Awe in Autism

Autism is technically a clinical syndrome, distinguished by difficulty in social interaction and communication skills, that usually appears during childhood, Due to the number of clinical symptoms that an autistic individual can display, physicians refer it more commonly as an autism spectrum disorder. To date, no autistic patient conveys the same characteristics or features as another to its entirety.

A Child with Autism

Statistics reveal that 1 out of 59 children develop an autism spectrum disorder, generally diagnosed between the age of 2 and 4 and boys have a higher chance than girls. Take into consideration that autism manifests itself in various degrees of intensity and with a wide array of symptoms. No children have the same spectrum of autism.

Autism produces alterations related to social behaviour, verbal and non-verbal communication, interest attention, and daily activities. All children show severe language impairment, which can range from total absence, comprehension deficit, and use of mimic signs to a mild dysprosody (monotone tone of voice). Nonverbal communication is also compromised since they are unable to communicate adequately through gestures, express their desires or convey facial expressions.

Additionally, they cannot interact well with other people and experience episodes of aggressiveness, self-harm, lack of impulse control and deranged conduct. Sometimes, they cause exuberant and uncontrollable tantrums from a minuscule or irrelevant inconvenience. Intense fear and panic issues are also very common.

What causes autism?

Scientists are still unable to determine the true origin of the autism spectrum disorder. Although it was described for the first time in the 1940s, there is still insufficient data about it. Many investigations deter that is a multifactorial illness due to the fact that two autistic people can’t possess the exact autistic characteristics.

Many studies have sustained that genetics might be the main factor associated with autism. According a study of pilates trainer course Melbourne, more than 100 genes in different chromosomes could be involved in the development, in various degrees. Many autistic people have changes in their DNA called mutations, but not all have the same combinations of mutations. Evidence suggests that the complexity of these genetic mutations can produce specific symptoms, increase the likelihood of them, or determine an appropriate treatment. Other theories that are being studied currently to explain the probability of developing autism include cerebral connections, metabolism disorders, and autoimmune afflictions.

Is Autism Curable?

Currently, no cure for autism has been discovered. Nonetheless, recent investigations have revealed that certain cases of autism have disappeared as their children grow over time. First, you must understand the concept of “optimal outcome”, which refers to the cease of autistic symptoms over time. When this occurs, pediatricians indicate that the child has “lost the autism diagnosis” because he or she no longer fit the criteria for autism. Investigations have demonstrated that therapy can improve cognitive issues and progress to improved quality of life.

Most scientists elaborate that some children are not diagnosed by an autism specialist, therefore they might have been evaluated inappropriately. Others propose that the final analysis of the case is replaced by a more appropriate diagnosis. For example, some children with attention deficit disorder (ADD) present similar symptoms as autism but aren’t truly evaluated until they reach a higher age.

Complications of Autism

An autism spectrum disorder can be difficult enough to be handle on its own, however, there are certain complications that worsen even more the therapeutic treatments. Certain health conditions are associated with autism include:

Sensory Issues
A person with autism is highly sensitive to external stimuli and it can be severe to such a degree that ordinary sensations can cause pain or discomfort. In their defect, they may not be able to respond properly to extreme conditions of heat, cold, or pain.

Seizures
Seizures are a common secondary effect in people with autism and it generally appears at an early age or when they hit puberty.

Psychomotor Retardation
Generally, autistic children have some sort of degree of mental deficiency. This can include the fragile X syndrome, a genetic disorder that causes mental delay, particularly in men.

Tuberous Sclerosis
This uncommon disorder can cause the growth of benign tumours in numerous organs, including the brain. Studies have shown that the incidence of autism is greater in children with tuberous sclerosis that those who do not suffer from this illness.

Other Diseases
Some frequent secondary effects that may occur in someone who suffers from autism involve aggression, insomnia, digestive symptoms, and changes in their dietary habits.

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Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder is a broad range of conditions that range from a combination of poor social skills, challenges with speech and non-verbal communication as well as a pattern of repetitive behaviors that can be accompanied by mental health challenges like anxiety, depression and problems concentrating. How Autism manifests itself is unique to each individual and other symptoms of Autism include gastrointestinal problems, seizures, sleep disorders and sensory sensitivities. Because Autism is a spectrum disorder, people with Autism can be brilliant at some things and have severe challenges with others.

Current Treatments for Autism can very depending on how Autism manifests itself in each individual. Let’s take a look at the top 6 most commonly used treatments:

• Occupational Therapy

This therapy involves helping children with everyday tasks like buttoning their shirts or how to hold a knife and fork properly. Treatment is tailored to each individual.

• Speech Therapy

This treatment helps with speech, communicating and interacting with others and also includes non-verbal communication.

• Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA)

There are several different types of ABA but at it’s core, ABA uses rewards to positively reinforce behaviors and give the individual moment-by moment feedback. As is common with Autism, treatment is based on the individual

• Social Skills Classes

These can be both group or individual and as the name suggests, this therapy is intended to help individuals improve their social skills,. This therapy is conducted by a therapist.

Therapeutic Horseback Riding

As the name suggests, this involves the individual with autism riding a horse which is a form of physical therapy because the rider needs to react to the movements of the horse. It works particularly well with children and teens aged 5 to 16

Picture Exchange Communications System (PECS)

With this form of therapy children learn to trade pictures for certain items or activities. This particular treatment is suitable for children who have difficulty speaking or who have trouble understanding. Research has shown that this treatment can lead to improvements in communication but results in little to no improvements in speech.

Remember there is no “one size fits all” for Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder (they both mean the same thing). Remember, Autism refers to a broad spectrum of different combination of similar behaviors and as such treatment needs to be tailored to each individual. With the proper medical care, individuals with Autism can go on to lead fruitful and meaningful lives.

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What are the 5 different types of autism?
The 5 different types of autism are Rett Syndrome, Asperger’s Syndrome, Kanner’s Syndrome, CDD, and PDD-NOS. Those who have Asperger’s Syndore do have advanced vocabulary and they don’t have delayed speech. That is not the case with Rett Syndrome though because they have delayed speech and they clap their hands consistently. As for Kanner’s Syndrome, it is exhibiting what you will usually see in autistic people. It includes having a hard time communicating with others. Yes, if you are not autistic, you are going to have a hard time talking to people who have Kanner’s Syndrome until you give it up and talk to another person. You can’t blame yourself for doing so though. Those who have Rett Syndrome will have difficulty breathing when they grow up. Also, they will develop seizures at random times.

What are the 3 types of autism?
The 3 types are classic, Asperger’s Syndrome, and PDD-NOS. PDD-NOS relays to the ones that were not specified in the other types of autism. These are the children who would react in a delayed manner. The classic syndrome refers to people who do limited or no eye contact with the people you are talking to. It also refers to people who react strongly to sudden sounds. For example, lightning strikes and they suddenly scream. The moment they do that, they surprise all the people around them. Children who have classic autism have no interest in talking to normal people. In fact, they have no interest in talking to other autistic people either. They would rather spend some alone time.

What are the 4 types of autism?
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, Pervasive Developmenetal Disorder, Austic Disorder, and Asperger’s Syndrome are the four types. These types are different from one another and you would need to take the child to the doctor to know what type the person is dealing with. PDD refers to someone who has some characteristics of being autistic but not all of them.

What is the difference between autism and autism spectrum disorder?
Both autism and autism spectrum disorder refers to the behavioural disorders affected by the condition. Autistic people are challenged by social skills as they will have a hard time communicating with other people. There is basically no difference between the two as when you refer to someone being autistic, you are basically talking about both terms. It is hereditary most of the time so there is nothing you can really do about it. It is usually characterized to different levels of autism. Those who are at the highest level would need continuous support from a caregiver or someone who knows how to take care of that person.

What is borderline autism?
It refers to people who is close to being autistic but that is not the case. Either way, the person is exhibiting some behaviors of being autistic like looking at another place when someone is talking to that person. It is not something you can overlook though.

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