Autism is a developmental
disorder that typically appears during the first three years of life
and may be the result of a neurological disorder that affects the
brain. Autism is classified by the American Psychiatric Association
as a Pervasive Development Disorder (APA, 1994). It is defined by
symptoms that appear before the age of three which reflect delayed
or abnormal development in Language, Social Skills and Behavioral
Repertoire.
Autistic disorder
symptoms manifest themselves as follows:
The person fulfills a total of at least 6 criteria from the following
3 lists, distributed as indicated:
Impaired social interaction (at
least 2):
Markedly deficient
regulation of social interaction by using multiple non-verbal behaviors
such as eye contact, facial expression, body posture and gestures.
Lack of peer relationships that are appropriate to the developmental
level.
Doesn't seek to share achievements, interests or pleasure with others.
Lacks social or emotional reciprocity.
Impaired
communication (at least 1):
Delayed or
absent development of spoken language for which the patient doesn't
try to compensate with gestures.
In person's who can speak, inadequate attempts to begin or sustain
a conversation.
Language that is repetitive, stereotyped or idiosyncratic.
Appropriate to developmental stage, absence of social imitative
play or spontaneous, make-believe play.
Activities,
behavior and interests that are repetitive, restricted and stereotyped
(at least 1 of):
Preoccupation
with abnormal (in focus or intensity) interests that are restricted
and stereotyped (such as spinning things).
Rigidly sticks to routines or rituals that don't appear to have
a function.
Has stereotyped, repetitive motor mannerisms, such as hand flapping.
Persistently preoccupied with parts of objects.
Before age three, the person shows delayed or abnormal functioning
in 1 or more of these areas:
Social interaction.
Language used in social communication.
Imaginative or symbolic play.
These symptoms are not better explained by Childhood Disintegrative
Disorder or
Rett's Disorder.
Associated
Features:
Learning Problem
Dysarthria or Involuntary Movement
Hypoactivity
Psychosis
Odd
or Eccentric or Suspicious Personality
Anxious or Fearful or Dependent
Personality
Differential
Diagnosis:
Some disorders have similar symptoms. The clinician, therefore, in
his diagnostic attempt has to differentiate against the following
disorders which need to be ruled out to establish a precise diagnosis.
Rett's
Disorder;
Childhood Disintegrative
Disorder;
Asperger's Disorder;
Schizophrenia;
Selective Mutism;
Expressive Language Disorder;
Mixed Receptive-Expressive
Language Disorder;
Mental Retardation;
Stereotypic Movement
Habit Disorder.
Cause:
The exact cause
or causes of autism is/are still not known but research shows that
genetic factors are important. It is also evident from research that
autism is associated with a variety of conditions affecting brain
development which occur before, during, or very soon after birth.
See Asperger's Disorder
Treatment:
Treatment of this
disorder is very difficult and prolonged. Parents, teachers, and therapists
work together in coordinated efforts to encourage social adjustment
and speech development in the child. Positive reinforcement techniques
such as offering food for appropriate behavior or language responses
have been successful in promoting skills. Treatment may be in an institution,
specialized school, day-care setting, or in the home. Family members
may need counseling because they often feel guilty or inadequate.
Treatments such as dietary modification and vitamin therapies, medication,
music therapy, colored or prism lenses, auditory training, sensory
integration, social skills programming, speech therapy.
Counseling
and Psychotherapy [ See
Therapy Section ]:
Intensive behavior
modification programmes such as; Behavior Analysis and Applied Behavior
Analysis (ABA).
