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Conservative use of drug therapy
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A psychological approach that emphasizes the present and future of the patient, rather than the past.
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Emphasis on nutrition and physical exercise
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Family participation, if appropriate
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Psychoeducation for patients and relatives
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What is Autism
For most, Autism is a life-long developmental disability that is often considered to be a "spectrum disorder," meaning that there is a wide range of severity from mild to severe. Individuals with Autism can be at different levels of severity and may look very different from each other. Symptoms of autism usually appear as early as 18-months of age, but a formal diagnosis is usually not made until age two or three when there is a delay in language development. Autism is characterized by interference in the development of social interactions, reasoning, and communication skills. Individuals with autism usually demonstrate impairments in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions and leisure or play activities. Individuals with this disorder seem to be "trapped" in their own world with little attempt to communicate to others. They may exhibit repeated body movements, may resist any changes in routines, and have unusual responses to people or attachment to object.
Individuals with autism usually exhibit at least half of the traits listed below. These symptoms can range from mild to severe and vary in intensity from symptom to symptom. In addition, the behavior usually occurs across many different situations and is consistently inappropriate for their age:
- Difficulty in mixing with other children
- Insistence on sameness; resists changes in routine
- Inappropriate laughing and giggling
- No real fear of dangers
- Little or no eye contact
- Sustained odd play
- Apparent insensitivity to pain
- Echolalia (repeating words or phrases in place of normal language)
- Prefers to be alone; aloof manner
- May not want cuddling or act cuddly
- Spins objects
- Not responsive to verbal cues; act as deaf
- Inappropriate attachment to objects
- Difficulty in expressing needs; uses gestures or pointing instead of words
- Noticeable physical over activity or extreme under activity
- Tantrums—displays extreme distress for no apparent reason
- Unresponsive to normal teaching methods
- Uneven gross/fine motor skills. (May not want to kick ball but can stack blocks.)
Who suffers from Autism?
The exact cause of autism is not yet determined. However, research shows that it can be caused by a number of conditions that affect the development of the brain, which could occur before, during, or after birth. These conditions include maternal rubella, tuberous sclerosis, and lack of oxygen at birth, and complications of childhood illnesses, such as whooping cough and measles. In addition, there is strong evidence that it is genetically linked. If a family has one child with autism there is a 5 to 10 percent chance that they will have another child with autism. Studies have shown that autism occurs in approximately 15 out of every 10,000 individuals and it is four times more prevalent among boys than with girls. Several older theories about the cause of autism have been now proven false. Autism is not a mental illness. Children with autism are not unruly kids, who choose not to behave. Bad parenting does not cause autism. Furthermore, no known psychological factors in the development of the child have been shown to cause autism. More recently, studies have demonstrated that autism in not linked to the MMR vaccine or the products used to manufacture vaccines.
What Treatments are Available?
Individuals with autism respond well to a highly structured, specialized education and behavior modification programs tailored to the individual needs of the person. A well designed intervention approach will include some level of communication therapy, social skill development, sensory impairment therapy, and behavior modification at a minimum. These services should be delivered by autism trained professionals in a consistent, comprehensive and coordinated manner. The more severe challenges of some children with autism may be best addressed by a structured education and behavior program, which contains a 1:1 teacher to student ratio or small group environment. Students with autism should have training in vocational skills and community living skills at the earliest possible age. Learning to cross a street safely, to make a simple purchase, or to ask assistance when needed are critical skills, and may be difficult, even for those with average intelligence levels. Tasks that enhance the person's independence, give more opportunity for personal choice, or allow more freedom in the community are important. There are no specific medications used to treat autism. However, some doctors may recommend medication to treat related symptoms, such as self-injurious behavior or inattentiveness.
What are the Symptoms of Autism?
- Communication: Language develops slowly or not at all; use of words without attaching the usual meaning to them; communicates with gestures instead of words; short attention span.
- Social Interaction: Spends time alone rather than with others; fails to respond to his or her name; shows little interest in making friends; less responsible to social cues, such as eye contact or smiles.
- Sensory Impairment: Unusual reactions to physical sensations, such as being overly sensitive to touch or under-responsive to pain; may not be soothed by cuddling; sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste may be affected to a lesser or greater degree.
- Play: Lack of spontaneous or imaginative play; does not imitate others actions; engages in repetitive play; stacks or lines-up objects.
- Behaviors: May be overactive or very passive; has frequent tantrums for no apparent reason; may be fixated on a single item, idea or person; apparent lack of common sense; may show aggressive or violent behavior or injure self; may demonstrate repetitive movements, such as rocking, hand flapping or twisting.
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Consultations