Archive for April, 2012
Studies have shown that autism affects male children four times more then the female children. Autistic children indicate certain specific features like behavior problem in social interaction, communication and speech skills. This autism starts in infancy and develops by the time the child is three years old. The abnormal behavioral traits indicate autism in children right from when they are young.
Every four out of 10,000 children today are autistic and this is persistent throughout adulthood. There are two types of autism – mild and severe. Children affected with mild autism when trained can live independently whereas children with severity need support and regular medications.
Viral Infection causes autism. Rubella virus during the first trimester may result in autism in children. The other reasons for autism in children are mainly genetic, infections and other distressing factors during gestation. There was a belief in the past that parents generated autism bit it has been proved to be incorrect.
Autism occurs in two stages of infancy. Its signs show up within a few months of birth whereas some children appear to be normal till two years of age then the indications crop up all of a sudden. Autistic children show both communicative and non communicative skill with peculiar faces and difficulty in talking. Autism children communicate in a dull and boring fashion and the language looks very artificial. Different children exhibit different traits and no two children have common behavior problem.
Autistic children have very less impulse in the outdoor surroundings. Some children are not in a position to identify their parents in their initial stages. The small child cannot smile or emote which a normal baby does in the first few months. Toilet training is very difficult in autistic children. They show some sort of behavioral problem or the other such as strange poses, rocking, and sudden outbursts and many others which are abnormal.
Autistic children never get along in a group and mostly stay detached. They have a repetitive behavior which is difficult to modify as they do not accept change. They maintain their own behavioral practice and set up an atmosphere for themselves.
Importance of Keeping a Check on the Signs and Symptoms of Autism
Autism a neurological brain disorder begins in the early stages of the child and continues till adulthood impairing their behaviors. It impairs the development in the child both socially and also in communication level. Some children have mild autism while some are severely autistic.
This brain disorder affects their perception, feeling towards others and also the difficulty to adapt o new surroundings. When noticed autistic people look normal except for their abnormal behavior. A high functioning autistic person has high IQ and is very good at arts, music and mathematics. They can never express their intelligence and have self stimulating behaviors.
An early intervention on spotting autism helps the parents to modify the behavior to a great extent. Children who undergo proper treatment and therapies keep away from severe conditions of this disorder. It is important on the part of the parents to identify this autism and keep a regular check on it. With the symptom checklist maintained it is easier to modify the behavior problem with appropriate development program.
Few symptoms to identify autism in children
Lack of proper verbal and non-verbal communication skills
They find it difficult to accept any change in the surroundings and behavior. They cannot adjust to a new circumstance, have repetitive and typecast behavior.
Autistic children are either calm and passive or very hyperactive.
They have no fear and are unable to handle dangerous situations
Lack of imitational skills like facial expressions or signs are seen in autistic children
They do not respond to their own name.
They have poor eye contact and social interaction.
They are absorbed in self wounding activities like scratching their skin and head banging.
They find it difficult to relate to people and also cannot express their feeling for people in trouble.
All the above mentioned signs and symptoms are obvious by the time the child is three years old which denotes that the child is abnormal and needs treatment. Therapies and treatment at the early stage gives positive results.
