Definition of ASD

It is a neurological and developmental disorder that begins early in childhood and lasts throughout a person’s life. It affects how a person acts and interacts with others, communicates, and learns.

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Autism Spectrum Disorder

Now let’s know what is ASD

It is a complex developmental condition that involves persistent challenges in social interaction, speech, non-verbal communication, and restricted behaviours. The effects and its symptoms of ASD are different from person to person. It is first diagnosed in childhood around 2 to 3 years of age. It is a life long condition. Once in 160 children is estimated to have AUD. Autism Disorder is 3 to 4 times more common in boys than in girls and girls exhibit less obvious signs when compared with boys.

SYMPTOMS OF ASD

As said there are no common symptoms between 2 people. Different people experience different symptoms. Some children show signs of ASD in infancy, such as reduces eye contact, lack of response to their name, or indifference to their caretaker’s. Other children may develop normally for the first few months or years of life, but then suddenly become aggressive or lose language skills they have already acquired. Signs usually are seen by age of 2 years.

Each child with ASD is likely to have a unique pattern of behaviour and level of severity- from low functioning to high functioning. Some children with autism spectrum disorder have difficulty in learning, and some have signs of lower than normal intelligence. Other children with the disorder have normal to high intelligence they learn things very quickly yet have trouble with communication.

Social interaction

Doesn’t speak or has delayed speech or loses the ability to say words or sentences.
Doesn’t understand simple questions
Doesn’t express feelings or emotions and appears unaware of other’s feelings
Has difficulty in recognizing non-verbal cues
Being aggressive while approaching a social interaction inappropriately

Patterns of behaviour

Performs repetitive moments such as rocking, spinning and hand flapping.
Performs activities which cause self-harm like biting or head-banging
Has problems with Co-ordination such as clumsiness, walking on toes, exaggerated body language
Is Unusually sensitive to light, touch, sound or may be indifferent to pain
Has specific food preferences

Epidemiology of ASD

Based on epidemiology studies conducted over the past 50 years, the prevalence of ASD appears to be increasing globally.

Available scientific evidence suggests that there are probably many factors that make a child more likely to have an ASD, including environmental and genetic factors.

Available epidemiology data are conclusive that there is no evidence of a causal association between measles, mumps, rubella vaccine, and ASD. There is no evidence to suggest that any other childhood vaccine may increase the risk of ASD. While some individuals with ASD’s are able to live independently, others have severe disabilities and require long life care and support.

Behaviour and communication approach

Applied Behavior Analysis:- A treatment approach for people with ASD is called Applied Behavior Analysis. ABA has become widely accepted among health care professionals and used in many schools and treats clinics.

There are different types of ABA

Let’s see few:-

Discrete Trial Training:- It is a series of trials to teach each step of the desired behaviour. lessons are broken into the simplest parts, and positive reinforcement is used to reward correct answers and behaviours.
Early intensive behavioural intervention:- It uses a highly structured teaching approach to build positive behaviour and reduce unwanted behaviours such as aggressive, tantrums etc

Occupational therapies:- It teaches skills that help the person live independently. Some Skills may include dressing, eating, bathing, and related to people.

Social Skills Training:- It teaches children the skills

like they need to interact and people, including conversation and problem-solving.

Speech Therapy:- It helps people to improve their communication skills. Some people are able to learn verbal communication skills. Using gestures or pictures board is realistic.

FACTS ABOUT AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

ASD is a developmental disability that generally appears before the age of 3

There is currently no medical detection or cure for ASD just therapies can be helpful

Being non-verbal at age 4 or 3 doesn’t mean children with ASD will never speak. Studies show that most will learn to use words and nearly half will learn to speak frequently