that raise autistic children. Psychiatrists believe that first-born children are more likely to suffer from autistic disorders.
- Complications during pregnancy and childbirth. By themselves, complications are not capable of provoking the onset of the disease, but they can increase the likelihood of its ontogenesis, along with other causes of autism. The women whosuffer from metabolic disorders and obesity, are more at risk of developing the disease in their child. The same risk occurs with oxygen starvation of the fetus or premature birth. Past viral diseases: measles, rubella and chickenpox can lead to complications in the formation of the brain of the embryo and increase the risk of developing psychological diseases.
- Pathological changes in the brain. This is one of the main reasons for the development of autism. Most patients have microstructural changes in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum. They entail a deterioration in memory, speech, attention and general brain activity.
At what age do autism symptoms begin
The initial manifestations of autistic disorders occur as early as the first year of a child's life. However, it is very difficult to notice the primary symptoms of autism, especially if the family is raising their first child. In this case, parents pay attention to the fact that their child is not like others at the age of 3-3.5 years. During this period, it is easiest to notice speech disorders. Autism becomes obvious at the moment when the baby begins to attend kindergarten. That is, when trying to join the social sphere of life. But if there are older children in the family, then the unusualness of the baby becomes apparent much earlier. Against the background of the behavior of older children, the polar, non-social behavior of an autistic child stands out.
What kind of disease is autism? Symptoms of the disease can appear by the age of five. These patients have basic skillscommunication, but isolation from others prevails. Often, those with this type of autistic disorder have a high intellectual level of development.
Illness at an early age (before 2 years)
Often, the initial symptoms of autism begin to appear already in the first year of a baby's life. Already at this age, the distinctive features of the behavior of a sick child are noticeable.
Early childhood autism is characterized by the following features:
- Autistic baby doesn't look his parents in the eyes.
- A sick child is absolutely not attached to his mother: he does not ask to be held, does not scream when she leaves, and does not rejoice at the return.
- Does not recognize native people, even mother.
- Sick baby does not reach for his arms and does not press against his chest. May even stop breastfeeding.
- Baby barely knows how to smile.
- You can notice the first signs in the lag in speech development. There is no cooing characteristic of the first year of life. At two years of age, the child does not repeat easy words or use simple phrases.
- Does not seek attention or ask for help from adults.
- Baby shows no interest in other children. His aggressive attitude towards his peers is noticeable. He does not reach out for contact with them, does not enter into joint games.
- Treats people like inanimate objects.
- Autistic toddler shows no interest in toys. Likes to play alone. Preferablyhe plays with one thing or part of it (a wheel from a typewriter, a piece of a pyramid).
- During the game, looks at or moves the toy in front of his eyes for a long time.
- Concentrates on one object for a long time (spot on the wall, wallpaper pattern).
- Does not like change, even minor changes can cause fear and anger.
- There are sleep disorders. Before falling asleep, the baby lies for a long time with his eyes open.
- Does not react to the sound of his name.
- Probably a painful reaction of the baby to light, quiet sounds and rustles. They can cause panic and fear in a sick child.
But not necessarily the above symptoms indicate autistic disorders. Parents should pay attention to them and talk to a specialist. He will be able to explain in more detail what kind of disease autism is. And before consulting a doctor, hasty conclusions should not be drawn.
Childhood autism: signs of autism from 2 to 11 years old
A child with autistic disorders at this age feels the signs characteristic of the previous period. He still does not make eye contact and does not respond to his name. Not interested in the company of his peers, prefers loneliness. In addition, new signs of autism are emerging:
- Sick child practically does not speak, uses only a couple of words. May use the same sounds or words.
- Sometimes speech develops outside the box: a long silence is replaced by whole sentences. The child uses in speech uncharacteristic, "adult"the words. Echolalia may appear (repeating what was previously heard while maintaining the intonation and construction of the sentence).
- Autistic patient does not perceive his own importance. In conversations, the child calls himself you or he, she. Does not use the pronoun "I".
- The child is absolutely not drawn to communication. He will never start a conversation first. Does not know how to enter into a conversation and maintain it.
- Changes in daily routine and environment can cause unreasonable anxiety and panic. But the child's attachment is directed not to a person, but to some object.
- Sometimes a sick child has a painful attachment to his mother. He can follow her around and not even let her leave the room.
- Inadequate manifestations of fear are typical for such children. They do not feel a real threat, but at the same time they can be afraid of ordinary objects.
- Autistic patient performs patterned movements and actions. Can stare fixedly at one point for a long time. Such children can sit for hours, monotonously rocking or clapping their hands.
- Such kids are difficult to learn and lag behind in development. They have difficulty learning to read and write. Severe mental retardation can occur in severe cases of autism.
- Sometimes children with autism have different talents (music, math, art).
- Such guys are characterized by outbursts of anger, unreasonable joy and crying. Often there is auto-aggression. This is aggression directed towards oneself (blows, bites andetc.)
- It is difficult for a child to switch from one activity to another. He can assemble the constructor or disassemble the cubes for a long time. It is almost impossible to distract an autistic child from such activities.
- A child with autism hardly uses gestures and facial expressions. He uses them only to indicate his own needs (food, drink).
- The patient's face is like a mask, on which inadequate grimaces sometimes appear. Such children do not return a smile, they cannot be cheered up.
- Most kids with autism have eating problems. Such children may categorically refuse certain foods, and eat the same food day after day.
- Children of this age are maximally immersed in themselves and completely immersed in loneliness. They do not participate in common entertainment, they behave in a closed and detached way.
All of the above signs of autism can be expressed in a mild, imperceptible degree. In particular, as a slight detachment and isolation from the outside world. In severe forms, complete indifference to the social environment and withdrawal into oneself can occur.
Manifestations of autism in adolescents and adults
By the age of 12, a child with autistic disorders acquires the necessary communication skills. But even in this case, such children prefer loneliness and do not need to communicate with their peers. Puberty in children with autism is much more difficult than in he althy ones. sick teenagersprone to depression, attacks of aggression, anxiety disorders and even epileptic seizures.
In an adult, the severity of signs of autism development depends on the degree of development of the disease and the nature of its course.
In adolescence and adulthood, the following signs of the development of the disease are distinguished:
- Lack of facial expressions and lack of gestures.
- Complete denial of simple norms of communication. A patient with autism may avoid eye contact during communication, or, conversely, look too piercingly in the face. Talk in whispers or shout.
- Autistics can't judge their own behavior correctly. They can cause offense or harm to the interlocutor. Such people do not understand the feelings and desires of others.
- People with autism never make friends and are unable to enter into love relationships.
- Autistics have a very small vocabulary. In speech, they use the same words. Due to the lack of intonation, the autistic person speaks in an "electronic voice".
If autistic disorders proceeded without complications, then by about 20 years a person is capable of an independent, independent life. By this age, he has been trained in elementary communication skills and is quite mentally developed.
People suffering from severe forms of autism need constant supervision and are unable to live independently.
Shapes and views
Autism is expressed differently in each patient. Fromnumber of syndromes, factors and detection time autism is divided into several types and forms.
- Kanner syndrome or childhood autism (classic). Signs of this form of autism become noticeable at an early stage - in children under one year old and younger. This group of autistic disorders is characterized by: speech disorders, sensory-motor disorders, unreasonable fears, insomnia, aggression and outbursts of anger. Complete detachment from the outside world and withdrawal into oneself.
- Atypical autism. Its symptoms are very similar to those of Kanner's syndrome. Signs of this form of autism begin to appear in children three years of age and older. The atypical form is accompanied by mental retardation and delayed speech development. Until the age of three, such children do not lag behind their peers in development and seem absolutely normal. After that, degradation occurs, development stops, and the child may lose the acquired skills. These children have limited patterned repetitive behavior.
- Disintegrative disorders of early age. In this case, the development of the child takes place without any pathologies. But in just a couple of months, the picture changes. The child withdraws into himself and stops any social relations. In this case, autism is diagnosed only against the background of behavioral abnormalities. There are no developmental delays.
- Hyperactivity with mental retardation and stereotypes. Often these children suffer from severe forms of mental retardation. They are completely distracted. A child with this form of autistic disorders is difficult to treat and correct.behavior. Pathology in development occurs as a result of brain damage.
- Asperger's Syndrome. The behavior of patients with Asperger's syndrome is characterized by impulsiveness, illogical actions and patterned behavior. Often such children are endowed with abilities unusual for their age in music, drawing, mathematics and construction. At an early age, they begin to read and count. The speech skills of children with Asperger's syndrome are usually not impaired. Characteristic signs of this syndrome are impaired coordination of movements, poor facial expressions and poor gestures.
- General developmental disabilities. A type of autism whose symptoms are not comparable to any of the above forms.
Autism Diagnosis
Parental suspicion of autistic disorders can occur as early as infancy (starting at three months). However, at this age, no specialist is able to make an accurate diagnosis. By the age of three, when symptoms become apparent, autism can be diagnosed. If there were facts of the disease in the family, parents should more closely monitor their child. If you find the slightest suspicion of mental disorders, immediately contact a specialist. A timely diagnosis will help avoid complications and correct the child's social behavior.
In order to diagnose autistic disorders, a medical commission is needed. It includes a pediatrician, a psychotherapist, a neurologist. In addition to doctors, the meeting of the commission is attended by parents and teachers whohelp build a clearer picture of the child's behavior.
Signs of autism can be confused with other genetic disorders that are accompanied by mental retardation, diseases such as cerebral palsy and deafness.
Autism Disorders and Cerebral Palsy
In the first years of a baby's life, autism is easily confused with cerebral palsy. Such cases occur due to the symptoms that are inherent in both diseases:
- Delayed speech development.
- Impaired coordination of movements (children move strangely, walk on tiptoe).
- Mental retardation.
- Unjustified fears of everything unknown and unusual.
Autism (photos of sick children - in the article) and cerebral palsy are similar in their symptoms, but the nature of their manifestation is radically different. It is very valuable to turn to a qualified doctor who will establish the correct diagnosis and begin timely therapy.
There are several ways to diagnose autistic disorders:
- Conduct specialized testing. Many tests have been developed to help identify psychological disorders in a child. Parents of children under the age of 1.5 are tested. Older children go through it on their own.
- Ultrasound of the brain. It helps to detect structural or physiological pathologies of the brain that have influenced the development of autism.
- EGG. It helps to identify epilepsy, which often accompanies autistic disorders.
- Checking a child's hearing aid. The lag in the development of speech can occur against the background of hearing impairments.
Treatment and rehabilitation
The main goal of the treatment of autistic disorders is to increase the degree of service to oneself and the development of social skills. The treatment of autism includes a whole range of methods and techniques. The complex includes: behavioral therapy, biomedicine and pharmacological therapy.
- Behavioral Therapy. It includes a set of measures aimed at correcting the behavior of an autistic person. Behavioral therapy can be of different types: Speech therapy. Often people with autism do not use language skills. Communication training takes place according to a specialized scheme, which is designed taking into account the personal skills of an autist.
- Occupational therapy. Such therapy helps to teach the child simple everyday skills that an autistic person will need every day. Occupational therapy classes teach elementary actions: dress yourself, wash and comb your hair. In such classes, coordination of movements and fine motor skills of the hands develop. Occupational therapy helps people with autism adjust to independent living.
- Play therapy. This type of therapy is characterized by teaching specific skills in the form of a game. During the game, the therapist connects to the patient, stimulates his actions and establishes contact.
- Alternative Communication Therapy. In such therapy, verbal speech is replaced by symbols and images. In a class on alternativeautistic communication is taught to indicate their emotions with the help of gestures or special pictures. Alternative communication is especially needed for people with autism who hardly speak.
Biomedicine
Biomedicine is aimed at cleansing the body from the harmful effects of parasites and other pathogenic microorganisms. The diet of an autistic patient is based on the rejection of foods containing gluten. Since there is a theory of the harmful effects of such products on autistic disorders. The patient's menu should include foods high in vitamin C. It can reduce deviations in the behavior of an autist.
Pharmacological therapy
Together with behavioral therapy, a patient with autism is prescribed medication. Nowadays, there are no medications that can cure autism or stop its development. Therefore, patients are prescribed psychotropic medications that can alleviate the manifestations of autistic disorders.
In addition to the above methods of treating autism, there are many controversial practices. Autistic disorders are treated with hypnosis, cranial osteopathy, chiropractic and aversion therapy. Methods such as pet therapy (with the help of animals) and sensory therapy are common.
Giftedness and autism
Autistic children have impaired communication and social interaction functions. But in addition to the above pathological symptoms, 30% of people diagnosed withautistic disorders have been shown to have exceptional abilities in music, drawing, mathematics, etc.
Studies have shown that children with autistic disorders are able to remember a large amount of information in a short period of time and reproduce it verbatim.
There are many examples of children with autistic disorders who, due to their unique abilities, have become world famous. An example is the story of the boy Jourdain, who at the age of one had absolute pitch. By the age of nine, he was diagnosed with autism. Another boy with autism named Yakov is famous for passing college exams at the age of 11.
Among people with autism, there are popular, successful and gifted individuals. It is assumed that suffered from autistic disorders: Leonardo da Vinci, Abraham Lincoln, Andy Warhol, Vincent van Gogh, Donna Williams and others.
Autism Disorder Epidemic
Children's autism as an inferior psychological condition was discovered during the Second World War. This syndrome was described by two doctors: Leo Kanner and Hans Asperger. The doctors worked autonomously from each other, and the discovery happened in parallel. After the autism syndrome was described, it became certain that it had always existed.
In our time, it is quite common in the media to report that precedents for autistic disorders have become more frequent, and an epidemic of autism hangs over the world. However, children withautism spectrum disorders are no longer being born. Talk of an epidemic has come about because of the high-intensity study of this problem and the expansion of the scope of autistic disorders.
Conclusion
Autism gets far from flattering reviews, as it is a pathology in the psychological development of a person that persists throughout life. It is difficult for the parents of a sick child to observe all this. But many argue that a timely diagnosis and competent correction will help the patient learn to live in society, get rid of unreasonable fears and learn to control their emotions. Parents who have learned from their own experience what kind of autism is, say that the main thing is to be strong, love your child for who he is, and help him find his place in life. Indeed, in the correction of autistic disorders, the main role belongs to the parents and close relatives of a sick person. Doctors, psychologists and teachers actively help them in this. Experts say that correction almost always gives a positive result and helps to socialize a sick child.
