Autism is a common disorder that many people have heard about, but don’t necessarily know what it might actually entail or what can generally be expected from an autistic person. As a result, this often leads to a common misunderstanding of the disorder, misdiagnosis, and even fear of the behaviors or symptoms themselves. However, one may be able to gain insight to shed some light on the subject by learning about what they can expect or look out for with their own loved ones.
Autism is a severe disorder that typically develops at birth and shows signs around the first two or so years later. It is often noticed more so in boys than girls, with an increasing number of cases as time passes, statistically showing to affect about every 1 child per 110 births. However, since most autistic children appear quite normal, they’re also harder to identify, short of their actual behavior, which can often vary on a case-by-case basis.
It quite common for the disordered to be compared to or diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome and/or Pervasive Developmental Disorder. These disorders often include someone who speaks normally, but may show severe behavioral symptoms or social awkwardness that can often be attributed to an autistic person.
It was once believed and widely-accepted for an autistic person to have simply suffered from a twist of fate when it came down to their disorder. However, these days, there are fortunately numerous treatments that might help. Such treatments will vary on the person and their condition, with some seeing a good amount of improvement, while others may see little to none at all. It is also believed that the earlier one gets treatment, the more likely that they’re expected to see positive results.
It’s often that a E-2 checklist is used by professionals and parents in order to try and diagnose the spectrum of autism a child might have. This was originally designed to check for classroom autism, or Kanner’s syndrome, by Dr. Bernard Rimland. The checklist is often then gone over and checked by a specialist in order to figure out the likely next course of action for each individual.
Symptoms for the disorder can generally vary, though might include a person resisting affection such as cuddling or hugging, not responding to their name, poor eye contact, and may often retreat into their own world or appear aloof. In other cases, they may not be aware of another person’s feelings. They may also learn to talk much later than other children do, lose the ability to speak once-learned words or phrases, or speak in a manner that’s verbatim or repetitive.
An autistic person may very well show signs of speaking in a singsong manner, or one that has abnormal rhythms and tones. Body language may be repetitive in gestures or movements, and they may also appear to be excessively hyper. They may develop certain routines and rituals, which, when disturbed, may cause them to be upset. Often enough, they may be prone to sound, light, or touch sensitivity, and can often show signs of extreme fascination with certain objects.
If you suspect that a loved one may have autism, then researching further symptoms, causes and so forth may be a good place to start. In the end, however, seeing a professional who specializes in the disorder may be able to offer you some assistance with treatment and coping with the situation more effectively.
Get the exclusive low down on the Autism disorders, signs and symptoms now in our overview of autism and aspergers syndrome treatment .
