Currently, there are a huge number of diseases that are inherited. But it also happens that the disease itself is not transmitted, but its predisposition. It's about autism.
Autism concept
Autism is a special mental disorder that most likely occurs due to disturbances in the brain and is expressed in an acute lack of attention and communication. An autistic child does not socially adapt well, practically does not make contact.
This disease is associated with abnormalities in the genes. In some cases, this condition is associated with a single gene or chromosomal mutation. In any case, the child is born with an already existing pathology in mental development.
Causes of Autism
If we consider the genetic aspects of this disease, they are so complex that sometimes it is not at all clear whether it is caused by the interaction of several genes or is it a mutation in one gene.
Still, genetic scientists identify some provoking factors that can lead to the fact that an autistic child is born:
- Old age father.
- The country in which the baby was born.
- Low birth weight.
- Lack of oxygen during childbirth.
- Prematurity.
- Some parents believe that vaccines can affect the development of the disease, but this fact has not been proven. Perhaps just the coincidence of the timing of vaccination and the manifestation of the disease.
- It is believed that boys are more likely to suffer from this disease.
- The effect of substances that cause congenital abnormalities that are often associated with autism.
- Aggravating effects can have: solvents, heavy metals, phenols, pesticides.
- Infectious diseases experienced during pregnancy can also trigger autism.
- Smoking, the use of narcotic drugs, alcohol, both during pregnancy and before it, which leads to damage to the gametes.
Autistic children are born for various reasons. And, as you can see, there are a lot of them. It is almost impossible to predict the birth of a baby with such a deviation in mental development. Moreover, it is likely that the predisposition to this disease may not be realized. Only how to guarantee this with 100% certainty, no one knows.
Forms of Autism
Despite the fact that most children with this diagnosis have much in common, but autism can manifest itself in different ways. These children are in various ways in contact with the outside world. Depending on this, the following forms of autism are distinguished:
- Complete renunciation of everything that happens. Such children from early childhood manifest disturbances in activity, they almost completely refuse to contact the outside world. They never ask for anything themselves, but they do not respond to requests. In communication, which is difficult to call so, there is no speech, gestures, facial expressions. This form is considered the most serious and deepest.
- Active rejection. The behavior of autistic children from this group is more active, but they do not accept most of the outside world. It is important for them to observe certain rituals, to have a familiar environment around them, therefore, with these children, the manifestations of the disease become more acute as the time comes to go to kindergarten and then to school. Their speech is more developed, but basically they should associate all the words with a specific situation, then it is easier for them to remember and understand.
- Artistic interests. Such children often go into conflict, do not know how to take into account the interests of other people, are absorbed in the same activities. Speech is well developed, but the sentences are usually long and abstruse, so the impression of unnaturally adult statements is created. Their intelligence is more or less developed, but their thinking is impaired.
- Great difficulty communicating and organizing interaction with others. Such children do not know how to organize contact with other people, it is difficult to learn motor skills. Speech is usually poor. Usually they are immediately lost even in ordinary situations. This form of the disease is considered the easiest.
Most doctors believe that the most severe forms of autism are quite rare, most often we are dealing with autistic manifestations. If you engage in and devote enough time to such activities with such children, then the development of an autistic child will be as close as possible to peers.
Manifestations of the disease
Signs of the disease appear when changes in areas of the brain begin. When and how this happens is still not clear, but most parents notice, if they have autistic children, signs are already in their early childhood. If urgent measures are taken during their manifestation, it is quite possible to instill in the baby communication skills and self-help.
Currently, methods for a complete cure for this disease have not yet been found. A small part of children enters adulthood on their own, although some of them even achieve certain successes.
Even doctors were divided into two categories: some believe that it is necessary to continue the search for an adequate and effective treatment, and the second are convinced that autism is much broader and more than a simple disease.
Surveys of parents showed that such children can often observe:
- Attacks of aggression.
- Anger.
- Violence.
These qualities are most often shown by older autistic children. Signs that are still common in such children are certain forms of repetitive behavior that doctors divide into several categories:
- Stereotype. It manifests itself in the swaying of the body, rotation of the head, constant swaying of the whole body.
- Strong need for uniformity. Such children usually begin to protest even when the parents decide to rearrange the furniture in their room.
- Compulsive behavior. An example is nesting objects and objects in a certain way.
- Autoaggression. Such manifestations are aimed at himself and can lead to various injuries.
- Ritual behavior. For such children, all actions like a ritual, constant and everyday.
- Limited behavior. The child’s interest, for example, is directed only to one book or one toy, while he does not perceive others.
Another manifestation of autism is the avoidance of eye contact, they never look into the eyes of the interlocutor.
Symptoms of Autism
This disorder affects the nervous system, therefore, it is manifested primarily by developmental abnormalities. Usually they are noticeable at an early age. Physiologically, autism may not manifest itself at all, outwardly such children look quite normal, have the same physique as their peers, but with a careful study of them, one can see deviations in mental development and behavior.
The main symptoms include:
- Lack of learning, although intelligence can be quite normal.
- Seizures that most often begin to appear in adolescence.
- Inability to concentrate your attention.
- Hyperactivity, which can occur when a parent or caregiver tries to give a specific task.
- Anger, especially in cases where an autistic child cannot formulate what he wants, or outsiders interfere in his ritual actions and violate the usual routine.
- In rare cases, Savant's syndrome, when a child has certain phenomenal abilities, for example, excellent memory, musical talent, the ability to draw, and others. There is a very small percentage of such children.
Portrait of an autistic child
If parents carefully monitor their baby, then they will immediately notice deviations in its development. They may not be able to explain what worries them, but they will say with great accuracy that their child is different from other children.
Autistic children are significantly different from normal and healthy children. Photos clearly demonstrate this. Already in infancy, the revitalization syndrome is violated, they react poorly to any stimuli, for example, to the sound of a rattle.
Even the most dear person - a mother, such children begin to recognize much later than their peers. Even when they find out, they never pull their hands, do not smile and do not react at all to all her attempts to communicate with them.
Such children can spend hours lying and looking at a toy or a picture on the wall, or they can suddenly be frightened of their own hands. If you look at how autistic children behave, you will notice their frequent swaying in a stroller or crib, the uniform movements of their hands.
Getting older, such children do not look more alive, they, on the contrary, are very different from their peers in their detachment, indifference to everything that happens around. Most often, they do not look in the eyes when communicating, and if they look at a person, they look at clothes or facial features.
They do not know how to play collective games and prefer loneliness. There may be an interest for a long time with one toy or action.
The characteristics of an autistic child may look like this:
- Closed.
- Detached.
- Uncommunicative.
- Suspended.
- Indifferent.
- Not able to make contact with others.
- Constantly making stereotyped mechanical movements.
- Poor vocabulary. In the speech never use the pronoun "I". They always talk about themselves in the second or third person.
In a children's team, autistic children are very different from ordinary children, photos only confirm this.
The world through autistic eyes
If children with this disease have speech and sentence building skills, then they say that the world for them is a continuous chaos of people and events, which is completely incomprehensible to them. This is due not only to mental disorders, but also to impaired sensory perception.
The autistic child perceives those irritants of the outside world that are quite familiar to us, negatively. Since it is difficult for them to perceive the world around them, to navigate in the environment, this causes them increased anxiety.
When should parents be wary?
All children are different from nature, even healthy ones are distinguished by their sociability, pace of development, and ability to perceive new information. But there are some points that should alert you:
- You are completely puzzled by the behavior of the child. You are alarmed by his sudden changes in mood, inappropriate behavior.
- The child avoids contact, for example, does not like to be picked up.
- Excessive sensitivity or vice versa. For example, indifference to pain or intolerance to harsh sounds.
- The kid speaks poorly or generally prefers to be silent.
- An autistic child in a kindergarten or other institution avoids communication with peers.
- When a child learns new subjects, he prefers to taste them or smell them.
- Obsessive behavior.
- Often manifested complete detachment from the outside world.
- A stop in development, for example, knows the words, but does not go further, does not add them to sentences.
If you notice at least some of the symptoms listed in your child, then it is worth showing it to the doctor. The psychologist will give the right recommendations for communication and activities with the baby. It will help you determine how severe autism symptoms are.
Autism treatment
It will not be possible to almost completely get rid of the symptoms of the disease, but if parents and psychologists make every effort, it is quite possible that autistic children will acquire communication skills and self-help. Treatment should be timely and comprehensive.
Its main goal should be:
- Reduce stress in the family.
- Increase functional independence.
- Improve the quality of life.
Any therapy is selected for each child individually. Those methods that give excellent results with one child may not work with another at all. After using psychosocial assistance techniques, improvements are observed, which suggests that any treatment is better than its absence.
There are special programs that help the baby learn communication skills, self-help, acquire working skills, and reduce the symptoms of the disease. The following methods can be used in treatment:
- Occupational therapy.
- Speech therapy.
- Structured Learning.
- Social skills training.
In addition to such programs, drug treatment is usually used. Prescribe drugs that reduce anxiety, such as antidepressants, psychotropics, and others. You can not use such drugs without a doctor's prescription.
The child’s diet should also undergo changes, it is necessary to exclude products that stimulate the nervous system. A sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals must enter the body.
Cheat sheet for autistic parents
When communicating, parents must take into account the characteristics of autistic children. You can give brief recommendations that will help you make contact with your child:
- You must love your baby for who he is.
- Always consider the interests of the child.
- Strictly observe the daily routine and the rhythm of life.
- Try to develop and observe certain rituals that will be repeated every day.
- Visit the group or class where your child is studying more often.
- Talk with the baby, even if he does not answer you.
- Try to create a comfortable environment for games and training.
- Always patiently explain to the baby the stages of activity, preferably reinforcing it with pictures.
- Do not overwork.
If your baby has been diagnosed with autism, then don't despair. The main thing is to love him and accept him as he is, as well as constantly engage in, visit a psychologist. Who knows, maybe your future genius is growing.