Autism: Symptoms, Causes, Test, Treatment And Cure

Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder is a developmental disability which affects an individual’s ability to communicate and express themselves, understand the behaviour and expression of others and have impaired social skills. People suffering from this condition have trouble interacting with healthy individuals and the society in general.

They cannot express themselves normally through words or actions, and often develop unusual repetitive behaviours. It is also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder, because it does not denote a single condition but is actually a term for a variety of conditions.

Autism is also defined as a nuero behavioral condition, meaning that it is a behavioural disorder caused by the brain inability to process emotions and understanding.

As talked by some experts recently, there are three different types of autism which include Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome and Pervasive development disorder. Now they all have been clubbed under one single name known as Autism Spectrum Disorder. Still, when people knew them with different names, the older terms mean:

• Autistic Disorder It is also known as classic autism. It is mostly perceived by people when someone talks about autism. People who suffer from autistic disorders usually tend to delay in language, face social and communication challenges and portray unusual interests and behaviours. Autistic Disorder victims may also portray intellectual disability.
• Pervasive Development Disorder It sometimes is also called atypical autism or PDD-NOS. People who portray some criteria of autistic disorder and some of Asperger’s syndrome, but not completely from any of the two are thought to be diagnosed with atypical autism. The symptoms of this are fewer and milder than the autistic disorder.
• Asperger’S Syndrome Asperger’s Syndrome usually shows milder symptoms of autistic disorder. However, people with Asperger’s syndrome might face social challenges and portray unusual interests and behaviours. However, they do not possess any language problem or intellectual disability.

Some patients may showcase only few or all of these behaviours or some may display none of it.

• Children who do not respond when called by their names
• Lack of interest in activities that normal children are interested in, such as playing with other children, befriending other kids.
• Avoiding eye contact while talking with parents or strangers
• Delay in developing normal speech
• Speaking in a monotonous or robotic tone
• Children who don't talk very often and prefer being alone
• Repeating a behaviour regularly, like a certain motion of hands or rocking the body.
• Cannot understand and respond to slightly complex question or instructions
• Getting irritated over minor things
• Infants who don't show expressions and gestures, do not make sounds and speak in baby-language by 24 months of age.

Scientists and researchers have confirmed that autism is a result of abnormal functioning of the brain and its ability to process thoughts, expression and behaviour.

However, the exact causes of autism have not yet been identified. There are some studies that suggest that this condition may be caused by genetic factors. But this has not been fully confirmed. At present, the cause of autism is still a subject of study and research.

Since the cause of autism is currently unknown, so there are no guidelines for preventing autism. But there are a few factors that parents can follow to try and prevent their autism from affecting their children, such as:

• Proper care during pregnancy, which means avoiding drugs and medications that are not suitable for pregnant women, not smoking or drinking alcohol during pregnancy.
• Living a healthy lifestyle and getting proper care and treatment for any disease that is affecting an individual.
• People who follow these guidelines cannot guarantee that their children will not be affected by autism. Also, if a child is diagnosed with autism, then certain precautions must be taken to ensure their safety. These include:
• Kids and teenagers with autism must be continuously monitored. It is not safe to leave them alone for long hours.
• Children and young adults with autism are likely to elope or run away from safe environments. Parents must take care that their children do not get such opportunities.
• Neighbours, children, and any other people who interact with individuals suffering from autism must be informed about the condition. They should be educated about how to behave with people who are suffering from autism.
• The symptoms and behaviours caused by autism vary greatly among individuals. Parents need to study and observe the behaviours and thought process of their children to prevent them from putting themselves in harmful situations.

No exact cause of autism has been found until yet. Nevertheless, some risk factors can be seen that could be a reason for autism. Some of the risk factors are:

• Genetic
• Exposure to environmental toxins and heavy metals
• Being born to old parents
• Having an immediate family member with autism.
• Fragile X syndrome or other genetic disorders
• Fatal exposure to the medications, valproic acids or thalidomide
• Metabolic imbalances
• History of viral infections
• Low birth weight

National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) says that both genetics and environment are the base of chances for a person to suffer from autism.

As the cause of autism is not known, so there aren't any medical tests and examinations that can diagnose autism in individuals. Diagnosis of autism depends on the observation of parents and doctors regarding the development of children.

Most of the times, paediatrician play an important role in diagnosing this condition as the symptoms of autism begin from infancy. Children are usually taken for regular consultation from a very small age. During such consultations, general observation by parents and observations help in determining if the child is suffering from this condition.

If a child is showcasing most of the symptoms mentioned in the above section, then it provides a good foundation for diagnosis. It may be difficult to determine in many cases, because there are instances where children suffering from autism do not develop many symptoms.

Some autistic children even have excellent intellectual abilities. Also, it is common for the symptoms of autism to be misunderstood as symptoms of some other diseases. These factors need to be taken into consideration during diagnosis.

Summary:The effects of this disorder is different in every individual. It is essential to have a long-term consultation with doctors to figure the best plan of action for the treatment of autism in every individual.

These treatment methods can help people feel betterwith their symptoms, which involve therapies such as:

1. Speech therapy:

   This therapy includes techniques that help children with autism to express them efficiently. It improves children’s ability to interact with other. Speech therapy is not limited to verbal communication. It also includes teaching individual to express their thoughts through pictures, gestures and writings.

2. Occupational therapy:

   This therapy includes techniques that help children with autism to express them efficiently. It improves children’s ability to interact with other. Speech therapy is not limited to verbal communication. It also includes teaching individual to express their thoughts through pictures, gestures and writings.

3. Applied Behaviour Analysis:

   In this therapy, the first step is to analyse the behaviour of individuals with autism. After that, any negative or potentially harmful behaviour is gradually removed and positive behaviour is encouraged through positive reinforcement, i.e., rewarding them for positive behaviour. Anger management is also important if individuals seem to get irritated and agitated frequently.

These therapies will produce better results when they are applied in early stages. So children are more likely to benefit from them compared to adults.

Medicine: Autism causes varying symptoms in individuals. Every person suffering from this disorder displays different behaviours and issues. So depending on the symptoms of individual, certain medications are prescribed by doctors following a specific case study.

As such, there aren't many medications that can be generally prescribed for all cases of autism. The only category of medications that is approved by the FDA specifically for autism are antipsychotics, namely Risperidone and Aripiprazole. These are used to treat symptoms of psychosis, depression, aggression and irritation is people having autism.

There is no such cure for autism, however, some therapies and treatment considerations can be taken to lower the risk of symptoms. The treatments are as follows:

• Play therapy
• Behavioural therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Speech therapy
• Physical therapy
• Autism patients need relaxation. Massages, blanket therapy, meditation also might help.

Summary: There is no cure for autism. All we can do is be careful at the time of pregnancy. If there is an autistic person in the family, provide a calm and peaceful environment and help him/her to tackle the situation.

The cause of autism is unknown, hence, there is no such prevention technique as well. Doctors believe that autism could be an outcome of a genetic disorder. Other than that it could be a result of something a mother experiences or does that could be harmful to the baby during pregnancy.

Now, while we do not have a preventive measure for autism, we can increase the chances of having a healthy baby.

• Adopt some lifestyle changes like:
• Live a healthy life, exercise regularly, eat healthy food.
• Don't take drugs during pregnancy
• Strictly prohibit alcohol during pregnancy
• If you have an existing health condition, seek treatment for it.
• Get all the needed vaccinations

According to a study, some children, if correctly diagnosed at an early stage may lose every sign of symptoms as they grow up. Some children, with very severe conditions, may never be able to communicate or make eye contact but other children could live a relatively normal life.

Studies have suggested that some food and dietary choices can have positive impact in individuals with autism. These include:

• Omega 3 fatty acids

  Omega 3 fatty acids are known to boost neurological function and brain development in otherwise healthy individuals. That is why they are also recommended for people with autism. However, research has not proven definitely that it can bring improvement in individuals suffering from autism.

• Magnesium supplements

  Magnesium is known to improve certain conditions like short attention span, problems with concentration and anxiety. Since these symptoms are commonly observed in people who are suffering from autism, so magnesium supplements can help to improve such symptoms.

• Melatonin supplements

  People with autism often have trouble sleeping and relaxing. Lack of sleep aggravates other symptoms and behaviours caused be autism. Melatonin supplements can help such individuals to get better sleep and relaxation which in turn, improves other behavioural aspects of autism.

• Gluten free and dairy free diets

  Individuals with autism can be affected negatively by dairy products and foods that are rich in gluten. So a gluten free and dairy free diet is recommended. Since avoiding dairy products can cause calcium deficiency, so other non-dairy foods that are rich in calcium must be consumed by individuals affected by autism.

Overall, it is important to consider that all these treatments and dietary options are no definite guidelines for autism.

Most of the home remedies for autism include providing proper diet, supplements, and therapies. It is essential to list out foods to eat and foods to avoid. Generally, it is recommended to eat a magnesium-rich diet, vitamin D-rich diet, fish oil, essential oil, etc.

It is advised to avoid gluten, sugar, soy, etc. Communication therapy, behavioral and speech therapy is to be practiced at home so as to make the patient feel safe and positive. Finally, Ayurveda and Chinese therapy can also be sought as alternative natural home therapies.

Summary: Autism Autism is a psychological disorder that impairs the ability to communicate in an individual. It is often seen in children, it affects their physical, social, and cognitive ability to perform daily life activities.