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What is autism in children? Autism - what kind of disease is it? Causes of autism, symptoms and early signs Autism is ordinary.

    AUTISM- – a state of immersion in the world of internal experiences with withdrawal from reality, isolation, poor expression of emotions, loss of emotional contact with others. It is observed mainly in schizophrenia; mild manifestations of autism... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary of Psychology and Pedagogy

    AUTISM- (from the Greek autos self) detachment from the surrounding reality, immersion in the world of one’s own experiences, focus on oneself. 1) The concept of A. was introduced by the Swiss psychiatrist E. Bleier to describe a disease characterized by... ... Sociology: Encyclopedia

    D. p. represent a mixed group of severe disorders with gross deviations from expected social conditions. and intellectual age norms. Childhood autism and childhood schizophrenia are two of the most common psychotic disorders in children... ... Psychological Encyclopedia

    Z. p. is a psychotherapeutic system that combines ethological principles and principles of attachment formation, and was developed to overcome resistance to the formation of a connection between an adult and a child, which is necessary... ... Psychological Encyclopedia

    - (Baudrillard) Jean (b. 1929) French philosopher, sociologist, cultural scientist. Main works: ‘The System of Things’ (1968), ‘Toward a Critique of the Political Economy of the Sign’ (1972), ‘Mirror of Production’ (1975), ‘Symbolic Exchange and Death’ (1976), ‘In the Shadows... ... History of Philosophy: Encyclopedia

    1. KANNER'S SYNDROME, CHILDREN'S AUTISM (Kanner's syndrome, infantile autism) is a rare mental disorder in children that first appears at the age of approximately two and a half years. The child has difficulty communicating with other people, his speech develops poorly, he... ... Medical terms

    - (from other Greek παρα prefix with the meaning of contiguity, ὄνομα “name”) the words of paronyms are similar in form but differ in meaning. It is also common to mistakenly use one of them instead of the other. For example, the addressee is the addressee ... Wikipedia

    The Green Mile

    This is a glossary of terms not included in the basic articles about the Neon Genesis Evangelion line of anime and manga. Contents 1 Equipment 1.1 AT Field 1.2 LCL 1.3 ... Wikipedia

    This page is a glossary... Wikipedia

Books

  • Autistic child. Ways to help. 6th edition, O. S. Nikolskaya. The book is dedicated to one of the complex and mysterious mental development disorders of children - early childhood autism. Features and difficulties of mental development and socialization of autistic people are highlighted...
  • Autistic child. Ways of help, Nikolskaya Olga Sergeevna, Baenskaya Elena Rostislavovna, Liebling Maria Mikhailovna. The book is dedicated to one of the complex and mysterious disorders of the mental development of children - early childhood autism. Features and difficulties of mental development and socialization of autistic people are highlighted...

April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day. It's time to figure it out: who are autists? How are they different from other people? Do they need help and how can we help?

What is autism?

Autism is a brain disorder that occurs as a result of developmental disorders. Scientists have not yet agreed on the reasons for these violations. There are versions that they appear as a result of: pathologies of childbirth, traumatic brain injury, infection, congenital fragility of emotions, congenital brain dysfunction, hormonal imbalances, mercury poisoning (including during vaccination) or due to malfunctions of genes responsible for neural contacts (synaptic connection), or mutations. The cause of the disease cannot be upbringing, parental behavior or social circumstances. And the person himself is not to blame either.

Important! Autism is not contagious. Your child will not become autistic if he interacts with a person with this diagnosis. But there is a high probability that having experience communicating with people with different diagnoses and different perceptions of the world, he can “get sick” of tolerance, sympathy and the ability to empathize.

Manifestations of autism

Autism manifests itself in interactions with other people, poor social skills, and unusual behaviors (for example, constant rocking in a monotonous manner). Various forms of sensory hypo- or hypersensitivity are often present: intolerance to tissue, touch or hugs, or, conversely, an acute need for a specific smell or sound.

Such a person may experience difficulties with speech (intonation, rhythm, monotony, illegibility), avoid looking into the eyes of his interlocutor, may not smile, he may lack gestures and facial expressions, or he may use them unconsciously, without connecting them with the context. Due to impaired development of imagination, the range of interests of autistic people can be reduced to a minimum: attraction to one particular object and an obsessive desire to hold it in their hands, concentration on one thing, the need to accurately repeat the same actions, preference for solitude rather than someone else’s then the company.

Websites and groups about autism:

Diagnostics

The thing is quite complex, partly because it manifests itself differently in different children, partly because some indirect signs can also be found in ordinary children. As a rule, the disease manifests itself by the age of three, when parents are already able to assess the social skills and communication characteristics of their child. This is a lifelong diagnosis; a child with autism grows into an adult with autism.

People with autism themselves say that the outside world for them seems to be a chaos of things, people and events, literally driving them crazy. This can bring daily torment when communicating with loved ones or just acquaintances. They only intuitively feel that they are “not like everyone else,” and they endure this fact very painfully. Outwardly, this can manifest itself as real hysteria, the reason for which is sometimes simply the rearrangement of an object from one place to another.

Important! If your child avoids contact with all his might, his speech development is slow, his emotional development is slow, sometimes it seems that “nothing can get through” him, and he also seems to not react to pain at all if he is afraid of new places , people, impressions, prefers monotonous, repetitive movements, uses his toys for other purposes, does not play abstract games, does not fantasize, sometimes does not respond to someone addressing him, as if he does not hear, this is a reason to make an appointment with a child psychiatrist.

Different people

Everyone is autistic. Because in general, all people are different. And also because behind the general name lies a whole spectrum of disorders that have common manifestations and their own specific disorders. One child may be very different in his behavior, perception of the surrounding reality and in his ability to integrate into society from another child. Someone lives a relatively independent, independent life, studies, works, communicates with other people. And some, experiencing severe difficulties in communication and social interactions, need support, help and the work of specialists all their lives.

Books:

  • Paul Collins “Not even a mistake. A Father's Journey into the Mysterious History of Autism."
  • Ellen Notbohm: 10 Things Your Autistic Child Would Like to Tell You.
  • Robert Schramm, Childhood Autism and ABA.
  • Marty Leinbach "Daniel is silent."
  • Mark Haddon "The Mysterious Night-Time Murder of a Dog."
  • Iris Johansson "A Special Childhood".
  • Catherine Maurice "Hear Your Voice"
  • Maria Berkovich "Non-scary world."
  • Jodi Picoult "The Final Rule"

Help

Currently, several methods and programs have been developed, a sufficient number of specialized centers have been created around the world to help autistic people and their parents adapt to new conditions and correct the manifestations of the disease as gently and effectively as possible, teach a person social norms, life in society, communication, and give the opportunity to receive education and find a job.

Important! Autism cannot be cured with pills or drugs. It is adjusted and softened. The main role in therapy belongs to parents and specialists. And also, perhaps, to every person who did not recoil from such a person and did not offend him with a rude word.

Inclusion, full-fledged, truly helping and accepted at the level of laws, society, and culture, inclusion in kindergartens, schools, universities and workplaces - this is not yet about our country. In our country it is, for the most part, nominal: there is a law, but there are no specialists, experience or conditions.

Many of us watched Barry Levinson's film Rain Man with great interest. One of the main characters in this film, Raymond, is a mathematical genius and autistic. He lives in his own separate world, performing the most complex mathematical calculations in his mind. An autist is a genius. Strange? There is nothing strange about this. The statistics available today convincingly prove that autistic people are ten times more likely than ordinary people to demonstrate unique abilities in one area or another. Few people know that people with autistic thinking include: Bill Gates - a shareholder of Microsoft, Van Gogh - a great artist, Kim Peak - mathematician, Ph.D., writer Temple Granden. To one degree or another, the following were autistic: Albert Einstein, Dmitry Shostakovich, Nikolai Gumilyov, Arnold Schoenberg. The list of world-famous autists is endless. So what is autism - a disease, a mental disorder, a genetic disorder, a genius?

The term “autism” was first coined in 1911 by Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler, who devoted his entire life to the study of schizophrenia. Translated from Greek, "Autos" means "oneself." Thirty years later, psychiatrist L. Kanner called little autistic people “wise men” who prefer to live in their own world.

How autism manifests itself in a child: features of communication between an autistic person and others

An autistic child can be born into any family. In this case, the social status, welfare and education of the parents does not play any role. There is no one to blame for the fact that an unusual child appears in the family. Autism is considered a congenital condition or disease. In the scientific world, heated discussions are still ongoing on the topic: is autism a disease or a disorder? However, controversial opponents are unanimous in the opinion that autism is a pathology that needs to be treated.

As a rule, immediately after birth it is almost impossible to determine the symptoms of the disease. A little later, after the children have developed certain skills, parents notice some distortion in the perception of the world around them and deviations in the child’s behavior. Differentiating the symptoms of autism is quite difficult, as they are individual and unique.

Autistic behavior in society

  • The first signs of autism are considered to be: lack of social skills .
  • Some kids give the impression of being deaf because don't talk , and sometimes do not respond to speech addressed to them .
  • kids bind to specific external objects .In some forms of this disorder, the child develops absolutely normally until a certain age, but then gradually loses already acquired skills
  • Finding solitude , desire to be alone. The search for loneliness is a symptom that persists in such a child for life.
  • An autistic child is constantly looks away , avoiding eye contact even with close people.

One of these signs cannot be used to diagnose autistic disorder. This diagnosis is made based on a combination of several symptoms. Special tests help.

Statistics say that out of every thousand, one child suffers from this disorder. However, there are many more autistic children, since for many this disorder occurs in a mild form and parents do not consult doctors. They are sure that the child’s desire for loneliness is explained by the characteristics of his character. This disorder is more common in boys. The occurrence of pathology is not affected in any way by the behavior of family members. Therefore, it is impossible to say that the baby became autistic due to the wrong attitude of his father or mother towards him.

How to identify autism in a child by behavior, interests: signs

Behavioral characteristics and interests of an autistic child

  • The mother lovingly addresses the baby - he remains absolutely indifferent. There is no smile on his face, he does not react in any way to his name.
  • Any change in the usual way of life causes panic in the child.
  • The baby does not react at all to wet clothes.
  • The baby gives preference to a certain color scheme. For example, he loves only brown toys, allows himself to wear only blue clothes, etc.
  • The baby never plays with peers, preferring to play with things.
  • The child constantly repeats the same phrases.
  • Reacts to any external sound stimuli with a noticeable delay.
  • Characterized by outbursts of aggression.
  • Any object is smelled.
  • Loud talking causes aggression or irritation.
  • The child's sense of danger is impaired.
  • Autistic people may cause physical harm to themselves.
  • One of the leading symptoms of this disorder is impaired communication skills. Children suffering from this disorder begin to talk much later and, as a rule, never use gestures. Some, on the contrary, knowing a lot of words, simply do not use them. They prefer to take an adult by the hand and lead them to the item they need. Older children may not notice the absence of loved ones in the house.
  • An autistic person can stare at one object for hours.
  • The baby loves to spin around its axis for a long time, wave its arms, and walk on tiptoe. These movements are repeated day after day.
  • The goal of such a child’s game may be to simply arrange toys in one row.

What motor impairments are common in children with autism?

  • Motor development in autistic children is characterized by impaired muscle tone, poor balance control and lack of precision in movements.
  • kids weakly feel their body in space , so their movements are uncoordinated, constrained or sluggish. Their gait is often heavy and jerky.
  • Mastering stairs for autistic people is a very difficult task. .
  • Child no way can't learn to ride a bike.
  • He's satisfied Difficulty grasping and holding objects .

Autistic children are very clumsy when following orders from their parents. However, if the baby decides to do something himself, he can show real miracles of dexterity. Such children are characterized by voluntary, spontaneous activity.

Childhood autism: signs of unusual sensitivity

Increased sensitivity in children with autism can manifest itself in different ways:

  • Some kids can't stand loud music.
  • Others panic at the prospect of changing into new clothes.
  • Still others show signs of anxiety when someone touches their hair.
  • Fourth, they have great difficulty tolerating new smells.
  • Fifth people fall into a stupor when they see a flashing light.
  • Sixth people do not accept physical contact.

Due to hypersensitivity, children with autism have a very difficult time tolerating any change of environment. Unable to cope with the load that has fallen on them, they may lose control over their behavior.

Why do autistic children tend to harm themselves and not fear danger?

Why might an autistic child harm himself?

Many autistic children exhibit self-injurious behavior. What does it mean? The baby may begin to bang his head on the floor or bite the skin on his arm or leg. Sometimes . As a rule, autistic people harm themselves at the moment when the environment becomes almost unbearable for them. For example, music is playing loudly in the background, people are laughing, a light is constantly blinking, etc. The child is driven into a dead end, he feels bad and begins to hurt himself in order to relieve the accumulated tension. In this case, physical pain is a filter that allows you to defuse the situation and focus on other “painful” sensations. Of course, the baby at this moment can cause himself quite serious harm. Therefore, parents should eliminate as quickly as possible all factors that provoke self-harmful behavior.

Some autistics have no sense of danger, their self-preservation instinct does not work. Parents get the impression that their child himself is striving for danger. Even after having a negative experience, he repeats unsafe actions again and again. For example, having once fallen from an unsecured ladder, he climbs up it again and falls. The next day you can watch the same picture with horror. Fortunately, this disorder is not common in children.

In general, autistic children, on the contrary, are anxious and very fearful. But, if the baby does not have a sense of danger, parents should protect him and closely monitor his movements. Of course, if he fell from a high chair once, put him out of harm's way. Parents must remember that autistic people do not recognize or remember situations that require caution.

How does autism manifest in children: gastrointestinal disorders, sleep disturbances, tendency to seizures, epilepsy.

Gastrointestinal disorders

The list of the most common symptoms associated with autism includes gastrointestinal disorders. Autistic people often suffer from constipation, diarrhea, and inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Some American doctors believe that gastrointestinal problems negatively affect the course of this disease. Nonverbal autistic people cannot explain what bothers them, which makes diagnosis much more difficult.

Problems with introducing new foods into the diet

As a rule, children with such disorders prefer to eat only familiar foods; it is quite difficult to include new foods in their diet. Many of them have increased sensitivity to the taste of food.

Sleep problems

Most autistic people suffer from sleep disorders. They very often confuse day with night, it is difficult to put them to sleep, and they often suffer from insomnia. Their sleep is restless and anxious. Sleep periods in such children can be one to two hours.

Tendency to seizures

Another accompanying symptom of this disorder is seizures. Seizure attacks can occur at almost any age. Children suddenly develop bags under their eyes and experience: severe muscle tension, twitching of the limbs, convulsive contractions of the facial muscles. The child suffers from quite severe headaches. As patients age, the likelihood of developing epilepsy increases. At the first symptoms of seizures, it is necessary to urgently consult a neurologist.

March 12, 2018

General information

Autism is a diagnosis that many parents perceive as a kind of death sentence. Research into what autism is and what kind of disease it is has been going on for a very long time, and yet childhood autism remains the most mysterious mental illness. Autism syndrome manifests itself most clearly in childhood, which leads to the isolation of the child from family and society.

Autism - what is it?

Autism in Wikipedia and other encyclopedias is defined as a general developmental disorder in which there is a maximum deficit in emotions and communication. Actually, the name of the disease determines its essence and how the disease manifests itself: the meaning of the word “autism” is within oneself. A person suffering from this disease never directs his gestures and speech to the outside world. There is no social meaning in his actions.

At what age does this disease appear? This diagnosis is most often made in children aged 3-5 years and is called RDA , Kanner's syndrome . In adolescence and adulthood, the disease manifests itself and, accordingly, is rarely detected.

Autism is expressed differently in adults. Symptoms and treatment of this disease in adulthood depend on the form of the disease. There are external and internal signs of autism in adults. Characteristic symptoms are expressed in facial expressions, gestures, emotions, volume of speech, etc. It is believed that types of autism are both genetic and acquired.

Causes of autism

The causes of this disease are associated with other diseases, psychiatrists say.

As a rule, autistic children are in good physical health and have no external defects. The brain of sick babies has a normal structure. When talking about how to recognize autistic children, many note that such babies are very attractive in appearance.

Mothers of such children proceeds normally. However, the development of autism is still in some cases associated with the manifestation of other diseases:

  • cerebral palsy ;
  • infection mothers during pregnancy;
  • tuberous sclerosis ;
  • disturbed fat metabolism (the risk of having a baby with autism is greater in women suffering from).

All of these conditions can have a negative impact on the brain and, as a result, provoke symptoms of autism. There is evidence that genetic disposition plays a role: signs of autism are more likely to appear in people who already have autism in their family. However, what autism is and what the causes of its manifestation are are still not completely clear.

An autistic child's perception of the world

Autism in children manifests itself with certain signs. It is generally accepted that this syndrome leads to the fact that the baby cannot combine all the details into a single image.

The disease manifests itself in the fact that the child perceives a person as a “set” of unrelated body parts. The patient hardly distinguishes inanimate objects from animate ones. All external influences - touch, light, sound - provoke an uncomfortable state. The child tries to withdraw inside himself from the world that surrounds him.

Symptoms of Autism

Autism in children manifests itself with certain signs. Early childhood autism is a condition that can manifest itself in children at a very early age - at 1 year old and at 2 years old. What is autism in a child, and whether this disease exists, is determined by a specialist. But you can independently figure out what kind of illness a child has and suspect him based on information about the signs of such a condition.

This syndrome is characterized by 4 main signs. In children with this disease, they can be determined to varying degrees.

Signs of autism in children are:

  • impaired social interaction;
  • impaired communication;
  • stereotypical behavior;
  • early symptoms of childhood autism in children under 3 years of age.

Disturbed social interaction

The first signs of autistic children may appear as early as 2 years of age. Symptoms can range from mild when eye-to-eye contact is impaired to more severe when it is completely absent.

The child cannot perceive as a whole the image of the person who is trying to communicate with him. Even in photos and videos, you can recognize that such a baby’s facial expressions do not correspond to the current situation. He does not smile when someone tries to cheer him up, but he can laugh when the reason for this is not clear to anyone close to him. The face of such a baby is mask-like; grimaces appear on it from time to time.

The baby uses gestures only to indicate needs. As a rule, even children under one year of age sharply show interest if they see an interesting object - the baby laughs, points, and demonstrates joyful behavior. The first signs in children under 1 year of age can be suspected if the child does not behave this way. Symptoms of autism in children under one year of age are manifested by the fact that they use a certain gesture, wanting to get something, but do not strive to capture the attention of their parents by including them in their play.

An autistic person cannot understand other people's emotions. How this symptom manifests itself in a child can be tracked already at an early age. While normal children's brains are designed in such a way that they can easily determine when looking at other people whether they are upset, happy or scared, an autistic child is not capable of this.

The child is not interested in peers. Already at the age of 2, ordinary children strive for company - to play, to meet peers. Signs of autism in 2-year-old children are expressed by the fact that such a child does not participate in games, but is immersed in his own world. Those who want to know how to recognize a child 2 years old and older should simply take a closer look at the company of children: an autistic person is always alone and does not pay attention to others or perceives them as inanimate objects.

The child finds it difficult to play using imagination and social roles. Children 3 years old and even younger play, imagining and inventing role-playing games. For autistic people, symptoms at 3 years old may include not understanding what the social role is in play and not perceiving toys as whole objects. For example, signs of autism in a 3-year-old child can be expressed by the child spinning a car wheel for hours or repeating other actions.

The child does not respond to emotions and communication from the parents. Previously, it was generally accepted that such children did not become emotionally attached to their parents at all. But now scientists have proven that when the mother leaves, such a child at 4 years old and even earlier shows anxiety. If family members are nearby, he seems less obsessive. However, in autism, signs in 4-year-old children are expressed by a lack of reaction to the fact that parents are absent. The autistic person exhibits anxiety, but he does not try to get his parents back.

Broken communication

In children under 5 years of age and later, speech delay or her complete absence (mutism ). With this disease, the signs in children 5 years old in speech development are already clearly expressed. The further development of speech is determined by the types of autism in children: if a severe form of the disease is observed, the child may not master speech at all. To indicate his needs, he uses only some words in one form: sleep, eat, etc. The speech that appears is, as a rule, incoherent, not aimed at understanding other people. Such a child can say the same phrase for several hours, which has no meaning. Autistic people talk about themselves in the third person. How to treat such manifestations, and whether their correction is possible, depends on the degree of the disease.

Abnormal speech . When answering a question, such children repeat either the entire phrase or part of it. They may speak too quietly or loudly, or intonate incorrectly. Such a baby does not react if he is called by name.

No “age issues” . Autistic people do not ask their parents many questions about the world around them. If questions do arise, they are monotonous and have no practical significance.

Stereotypical behavior

Gets fixated on one activity. Among the signs of how to identify autism in a child, one should also note obsession. A child can spend many hours sorting cubes by color and making a tower. Moreover, it is difficult to return him from this state.

Performs rituals every day. Wikipedia shows that such children feel comfortable only if the environment remains familiar to them. Any changes - a rearrangement in the room, a change in the route on a walk, a different menu - can provoke aggression or pronounced withdrawal.

Repeating meaningless movements many times (manifestation of stereotypy) . Autistic people tend to self-stimulate. This is a repetition of the movements that the child uses in an unusual environment. For example, he can snap his fingers, shake his head, clap his hands.

Development of fears and obsessions. If the situation is unusual for the child, he may develop seizures aggression , and also self-injury .

Early onset of autism

As a rule, autism manifests itself very early - parents can recognize it before the age of 1 year. In the first months, such children are less mobile, react inadequately to external stimuli, and have poor facial expressions.

Why children with autism are born is still not clearly known. Despite the fact that the causes of autism in children have not yet been clearly identified, and in each specific case the reasons may be individual, it is important to immediately report your suspicions to a specialist. Is it possible to cure autism, and is it curable at all? These questions can only be answered individually, after conducting an appropriate test and prescribing treatment.

What do parents of healthy children need to remember?

Those who do not know what autism is and how it manifests itself should still remember that such children are found among your children's peers. So, if someone's toddler is having a tantrum, it could be an autistic child or a toddler suffering from other mental disorders. You need to behave tactfully and not condemn such behavior.

  • encourage parents and offer your help;
  • do not criticize the baby or his parents, thinking that he is simply spoiled;
  • try to remove all dangerous objects located near the baby;
  • don't look at it too closely;
  • be as calm as possible and let your parents know that you perceive everything correctly;
  • Do not draw attention to this scene and do not make noise.

Intelligence in autism

Autistic traits also appear in a child's intellectual development. What it is depends on the characteristics of the disease. As a rule, such children have a moderate or mild form of mental retardation . Patients suffering from this disease have difficulty learning due to the presence of brain defects .

If autism is combined with chromosome abnormalities , microcephaly , then it can develop profound mental retardation . But if there is a mild form of autism, and the child’s speech is developing dynamically, then intellectual development may be normal or even above average.

The main feature of the disease is selective intelligence . Such children can demonstrate excellent results in mathematics, drawing, and music, but fall far behind in other subjects. Savantism is a phenomenon where an autistic person is very clearly gifted in one specific area. Some autistic people are able to play a melody accurately after hearing it only once, or calculate complex examples in their head. Famous autists of the world - Albert Einstein, Andy Kaufman, Woody Allen, Andy Warhol and many others.

There are certain types of autistic disorders, including: Asperger's syndrome . It is generally accepted that this is a mild form of autism, the first signs of which appear at a later age - after about 7 years. This diagnosis requires the following features:

  • normal or high level of intelligence;
  • normal speech skills;
  • problems with speech volume and intonation are noted;
  • fixation on some activity or study of a phenomenon;
  • lack of coordination of movements: strange postures, awkward walking;
  • self-centeredness, lack of ability to compromise.

Such people lead relatively normal lives: they study in educational institutions and at the same time can make progress and create families. But all this happens provided that the right conditions are created for them, adequate education and support are present.

Rett syndrome

This is a serious disease of the nervous system, the causes of its occurrence are associated with disturbances in the X chromosome. Only girls suffer from it, since with such disorders the male fetus dies in the womb. The frequency of this disease is 1:10,000 girls. When a child has this particular syndrome, the following signs are noted:

  • deep autism, isolating the child from the outside world;
  • normal development of the baby in the first 0.5-1.5 years;
  • slow head growth after this age;
  • loss of purposeful hand movements and skills;
  • hand movements - such as shaking hands or washing;
  • loss of speech skills;
  • poor coordination and poor motor activity.

How to determine Rett syndrome - this is a question for a specialist. But this condition is slightly different from classic autism. So, with this syndrome, doctors determine epileptic activity and underdevelopment of the brain. The prognosis for this disease is poor. In this case, any correction methods are ineffective.

How is autism diagnosed?

Externally, such symptoms in newborns cannot be determined. However, scientists have been working for a long time to identify signs of autism in newborns as early as possible.

Most often, parents notice the first signs of this condition in children. Especially early autistic behavior is determined by those parents whose family already has small children. Those who have autism in their family should take into account that this is a disease that should be tried to be diagnosed as early as possible. After all, the earlier autism is identified, the greater the chances for such a child to feel adequately in society and live a normal life.

Test with special questionnaires

If childhood autism is suspected, diagnosis is carried out through interviews with parents, as well as studying how the child behaves in his usual environment. The following tests are used:

  • Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale (ADOS)
  • Autism Diagnostic Questionnaire (ADI-R)
  • Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS)
  • Autism Behavioral Questionnaire (ABC)
  • Autism Evaluation Checklist (ATEC)
  • Checklist for Autism in Young Children (CHAT)

Instrumental research

The following methods are used:

  • performing an ultrasound of the brain - for the purpose of exclusion brain damage , provoking symptoms;
  • EEG – for the purpose of identifying seizures epilepsy (sometimes these manifestations are accompanied by autism);
  • child hearing test – to exclude delayed speech development due to hearing loss .

It is important for parents to correctly perceive the behavior of a child who suffers from autism.

Adults see This is NOT Perhaps this
Shows forgetfulness and disorganization Manipulation, laziness, lack of desire to do anything Lack of understanding of parents' or other people's expectations, high anxiety, reaction to stress and change, attempt to regulate sensory systems
Prefers monotony, resists change, gets upset by change, prefers to repeat actions Stubbornness, refusal to cooperate, rigidity Uncertainty about how to follow instructions, desire to maintain normal order, inability to assess the situation from the outside
Does not follow instructions, is impulsive, makes provocations Selfishness, disobedience, desire to always be the center of attention It is difficult for him to understand general and abstract concepts, it is difficult for him to process information
Avoids lighting and certain sounds, does not look anyone in the eye, rotates, touches, smells foreign objects Disobedience, bad behavior He has poor processing of bodily and sensory signals, high visual, sound, and olfactory sensitivity

Treatment of autism

Whether this condition can be treated or not is of most interest to the parents of such children. Unfortunately, the answer to the question " Is autism curable?" unambiguous: " No, there is no treatment».

But, despite the fact that the disease cannot be cured, the situation can be improved. The best “treatment” in this case is regular classes every day And creating the most favorable environment for autistic people .

Such actions are actually very difficult for both parents and teachers. But with such means one can achieve great success.

How to raise an autistic child

  • Realize who an autistic person is and that autism is a way of being. That is, such a baby is able to think, look, hear, feel differently than most people.
  • To provide the most favorable environment for someone with autism so that they can develop and learn. An unfavorable environment and changes in routine have a bad effect on an autistic person and force him to withdraw even deeper into himself.
  • Consult with specialists - psychiatrist, psychologist, speech therapist and others.

How to treat autism, stages

  • Build the skills needed for learning. If the child does not make contact, gradually establish it, not forgetting who they are - autistic people. Gradually you need to develop at least the rudiments of speech.
  • Eliminate forms of behavior that are unconstructive: aggression, self-injury, fears, withdrawal, etc.
  • Learn to observe, imitate.
  • Teach social games and roles.
  • Learn to make emotional contact.

Behavioral therapy for autism

The most common treatment for autism is practiced according to the principles behaviorism (behavioral psychology).

One of the subtypes of such therapy is ABA therapy . The basis of this treatment is to observe what the baby's reactions and behavior look like. After all the features have been studied, stimuli are selected for a particular autistic person. For some children this is their favorite dish, for others it is musical motives. Further, all desired reactions are reinforced with such encouragement. That is, if the baby did everything as needed, then he will receive encouragement. This is how contact develops, skills are consolidated and signs of destructive behavior disappear.

Speech therapy practice

Despite the degree of autism, such children have certain difficulties with speech development, which interferes with normal communication with people. If your child regularly works with a speech therapist, his intonation and pronunciation will improve.

Developing self-service and socialization skills

Autistic people lack the motivation to play and do everyday things. They find it difficult to adapt to maintaining personal hygiene and daily routine. To consolidate the desired skill, they use cards on which the order of performing such actions is drawn or written.

Medication therapy

It is permissible to treat autism with medications only if the destructive behavior of a young patient interferes with its development. However, parents need to remember that any reaction of an autistic person - crying, screaming, stereotypy - is a kind of contact with the outside world. It’s worse if the child withdraws into himself for whole days.

Therefore, any sedative and psychotropic medications can only be used according to strict indications.

There are some opinions that are more popular than scientific. For example, data on what helps to cure an autistic person has not been scientifically confirmed.

Some methods are not only not beneficial, but can also be dangerous for the patient. It's about application glycine , stem cells , micropolarization etc. Such methods can be very harmful for autistic people.

Conditions that mimic autism

SPD with autistic traits

The symptoms of this disease are associated with delayed psycho-speech development. They are in many ways similar to the signs of autism. Starting from a very early age, the baby does not develop in terms of speech in the way that existing norms suggest. In the first months of life, he does not babble, then he does not learn to speak simple words. At 2-3 years old his vocabulary is very poor. Such children are often poorly developed physically and sometimes hyperactive. The final diagnosis is made by the doctor. It is important to visit a psychiatrist or speech therapist with your child.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

This condition is also often mistaken for autism. Children with attention deficit are restless and have difficulty learning at school. Problems arise with concentrating; such children are very active. Even in adulthood, echoes of this condition remain, because such people find it difficult to remember information and make decisions. You should try to diagnose this condition as early as possible, practice treatment with psychostimulants and sedatives, and also visit a psychologist.

Hearing loss

These are a variety of hearing impairments, congenital and acquired. Children who are hard of hearing also experience speech delay. Therefore, such children do not respond well to their names, fulfill requests, and may seem disobedient. In this case, parents may suspect autism in their children. But a professional psychiatrist will definitely refer the baby for an examination of auditory function. A hearing aid can help solve problems.

Schizophrenia

Previously, autism was considered one of the manifestations in children. However, it is now clear that these are two completely different diseases. Schizophrenia in children begins later - at 5-7 years. The symptoms of this disease appear gradually. Such children have obsessive fears, talk to themselves, and later develop delusions and... This condition is treated with medication.

It is important to understand that autism is not a death sentence. After all, with proper care, the earliest correction of autism and support from specialists and parents, such a child can fully live, learn and find happiness as an adult.

Education: Graduated from Rivne State Basic Medical College with a degree in Pharmacy. Graduated from Vinnitsa State Medical University named after. M.I. Pirogov and internship at his base.

Experience: From 2003 to 2013, she worked as a pharmacist and manager of a pharmacy kiosk. She was awarded diplomas and decorations for many years of conscientious work. Articles on medical topics were published in local publications (newspapers) and on various Internet portals.