Autism

Introduction:

Autism is a brain disorder that often results in a lifetime of impaired thinking, feeling, and social functioning -the most unique of our human attributes. It typically affects a person's ability to communicate, form relationships with others and respond appropriately to the external world. The disorder becomes apparent in children generally between the ages of 2 and 3 years

Autism has a strong genetic basis, although the genetics of autism are complex and it is unclear whether ASD is explained more by rare mutations or by rare combinations of common genetic variants. In rare cases, autism is strongly associated with agents that causes birth defects.

Controversies surround other proposed environmental causes, such as heavy metals,pesticides or childhood vaccines;the vaccine hypotheses are biologically implausible and lack convincing scientific evidence.The prevelanceof ASD is about 6 per 1,000 people, with about four times as many males as females. The number of people known to have autism has increased dramatically since the 1980s, partly due to changes in diagnostic practice; the question of whether actual prevalence has increased is unresolved.

Parents usually notice signs in the first two years of their child's life. Although early behavioral or cognitive intervention can help children gain self-care, social, and communication skills, there is no known cure.Not many children with autism live independently after reaching adulthood, though some become successful.An autistic culture has developed, with some individuals seeking a cure and others believing autism should be tolerated as a difference and not treated as a disorder

Types of Autism Autism (sometimes called "classical autism") is the most common condition in a group of developmental disorders known as the autism spectrum disorders Other autism spectrum disorders include: • Asperger syndrome • Rett syndrome • Childhood disintegrative disorder • Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (usually referred to as PDD-NOS). Autism statistics suggest that two to six children out of every 1,000 will have autism. According to autism statistics, males are four times more likely to have autism than females. Girls with autism tend to have more severe symptoms and greater cognitive impairment. Causes of Autism Scientists aren't certain of the cause of autism, but it's likely that both genetic and environment play a role. Recent studies strongly suggest that some people have a genetic predisposition to autism. In families with one child with autism, the risk of having a second child with the disorder is approximately 5 percent or one in 20. This is greater than the risk for the general population. Researchers are looking for clues about which genes contribute to increased susceptibility. In some cases, parents and other relatives of a child with autism show mild impairments in social and communicative skills or engage in repetitive behaviors. Evidence also suggests that some emotional disorders, such as manic depression, occur more frequently than average in the families of people with autism. The theory that parental practices are responsible for autism has been disproved completely. Some studies suggest that people with autism have abnormal levels of serotonin or other neurotransmitters in the brain. These abnormalities suggest that autism could result from the disruption of normal brain development early in fetal development caused by defects in genes that control brain growth and that regulate how neurons communicate with each other. While these findings are intriguing, they are preliminary and require further study. Symptoms of Autism You can tell that a child has Autism because he/she : • will have an extremely difficult time communicating • will repeat words and phrases over and over again • will lack eye contact • may fixate on inanimate objects • may exhibit some repetitive type of behaviour (flapping, rocking, twirling etc) • may walk on their toes • may resist changes in their daily routines • have unmotivated tantrums • have insensitivity to pain • have an inability to verbally express their needs and wants correctly (for example, a child with autism might say 'you want a water glass' when he/she is thirsty and wants a drink instead of saying ‘I’) • may also have a sensory impairment (sensitivity to sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste). • These are some of the more common symptoms seen in children with autism. They usually start to appear between the ages of about twenty four to thirty months though now some practitioners are able to diagnose even earlier, sometimes as early as 6 months. Getting an Evaluation One of the frustrating things that occurs when parents think something is wrong with their child's development is that they may be told 'not to worry' or that they 'should just wait.' Experts think that it is better for parents to trust their instincts and get their child evaluated if they think that they aren't developing normally. Doctors rely on a core group of behaviors when diagnosing autism. These behaviors include: • Impaired ability to make friends with peers • Impaired ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others • Absence or impairment of imaginative and social play • Stereotyped, repetitive, or unusual use of language • Restricted patterns of interest that are abnormal in intensity or focus • Preoccupation with certain objects or subjects • Inflexible adherence to specific routines or rituals. Doctors will often use a questionnaire or other screening instrument to gather information about a child's development and behavior. Some screening instruments rely solely on parent observations; others rely on a combination of parent and doctor observations. If screening instruments indicate the possibility of Autism, doctors will ask for a more comprehensive evaluation. Among the early signs and symptoms that parents and Pediatricians look for to alert them that a child needs further evaluation for autism include: • not smiling by six months of age • not babbling, pointing or using other gestures by 12 months • not using single words by age 16 months • not using two word phrases by 24 months • having a regression in development, with any loss of language or social skills Infants with autism might also avoid eye contact and as they get older, act as if they are unaware of when people come and go around them. Is there any cure for Autism ? The more we understand autism, the more progress we can make when trying to cure it. In the medical sense, there is no cure for autism. Sometimes, the disease lessens as the child ages. The most successful intervention is ABA or Applied Behavior Analysis. Another approach is the ever popular TEACCH. (Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication Handicapped Children) These programmes use a variety of strategies to enforce proper behavior in children with autism. Vitamin B6, taken with magnesium has also been found to be helpful. This vitamin has improved the overall condition of about 45% of all children who take it. There is news of another vitamin Di-methylglycine, that improves communication skills. These are all observations during our teaching sessions and also from feedback from parents. There is no single best treatment for autism. One point that most professionals agree on is that early treatment is important; another is that most individuals with autism respond well to highly structured, specialized programs. Before you make decisions on your child's autism treatment, you will want to gather information about the various treatments that are available. Learn as much as you can, look at all the options and make your decision on your child's treatment based on your child's needs CATCH Centre For Autism Therapy and Counselling is registered as a society under the Societies Registration Act,1860.It's the manifestation of the resolve of a few parents of autistic children to fight the adversities and create a better world for persons affected with autism.The primar objective behind setting up of CATCH is to sensitize parents of autistic and form a coherent group of like minded parents who would run a therapy centre and provide the minimum facilites through an appropriate programme to the autistic children.