Runny nose

Who are autistic children? Famous autists

Hello, dear readers of the blog site. People talk about autism more and more on TV and on the Internet. Is it true that this is a very complex disease and there is no way to cope with it? Is it worth working with a child who has been diagnosed with this, or is nothing changing anyway?

The topic is very relevant, and even if it does not directly concern you, you need to convey the correct information to people.

Autism - what kind of disease is it?

Autism is a mental illness that is diagnosed in childhood and stays with a person for life. The cause is a violation of the development and functioning of the nervous system.

Scientists and doctors highlight the following: causes of autism:

genetic problems;
traumatic brain injury at birth;
infectious diseases of both the mother during pregnancy and the newborn.

Autistic children can be distinguished from their peers. They want to be alone all the time and do not go to play in sandboxes with others (or play hide and seek at school). Thus, they strive for social loneliness (they feel more comfortable this way). There is also a noticeable disturbance in the expression of emotions.

If , then the autistic child is a bright representative of the latter group. He is always in his inner world, does not pay attention to other people and everything that happens around him.

It must be remembered that many children may exhibit signs and symptoms of this disease, but to a greater or lesser extent. Thus, there is an autism spectrum. For example, there are children who can be strong friends with one person and at the same time be completely unable to contact others.

If we talk about autism in adults, then the signs will differ between male and female genders. Men are completely immersed in their hobby. Very often they start collecting things. If they start going to regular work, they occupy the same position for many years.

Signs of the disease in women are also quite remarkable. They follow patterns of behavior that are attributed to members of their gender. Therefore, identifying autistic women is very difficult for an untrained person (you need the opinion of an experienced psychiatrist). They may also often suffer from depressive disorders.

In case of autism in an adult, a sign will also be the frequent repetition of certain actions or words. This is part of a certain personal ritual that a person performs every day, or even several times.

Who is Autism (signs and symptoms)

It is impossible to make such a diagnosis in a child immediately after birth. Because even if there are some deviations, they can be signs of other diseases.

Therefore, parents usually wait until the age when their child becomes more socially active (at least until the age of three). When the child begins to interact with other children in the sandbox, to show his “I” and character, then he is taken to specialists for diagnosis.

Autism in children has signs, which can be divided into 3 main groups:

Who diagnoses a child with autism?

When parents come to a specialist, the doctor asks about how the child developed and behaved so that identify symptoms of autism. As a rule, he is told that from birth the child was not like all his peers:

was capricious in his arms, did not want to sit;
didn't like being hugged;
did not show emotion when his mother smiled at him;
Possible speech delay.

Relatives often try to figure out: these are signs of this disease, or the child was born deaf or blind. Therefore, autism or not, determined by three doctors: pediatrician, neurologist, psychiatrist. To clarify the status of the analyzer, contact an ENT doctor.

Autism test carried out using questionnaires. They determine the development of the child’s thinking and emotional sphere. But the most important thing is a casual conversation with a small patient, during which the specialist tries to establish eye contact, pays attention to facial expressions and gestures, and behavior patterns.

A specialist diagnoses autism spectrum disorder. For example, it could be Asperger's or Kanner's syndrome. It is also important to distinguish (if there is a teenager in front of the doctor). This may require an MRI of the brain or an electroencephalogram.

Is there any hope for healing?

After making a diagnosis, the doctor first tells parents what autism is.

Parents need to know what they are dealing with, and that the disease cannot be cured completely. But you can work with your child and ease the symptoms. With considerable effort, you can achieve excellent results.

Treatment should begin with contact. Parents should, whenever possible, establish a trusting relationship with the autistic person. Also provide conditions in which the child will feel comfortable. So that negative factors (quarrels, shouting) do not affect the psyche.

You need to develop thinking and attention. Logic games and puzzles are perfect for this. Autistic children love them just like everyone else. When the child is interested in some object, tell him more about it, let him touch it in his hands.

Watching cartoons and reading books are a good way to explain why characters act the way they do, what they do, and what they face. From time to time you need to ask your child such questions so that he can think for himself.

It is important to learn how to cope with outbursts of anger and aggression and with situations in life in general. Also explain how to build friendships with peers.

Specialized schools and associations are a place where people will not be surprised to ask: what’s wrong with the child? There are professionals working there who will provide a variety of techniques and games to help develop autistic children.

Together we can achieve a high level of adaptation to society and the child’s inner peace.

Good luck to you! See you soon on the pages of the blog site

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.

Unusual and strange, gifted child or adult. Among boys, autism is several times more common than among girls. There are many causes of the disease, but all of them have not been fully identified. Features of developmental deviations can be noticed in the first 1–3 years of children’s lives.

Who is this autistic person?

They immediately attract attention, be it adults or children. What does autistic mean - this is a biologically determined disease related to general disorders of human development, characterized by a state of “immersion in oneself” and withdrawal from contacts with reality and people. L. Kanner, a child psychiatrist, became interested in such unusual children. Having identified a group of 9 children for himself, the doctor observed them for five years and in 1943 introduced the concept of EDA (early childhood autism).

How to recognize autistic people?

Each person is unique in its essence, but there are similar character traits, behavior, and preferences in both ordinary people and those suffering from autism. There are a general number of features that are worth paying attention to. Autism - signs (these disorders are typical for both children and adults):

inability to communicate;
impairment of social interaction;
deviant, stereotypical behavior and lack of imagination.

Autistic child - signs

Attentive parents notice the first manifestations of the baby’s unusualness very early, according to some sources, before 1 year. Who is an autistic child and what features in development and behavior should alert an adult in order to promptly seek medical and psychological help? According to statistics, only 20% of children have a mild form of autism, the remaining 80% have severe disabilities with concomitant diseases (epilepsy, mental retardation). Starting from a young age, the following symptoms are characteristic:

With age, the manifestations of the disease can worsen or smooth out, this depends on a number of reasons: the severity of the disease, timely drug therapy, learning social skills and unlocking potential. Who is an autistic adult can be recognized already at the first interaction. Autism - symptoms in an adult:

has serious difficulties in communication, it is difficult to start and maintain a conversation;
lack of empathy (empathy) and understanding of other people’s states;
sensory sensitivity: a simple handshake or touch from a stranger can cause panic in an autistic person;
disturbance of the emotional sphere;
stereotypical, ritual behavior that persists until the end of life.

Why are autistic people born?

In recent decades, there has been a surge in the birth rate of children with autism, and if 20 years ago it was one child in 1000, now it is 1 in 150. The numbers are disappointing. The disease occurs in families with different social structures and incomes. Why autistic children are born - the reasons have not been fully elucidated by scientists. Doctors name about 400 factors influencing the occurrence of autistic disorder in a child. Most likely:

genetic hereditary anomalies and mutations;
various diseases suffered by a woman during pregnancy (rubella, herpetic infection, diabetes mellitus);
mother's age after 35 years;
imbalance of hormones (in the fetus the production of testosterone increases);
poor ecology, mother’s contact with pesticides and heavy metals during pregnancy;
vaccinating a child with vaccinations: the hypothesis is not confirmed by scientific data.

Rituals and obsessions of an autistic child

In families where such unusual children appear, parents have many questions to which they need answers in order to understand their child and help develop his potential. Why do autistic people not make eye contact or behave emotionally inappropriately or make strange, ritual-like movements? It seems to adults that the child ignores and avoids contact when he does not make eye contact when communicating. The reasons lie in a special perception: scientists conducted a study which revealed that autistic people have better developed peripheral vision and have difficulty controlling eye movements.

Ritualistic behavior helps the child reduce anxiety. The world with all its changing diversity is incomprehensible to autists, and rituals give it stability. If an adult intervenes and disrupts a child’s ritual, aggressive behavior and self-injury may occur. Finding himself in an unusual environment, an autistic person tries to perform familiar, stereotypical actions in order to calm down. The rituals and obsessions themselves are varied, unique for each child, but there are also similar ones:

twist ropes and objects;
put toys in one row;
walk the same route;
watch the same film many times;
snapping fingers, shaking their heads, walking on tiptoes;
wear only clothes that are familiar to them
eat a certain type of food (meager diet);
sniffs objects and people.

How to live with autism?

It is difficult for parents to accept that their child is not like everyone else. Knowing who an autistic person is, one can assume that it is difficult for all family members. In order not to feel alone in their misfortune, mothers unite in various forums, create alliances and share their small achievements. The disease is not a death sentence; a lot can be done to unlock the potential and sufficient socialization of a child if he is mildly autistic. How to communicate with autistic people - first understand and accept that they have a different picture of the world:

take words literally. Any jokes or sarcasm are inappropriate;
tend to be frank and honest. This can be annoying;
don't like to be touched. It is important to respect the child's boundaries;
cannot stand loud sounds and screams; calm communication;
it is difficult to understand spoken language, you can communicate through writing, sometimes children begin to write poetry in this way, where their inner world is visible;
there is a limited range of interests where the child is strong, it is important to see this and develop it;
the child’s imaginative thinking: instructions, drawings, diagrams of the sequence of actions - all this helps learning.

How do autistic people see the world?

Not only do they not make eye contact, but they actually see things differently. Childhood autism later transforms into an adult diagnosis, and it depends on the parents how much their child can adapt to society, and even become successful. Autistic children hear differently: the human voice may not be distinguished from other sounds. They do not look at the whole picture or photograph, but select a tiny fragment and focus all their attention on it: a leaf on a tree, a lace on a shoe, etc.

Self-injury in autistic people

The behavior of an autistic person often does not fit into normal norms and has a number of features and deviations. Self-injury manifests itself in response to resistance to new demands: he begins to bang his head, scream, tear out his hair, and runs out onto the roadway. An autistic child lacks a “sense of edge” and traumatic and dangerous experiences are poorly consolidated. Eliminating the factor that caused the self-injury, returning to a familiar environment, talking through the situation allows the child to calm down.

Professions for autists

Autistic people have a narrow range of interests. Attentive parents can notice the child’s interest in a certain area and develop it, which can later make him a successful person. What autistic people can do, given their low social skills, are professions that do not involve long-term contact with other people:

drawing business;
programming;
repair of computers, household appliances;
veterinary technician, if you love animals;
various crafts;
web design;
work in the laboratory;
accounting;
working with archives.

How long do autistic people live?

The life expectancy of autistic people depends on the favorable conditions created in the family in which the child, then the adult, lives. The degree of impairment and concomitant diseases, such as epilepsy, profound mental retardation. Accidents and suicide can also be reasons for shorter life expectancy. European countries have explored this issue. People with autism spectrum disorders live 18 years less on average.

Famous autistic personalities

Among these mysterious people there are super-gifted ones or they are also called savants. World lists are constantly updated with new names. A special vision of objects, things and phenomena allows autistics to create masterpieces of art, develop new devices and medicines. Autistic people are increasingly attracting public attention. Famous autists of the world:

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 - both at 1 year 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 periodically.

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 traced already at an early age. If ordinary 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, then an autistic person 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. In autistic people, symptoms at 3 years of age may be expressed by the fact that they do not understand what the social role in play is and do not perceive toys as integral 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 for 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 are born with autism 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 normally.

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	Unsure 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 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.

Currently, there are a huge number of diseases that are inherited. But it also happens that it is not the disease itself that is transmitted, but a predisposition to it. Let's talk about autism.

Autism concept

Autism is a special mental disorder that most likely occurs due to disorders in the brain and is expressed in an acute deficit of attention and communication. An autistic child does not adapt well socially and practically does not make contact.

This disease is associated with disorders in genes. In some cases, this condition is associated with one gene or In any case, the child is born with an existing pathology in mental development.

Causes of autism

If we consider the genetic aspects of this disease, they are so complex that sometimes it is not at all clear whether it is caused by the interaction of several genes or is it a mutation in one gene.

Still, genetic scientists identify some provoking factors that can lead to the birth of an autistic child:

Old age of the father.
The country in which the baby was born.
Low birth weight.
Lack of oxygen during childbirth.
Prematurity.
Some parents believe that vaccinations can influence the development of the disease, but this fact has not been proven. Perhaps it is simply a coincidence of the timing of vaccination and the manifestation of the disease.
It is believed that boys are more likely to suffer from this disease.
The influence of substances that cause congenital pathologies that are often associated with autism.
Aggravating effects can be caused by: solvents, heavy metals, phenols, pesticides.
Infectious diseases suffered during pregnancy can also trigger the development of autism.
Smoking, drug use, alcohol, both during pregnancy and before it, which leads to damage to reproductive gametes.

Autistic children are born for various reasons. And, as you can see, there are a huge number of them. It is almost impossible to predict the birth of a baby with such a deviation in mental development. Moreover, there is a possibility that the predisposition to this disease may not be realized. But no one knows how to guarantee this with 100% certainty.

Forms of manifestation of autism

Although most children with this diagnosis have much in common, autism can manifest itself in different ways. These children contact the outside world in different ways. Depending on this, the following forms of autism are distinguished:

Most doctors believe that the most severe forms of autism are quite rare; most often we are dealing with autistic manifestations. If you work with such children and devote enough time to activities with them, then the development of an autistic child will be as close as possible to that of their peers.

Manifestations of the disease

Signs of the disease appear when changes begin in areas of the brain. When and how this happens is still not clear, but most parents notice signs of autistic children already in early childhood. If you take urgent measures when they appear, then it is quite possible to instill in your child communication and self-help skills.

At present, methods for a complete cure for this disease have not yet been found. A small proportion of children enter adulthood on their own, although some of them even achieve some success.

Even doctors are divided into two categories: some believe that it is necessary to continue the search for adequate and effective treatment, and others are convinced that autism is much broader and more than a simple disease.

Surveys of parents have shown that in such children one can often observe:

These qualities were most often demonstrated by older autistic children. Signs that are still often found in such children are certain forms of repetitive behavior, which doctors divide into several categories:

Stereotypy. Manifests itself in body swaying, head rotation, and constant swaying of the whole body.
Strong need for monotony. Such children usually begin to protest even when their parents decide to rearrange the furniture in their room.
Compulsive behavior. An example is nesting objects and objects in a certain way.
Auto-aggression. Such manifestations are directed towards oneself and can lead to various injuries.
Ritual behavior. For such children, all actions are like a ritual, constant and everyday.
Restricted behavior. for example, it is directed only at one book or one toy, but does not perceive others.

Another manifestation of autism is avoidance of eye contact, they never look into the eyes of the interlocutor.

Symptoms of Autism

This disorder affects the nervous system, and therefore manifests itself primarily as developmental disorders. They are usually noticeable at an early age. Physiologically, autism may not manifest itself in any way; outwardly, such children look quite normal, have the same physique as their peers, but upon careful study, one can see deviations in mental development and behavior.

The main symptoms include:

Lack of learning ability, although intelligence may be quite normal.
Seizures that most often begin to appear during adolescence.
Inability to concentrate.
Hyperactivity, which may occur when a parent or caregiver tries to assign a specific task.
Anger, especially in cases where an autistic child cannot articulate what he wants, or strangers interfere with his ritual actions and disrupt his usual routine.
In rare cases, Savant syndrome occurs when a child has some phenomenal abilities, for example, excellent memory, musical talent, the ability to draw, and others. There is a very small percentage of such children.

Portrait of an autistic child

If parents carefully monitor their baby, they will immediately notice deviations in his development. They may not be able to explain what worries them, but they will say with great accuracy that their child is different from other children.

Autistic children differ significantly from normal and healthy children. The photos clearly demonstrate this. Already in the revival syndrome, they react weakly to any stimuli, for example, to the sound of a rattle.

Such children begin to recognize even the closest person - their mother - much later than their peers. Even when they recognize her, they never reach out, smile, or react in any way to all her attempts to communicate with them.

Such children can lie for hours and look at a toy or a picture on the wall, or they may suddenly become afraid of their own hands. If you look at how autistic children behave, you will notice their frequent rocking in a stroller or crib, and monotonous hand movements.

As they get older, such children do not look more alive; on the contrary, they differ sharply from their peers in their detachment and indifference to everything that happens around them. Most often, when communicating, they do not make eye contact, and if they do look at a person, they look at clothes or facial features.

They do not know how to play group games and prefer loneliness. May be interested in one toy or activity for a long time.

The characteristics of an autistic child may look like this:

Closed.
Detached.
Unsociable.
Detached.
Indifferent.
Those who do not know how to make contact with others.
Constantly performing stereotypical mechanical movements.
Poor vocabulary. The pronoun “I” is never used in speech. They always talk about themselves in the second or third person.

In the children's group, autistic children are very different from ordinary children, the photos only confirm this.

The world through the eyes of an autist

If children with this disease have the skills to speak and construct sentences, then they say that the world for them is a complete chaos of people and events that is completely incomprehensible to them. This is due not only to mental disorders, but also to perception.

Those stimuli from the outside world that are quite familiar to us are perceived negatively by an autistic child. Since it is difficult for them to perceive the world around them and navigate the environment, this causes them increased anxiety.

When should parents be wary?

By nature, all children are different, even completely healthy children differ in their sociability, pace of development, and ability to perceive new information. But there are some points that should alert you:

If you notice at least some of the signs listed above in your child, then you should show him to the doctor. The psychologist will give the right recommendations for communication and activities with the baby. Helps determine how severe the symptoms of autism are.

Treatment of autism

It will not be possible to almost completely get rid of the symptoms of the disease, but if parents and psychologists make every effort, it is quite possible that autistic children will acquire communication and self-help skills. Treatment must be timely and comprehensive.

Its main goal should be:

Reduce tension in the family.
Increase functional independence.
Improve quality of life.

Any therapy is selected individually for each child. Methods that give excellent results with one child may not work at all with another. Improvements are observed after using psychosocial assistance techniques, which suggests that any treatment is better than no treatment.

There are special programs that help the child master communication skills, self-help, gain work skills, and reduce the symptoms of the disease. The following methods can be used in treatment:

In addition to such programs, drug treatment is usually used. Anti-anxiety medications are prescribed, such as antidepressants, psychotropics, and others. You should not use such medications without a doctor's prescription.

The child’s diet must also undergo changes; foods that have a stimulating effect on the nervous system must be excluded. The body must receive a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals.

Cheat sheet for parents of autism

When communicating, parents must take into account the characteristics of autistic children. Here are some brief recommendations that will help you establish contact with your child:

You must love your baby for who he is.
Always consider the child's interests.
Strictly observe the rhythm of life.
Try to develop and observe certain rituals that will be repeated every day.
Visit the group or class where your child is studying more often.
Talk to your baby, even if he doesn't answer you.
Try to create a comfortable environment for games and learning.
Always patiently explain the stages of the activity to your child, preferably supporting this with pictures.
Don't get overtired.

If your child has been diagnosed with autism, then do not despair. The main thing is to love him and accept him for who he is, and also to constantly study and visit a psychologist. Who knows, maybe you have a future genius growing up.