What is autism: causes, symptoms and development of the disease

It is difficult 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 The translation of the word "autism" means: "a person who has withdrawn into himself" or "a person within himself."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, they often use the term autism spectrum disorder. It carries a number of problems of a psychological and psychological nature. Autistic disorders are expressed by severe deficiency of emotional manifestations and restriction 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 address others with the help of speech and gestures.

Autism - what is this disease? Not only scientists and psychiatrists are interested in this issue, but also school teachers, preschool organizations and psychologists. It is worth noting that signs of autistic disorders are typical of other mental illnesses (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder). But in this case, autism is considered as a syndrome against 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 Affecting Autism

Most often, people with autism are beautifully bodily developed. And by visual inspection it is impossible to determine that they are suffering from disorders of the nervous system.

What is autism and why does it develop? Nowadays, there are many hypotheses about the occurrence of this mental disorder. But since none of them received a specific justification, no reliable causes of autism were found. Nevertheless, experts highlight several points that contribute to the manifestation of autistic disorders. These include:

• Heredity. If the parents or relatives of the child suffered from autism, it is believed that he will be predisposed to the development of such a disease. This hypothesis has arisen on the basis that autism is often found in members of the same family. However, it is likely 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. Complications per se are not capable of provoking the appearance of an ailment, but they can increase the likelihood of its ontogenesis, along with other causes of the development of autism. Women who have suffered from metabolic disorders and obesity are more at risk of developing their child’s disease. 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 risks of developing psychological diseases.
• Pathological changes in the brain. This is one of the main causes of autism. Most patients have microstructural changes in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum. They entail impairment of memory, speech, attention, and general brain activity.

How old are autism symptoms?

The initial manifestations of autistic disorders occur in the first year of a child's life. However, it is very difficult to notice the primary symptoms of autism, especially if the family brings up the first-born. 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, speech disorders are easiest to notice. Autism becomes apparent at the moment when the baby begins to attend kindergarten. That is, when trying to integrate into the social sphere of life. But if the family has older children, 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 occur by five years. Such patients have elementary communication skills, but isolation from others prevails. Often those suffering from this type of autistic disorder have a high intellectual level of development.

The disease at an early age (up to 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, distinctive features of the behavior of a sick child are noticeable.

Early childhood autism is characterized by the following symptoms:

• A child with autistic disorders does not look into the eyes of his parents.
• A sick child is absolutely not attached to his mother: he does not ask for his hands, does not scream when she leaves, and does not rejoice at the return.
• He does not recognize his native people, not even his mother.
• A sick baby does not reach for his arms and does not cling to his chest. May even refuse breast milk.
• The kid almost does not know how to smile.
• You may notice the first signs of lag in speech development. There is no stumbling characteristic of the first year of life. At the age of two, the child does not repeat easy words and does not use simple phrases.
• Does not seek to attract attention and does not ask for help from adults.
• The kid does not show interest in other children. His aggressive attitude towards his peers is noticeable. He does not seek contact with them, does not enter into joint games.
• It refers to people as inanimate objects.
• An autistic baby is not interested in toys. Likes to play alone. Preferably he plays with any one thing or part of it (a wheel from a typewriter, a piece of a pyramid).
• During the game for a long time examines or moves the toy before his eyes.
• For a long time focuses on one subject (a spot on the wall, wallpaper pattern).
• He 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, opening his eyes.
• No reaction to the sound of his name.
• The painful reaction of the baby to the light, quiet sounds and rustles is likely. 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 with a specialist. He will be able to explain in more detail what autism is. And before consulting a doctor, hasty conclusions should not be made.

Childhood autism: signs of autism from 2 to 11 years

A child with autistic disorders at this age feels signs characteristic of the previous period. He still does not look into the eyes and does not respond to his name. He is not interested in the society of his peers; he prefers loneliness. In addition, new signs of autism appear:

• A sick child practically does not speak, uses only a few words. Can use the same sounds or words.
• Sometimes speech develops non-standard: a long silence is replaced by whole sentences. The child uses uncharacteristic, “adult” words in his speech. Echolalia (repetition of previously heard with preservation of intonation and sentence construction) may occur.
• An autistic patient does not perceive his own significance. 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 support it.
• Changes in the usual daily routine and in the setting can cause unreasonable anxiety and panic. But the child’s affection is not aimed at a person, but at some object.
• Sometimes a sick child has a painful affection for the mother. He can follow her on the heels and not allow her to even leave the room.
• Inadequate manifestations of fear are characteristic of such children. They do not feel the real threat, but at the same time they can be frightened of ordinary objects.
• A patient with autism performs stereotyped movements and actions. For a long time, it can still look at one point. Such children can sit for hours, monotonously swaying or clapping their hands.
• Such kids are difficult to learn and lag behind in development. With difficulty master writing and reading. In severe cases of autism, severe mental retardation can occur.
• Sometimes children with autistic disorders have different talents (music, math, painting).
• Outbreaks of anger, unreasonable joy and crying are inherent in such children. Autoaggression is often present. This is aggression directed towards oneself (strikes, bites, etc.)
• It’s hard for a child to switch from one activity to another. He can assemble the constructor for a long time or disassemble the cubes. It is almost impossible to distract an autistic child from such activities.
• A child suffering from autism practically does not use gestures and facial expressions. He uses them only to indicate his own needs (food, drink).
• The patient's face looks like a mask on which inappropriate grimaces sometimes appear. Such children do not respond to a smile; it is impossible to cheer them up.
• Most babies with autistic disorders have problems in eating behavior. Such children can categorically refuse certain foods, and eat the same food every day.
• Children of this age are immersed in themselves as much as possible and completely plunge into loneliness. They do not participate in general entertainments, behave closed and aloof.

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 children of adolescents and adults

By age 12, a child with autistic disorders acquires compulsory communication skills. But even in this case, such children prefer loneliness and do not need to communicate with peers. The puberty in autistic children is much harder than in healthy children. Sick adolescents are susceptible 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.
• The complete denial of simple norms of communication. An autistic patient can avoid visual communication during communication or, conversely, look too piercingly in the face. Conduct a conversation in a whisper or go on a cry.
• Autists cannot correctly evaluate their behavior. May cause offense or harm to the interlocutor. Such people do not understand the feelings and desires of others.
• Patients with autistic disorders never make friends and are not able to enter into a love relationship.
• Autists have a very small vocabulary. In speech they use the same words. Due to the lack of intonation, the autist speaks in an “electronic voice”.

If autistic disorders occurred without complications, then by about 20 years a person is capable of independent, independent life. By this age, he is 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.

Forms and types

Autism is expressed differently in each patient. Autism is divided into several types and forms of the number of syndromes, factors, and time of detection.

• Kanner's syndrome or childhood autism (classic). Signs of this form of autism become noticeable at an early stage - in children under one year of age and younger. Such a 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. His symptoms are very similar to those of Kanner’s syndrome. Signs of this form of autism begin to manifest in children three years of age and older. Atypical form is accompanied by mental retardation and a delay in the development of speech. Up to three years, such children do not lag behind their peers in development and seem absolutely normal. After which degradation occurs, development stops, and the child may lose acquired skills. These children have limited patterned repetitive behavior.
• Disintegrative disorders of an early age. In this case, the development of the child takes place without any pathologies. But in just a couple of months the picture is changing. The child withdraws into himself and terminates any social relations. In this case, autism is diagnosed only against the background of behavioral abnormalities. No developmental abnormalities occur.
• Hyperactivity with mental retardation and stereotyping. Often, such children suffer from severe forms of mental retardation. They have completely impaired attention. A child with this form of autistic disorder is difficult to treat and correct behavior. Pathology in development occurs as a result of brain damage.
• Asperger Syndrome. The behavior of patients with Asperger Syndrome is characterized by impulsivity, illogical behavior and stereotyped behavior. Often these children are endowed with unusual abilities for their age in music, drawing, mathematics and design. At an early age, they begin to read and count. The speech skills of children with Asperger Syndrome are usually not impaired. The characteristic signs of this syndrome are impaired coordination of movements, meager facial expressions and poor gesticulation.
• General deviations in development. A type of autism whose symptoms are not comparable to any of the above forms.

Diagnosis of Autism

Suspicion of parents for autistic disorders can occur already in infancy (starting from 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 detect the slightest suspicion of mental disorders, contact a specialist immediately. A timely diagnosis will help to avoid complications and adjust the social behavior of the child.

In order to diagnose autistic disorders, a medical commission is needed. It includes a pediatrician, psychotherapist, neurologist. In addition to doctors, parents and teachers are present at the meeting of the commission to help draw up a clearer picture of the child’s behavior.

Signs of the development of autism can be confused with other genetic abnormalities, which are accompanied by a lag in mental development, diseases such as cerebral palsy and deafness.

Autistic 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 strangely move, tiptoe).
• Mental retardation.
• Unjustified fears for 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 contact 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 1.5 years of age are tested. Older children pass it on their own.
• Ultrasound of the brain. It helps to detect structural or physiological pathologies of the brain that have affected autism.
• EGG. It helps identify the epilepsy disease that often accompanies autistic disorders.
• Checking the baby’s hearing system. Lag in speech development can occur against the background of hearing impairment.

Treatment and rehabilitation

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Biomedicine is aimed at cleansing the body of the harmful effects of parasites and other pathogenic microorganisms. The diet of an autistic patient is based on the rejection of products 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 is able to reduce deviations in autistic behavior.

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 for treating autism, there are many controversial practices. Autistic disorders are treated with hypnosis, cranial osteopathy, chiropractic and aversion therapy. Common methods are pet therapy (using animals) and sensory therapy.

Giftedness and autism

Autistic children have impaired communication and social interaction. But in addition to the above pathological symptoms, 30% of people diagnosed with autistic disorders had exceptional abilities in the field of 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, thanks to their unique abilities, have become world famous. An example is the story of the boy Jourdain, who already at one year of age had absolute pitch. And by the age of nine, he was diagnosed with autism. Another boy named Jacob with autistic disorders got his fame due to the fact that at the age of 11 he passed college exams.

Among people with autism, there are popular, successful, and gifted individuals. It is assumed that autistic disorders affected: Leonardo da Vinci, Abraham Lincoln, Andy Warhol, Vincent Van Gogh, Donna Williams and others.

Autistic Disorder Epidemic

Childhood autism as an inferior psychological state was discovered during the Second World War. This syndrome has been described by two doctors: Leo Kanner and Hans Asperger. Doctors worked autonomously from each other, and the discovery occurred in parallel. After autism syndrome has been described, it has come to be sure that it has always existed.

In our time, the media quite often there are reports that the precedents of autistic disorders have become more frequent, and an autism epidemic looms over the world. However, children with autism spectrum disorders are no longer born. Discussions about the epidemic arose thanks to a high-intensity study of this problem and the expansion of the scope of autistic disorders.

Conclusion

Autism receives far from flattering reviews, since this is a pathology in the psychological development of a person that persists throughout life. It is difficult for parents of a sick child to observe this all. But many argue that a timely diagnosis and correct correction will help the patient learn how to live in society, get rid of unreasonable fears and learn to control their emotions. Parents who have learned from their own experience what autism is, say that the main thing is to be strong, to love your child as he is, and help him find his place in life. Indeed, in the correction of autistic disorders, the main role belongs precisely to the parents and close relatives of the sick person. Doctors, psychologists and educators actively help them with this. Experts say that correction almost always gives a positive result and helps to socialize a sick child.