On the second day of April, the world celebrates World Autism Awareness Day, so what are its symptoms? What is the incidence rate? And what are its reasons? And what is the treatment?
World Autism Awareness Day
In 2007, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously proclaimed April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day (Resolution 62/139), to highlight the need to improve the living conditions of people with autism so that they can live full and meaningful lives, as part of Inseparable from society, according to the United Nations website.
The United Nations adopted the slogan for the 2023 celebration, “Transformation: Towards an inclusive world of neurodiversity for all.”
What is autism?
Autism spectrum disorders – autism for short – is a lifelong neurological condition that appears in early childhood, regardless of gender, race, or socioeconomic status.
It is also a group of diverse disorders that are characterized by some difficulties in social interaction and communication, and have other features represented in patterns of activities and behaviors such as difficulty in moving from one activity to another and getting involved in details, and unusual reactions to sensations, according to to the World Health Organization.
Symptoms of autism
Symptoms of autism associated with communication skills and social interaction
- The child avoids or does not maintain eye contact, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- The infant’s lack of response when called by his name at the age of 9 months.
- The absence of facial expressions such as happiness, sadness, anger and surprise on the infant at the age of 9 months.
- Doesn’t play simple games by 12 months old.
- Uses few or no gestures by 12 months of age (eg, doesn’t wave goodbye).
- Doesn’t share interests with others by 15 months.
- Doesn’t signal to tell parents about something that interests him at 18 months old.
- Doesn’t notice when others are hurt or upset by 24 months of age.
- Does not notice or join other children in play by 36 months of age.
- Does not pretend to be another character, such as pretending to be a teacher or a superhero, while playing at 48 months of age.
- He does not do anything specific to arouse the interest of the parents – for example, singing – at the age of 60 months.
Symptoms of autism associated with restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests
Children with autism have behaviors or interests that may seem unusual, such as:
- Arranging toys or other objects and getting upset when their order is changed.
- Frequently repeats the same words or phrases.
- He plays with toys the same way every time.
- Focuses on parts of things (for example, the wheels in a toy car).
- Get upset over minor changes.
- Flap hands or spin in circles.
- Shows unusual reactions to the way things look, smell, taste, look, or feel.
Symptoms of autism associated with language and mood
- Delayed development of language skills.
- Delayed development of motor skills.
- Delayed cognitive or learning skills.
- impulsive behaviour.
- epileptic disorder or seizures;
- Unusual eating and sleeping habits.
- Digestive problems (such as constipation).
- Unusual mood or emotional reactions.
- anxiety or stress
- No fear or more fear than would be expected in such a situation.
It is important to note that children with autism may not have all or any of the behaviors listed as examples here.
Causes of autism
There is no single cause of autism spectrum disorder. There are many different factors that have been identified that may predispose a child to autism, including environmental, biological and genetic factors.
Although we know little about the specific causes, available evidence suggests that the following may put children at greater risk of developing an autism spectrum disorder:
- Having a sibling with autism spectrum disorder.
- Having certain genetic or chromosomal conditions, such as fragile X syndrome or tuberous sclerosis.
- Suffering from complications at birth.
- The child is born to elderly parents.
Fragile X syndrome is a genetic disorder in which there are changes in a gene called Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMR1). This gene normally makes a protein needed for brain development called FMRP, and people with Fragile X syndrome do not make this protein.
As for Tuberous sclerosisIt is an uncommon genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow in many parts of the body. These tumors are not cancerous, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Vaccination does not cause autism, and this is a common fallacy. There is no relationship between vaccinations or triple vaccination and the incidence of autism spectrum disorders.
incidence of autism
The World Health Organization estimates that 1 in 100 children worldwide has autism.
Types of autism
Below are the types of autism, ranked from least severe to most severe
Asperger’s syndrome
It is a mild type of autism spectrum disorder. A person with Asperger’s syndrome may be very smart and able to deal in his daily life, and he may be able to focus on topics of interest to him and discuss them non-stop, but he may face some social difficulties.
Pervasive specified developmental disorder, not otherwise (PDD-NOS)
This type includes most children who have autism more severe than Asperger’s syndrome, but not as severe as autistic disorder.
Autistic disorder
This type includes the same types of symptoms, but at a more severe level.
Childhood disintegrative disorder
This type is the rarest and most severe part of autism spectrum disorders, and affected children usually develop normally and then rapidly lose many social, language and mental skills, especially between the ages of 2 and 4 years.
Diagnosis of autism
Autism traits can be detected in early childhood according to the symptoms we mentioned earlier, but it is often not diagnosed until long after this stage, according to the World Health Organization.
Autism treatment
There is no cure for autism, and current treatments for autism spectrum disorder seek to reduce symptoms that affect daily functioning and quality of life.
Behavioral therapy
Behavioral approaches focus on changing behaviors by understanding what happens before and after the behavior. The behavioral therapy for people with autism is called Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).
developmental curricula
Developmental approaches focus on improving specific skills, such as language skills or physical skills, or a broad range of interrelated developmental abilities. Developmental approaches are often combined with behavioral approaches.
The most common developmental therapy for people with autism is speech and language therapy. Speech and language therapy helps improve a person’s understanding and use of speech and language. Some people with autism spectrum disorder communicate orally. Others may communicate through the use of signs, gestures, pictures, or an electronic communication device.
Educational curricula
Educational therapies are delivered in a classroom environment, providing teachers with ways to adjust classroom arrangement and improve academic and other outcomes. For example, the daily routine can be written or drawn for the student.
social relations approaches
Relationship therapies focus on improving social skills and building emotional connections.
pharmaceutical
There are no medications that treat the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. Certain medications treat associated symptoms that can help people with autism function better.
For example, medications may help improve the ability to focus, or prevent self-harming behavior, such as head banging or hand biting. Medications can also help manage co-occurring psychological conditions, such as anxiety or depression, as well as medical conditions such as seizures, sleep problems, or stomach or other digestive problems.
Psychotherapy
Psychological approaches can help people with autism deal with anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psychological approach that focuses on learning the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. During cognitive behavioral therapy, the therapist and the individual work together to set goals and then change the way the person thinks about the situation to change how they react to the situation.
Source : Al Jazeera + agencies + Global Health Organization