AUTISM - ITS MEANING AND CAUSES
Meaning of ASD
What is Autism? Before we learn of Autism, we need to understand 'Autism spectrum disorder' or ASD. ASD is a group of developmental disorders that impacts the nervous system and affects the overall cognitive, emotional, social and physical health of the affected individual. Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) appear in the first 3 years of life and includes Autistic Disorder (i.e., autism), Asperger Disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). Children with an ASD diagnosis show difficulties in three areas. i) language and communication, ii) socialization and restricted interests and/or repetitive behaviors. Many different symptoms can manifest within each of these areas. Autism is the most common condition in Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Autism is characterized by impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and unusual, repetitive, or severely limited activities and interests. Severity of Autism may range from mild to medium to severe.
How are they different?
There is often nothing about how people with Autism that sets them apart from other people. They may communicate, interact, behave, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. The learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of people with Autism can range from gifted to severely challenged. Some people with Autism need a lot of help in their daily lives; others need less.
Autism and it's Causes?
Initially, autism was thought to be an early form of schizophrenia, which led to the belief that its onset could be caused by negative experience or bad parenting. Its been proved that this is not the case. Current research will argue that autism causes are generally a combination of two factors. A genetic factor, which is transmitted through various DNA types, as well as factors of an environmental nature. This has not been scientifically proven of course, but new studies show that these two factors could be prime autism causes.
Genetics and Autism
The more likely theory is that autism could be a result of a genetic disorder. Families where autism is present are more often prone to having children with autistic tendencies. Also there is a risk that when there is an autistic child in your family, the chances of another child with autism symptoms being born is greatly increased. Evidence shows that certain food products may contribute to the causing of autism. These products will include gluten which is wheat and also certain dairy products. The evidence is unfortunately not yet strong enough to support the theory of certain researches who feel that certain food items can cause autism at the early stages of children development. The most believable cause of autism can probably be that it is something involving a genetic disorder. Treating this disorder with the necessary attention will only ensure that the person with autism be as comfortable as possible and also be able to gradually respond to certain programs of treatment.
What is the most important step in tackling ASD
To overcome Autism, first and most important thing all parents must do is to screen their children for Autism if they notice any developmental delay in their child. While Autism is considered as a life-long condition, we can minimise the difficulties caused by the condition by finding it as early as 18-24 months which can result in early intervention that greatly benefits the child. Autistic people know that their condition cannot be classified as a disease but is rather a state which they need to learn to work around. All the treatments or therapies are designed to teach the autistic community ways to iintegrte into normal life.