Autism spectrum disorder is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs a child's ability to communicate and interact with others. It also includes restricted repetitive behaviors, interests and activities. These issues cause significant impairment in social, occupational and other areas of functioning.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is now defined by the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as a single disorder that includes disorders that were previously considered separate — autism, Asperger's syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified.
The term "spectrum" in autism spectrum disorder refers to the wide range of symptoms and severity. Although the term "Asperger's syndrome" is no longer in the DSM, some people still use the term, which is generally thought to be at the mild end of autism spectrum disorder.
The number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder is AUTIASM
It's not clear whether this is due to better detection and reporting or a real increase in the number of cases, or both.
While there is no cure for autism spectrum disorder, intensive, early treatment can make a big difference in the lives of many children.
SYMPTOMS
Autism spectrum disorder impacts how a child perceives and socializes with others, causing problems in crucial areas of development — social interaction, communication and behavior.
Some children show signs of ASD in early infancy. Other children may develop normally for the first few months or years of life, but then suddenly become withdrawn or aggressive or lose language skills they've already acquired.
Each child with ASD is likely to have a unique pattern of behavior and level of severity — from low functioning to high functioning. Severity is based on social communication impairments and the restrictive and repetitive nature of behaviors, along with how these impact the ability to function.
Because of the unique mixture of symptoms shown in each child, severity level can sometimes be difficult to determine. However, within the range (spectrum) of symptoms, below are some common ASD actions and behaviors.
Social communication and interaction
Patterns of behavior
Performs repetitive movements, such as rocking, spinning or hand-flapping, or may perform activities that could cause harm, such as head-banging
As they mature, some children with ASD become more engaged with others and show fewer disturbances in behavior. Some, usually those with the least severe problems, eventually may lead normal or near-normal lives. Others, however, continue to have difficulty with language or social skills, and the teen years can bring worse behavioral problems.
CAUSES
Autism spectrum disorder has no single known cause. Given the complexity of the disorder, and the fact that symptoms and severity vary, there are probably many causes. Both genetics and environment may play a role.
Genetic problems
Several different genes appear to be involved in autism spectrum disorder. For some children, autism spectrum disorder can be associated with a genetic disorder, such as Rett syndrome or fragile X syndrome. For others, genetic changes may make a child more susceptible to autism spectrum disorder or create environmental risk factors. Still other genes may affect brain development or the way that brain cells communicate, or they may determine the severity of symptoms. Some genetic problems seem to be inherited, while others happen spontaneously.
Environmental factors
Researchers are currently exploring whether such factors as viral infections, complications during pregnancy or air pollutants play a role in triggering autism spectrum disorder.
RISK FACTORS
Autism spectrum disorder affects children of all races and nationalities, but certain factors increase a child's risk. They include:
-Your child's sex
Boys are about four times more likely to develop ASD than girls are.
WAYOUT OF AUTISM
According to the National Center for Children in Povery (NCCP ), “One in 10 youth has serious mental health problems that are severe enough to impair how they function at home, school, or in the community.” There are no two children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) or any disorder that affects them the same. So, how do we know how to treat each individual child?
Watching her grow up, we all knew my sister was just a little bit different. She doesn’t like hugs, she hates clothes that are anything but loose, and the littlest of things can stress her out to the point of crying. Later, we found out my little sister had a mix of anxiety, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and some Asperger’s tendencies.
She has been teased and made fun of, her dad tries forcing her out of it and it only causes more problems. Some people don’t seem to understand this is not a condition to grow out of and forcing change will only work to exacerbate her challenges. She has both a school counselor and an out of school counselor in which she sees on a regular, and it appears to be helping. Also, art and music have been a great therapeutic benefit along with taking care of the family pets. Some children may require medication, however, there are a number of other therapies that maybe instrumental in help you developing a holistic mental health plan for your child.
Counseling:
Although talk therapy would be relatively impossible for autistic children, a school counselor or a counselor in general is nice to have. A counselor can be another person that a child can trust to help them get through whatever it is that they are dealing with. They can also do other therapies, that do not include talking, while in a session that could help the child learn and grow.
A school counselor should not only be supportive for the child but for the familyof the child also. A child with a disorder is more likely to be teased and bullied, which can both be hard on the child and the family. A counselor should be another person the family can look to for support in times of need.
Animal-assisted therapy:
One kind of therapy that has been showing great improvements in children and adults is animal-assisted therapy. It has helped result in educational, mental, motivational and physical improvements . Children can easily make bonds with animals which teaches them and later helps them form bonds with other people as well.
According to everydayhealth.com “more research is still needed to determine the effects and confirm the benefits of animal-assisted therapy specifically for children with autism, a number of studies have suggested it could help.” Even though the research is not completed yet, studies have shown that it is helping ASD children cope with the struggles of life.
Art and Music:
Art and music is another way for a child with ASD to express themselves. A lot of children don’t know how to express themselves with words but give them music, an instrument or something to draw on and you might just figure out how they are feeling.
According to the American Art Therapy Association , “Art therapy is a mental health profession that uses the creative process of art making to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages.” Art therapy is benefiting people by helping them manage behaviors, reduce stress, resolve conflicts and improve interpersonal skills.
All of these combined have really helped my little sister and have made her life so much easier. She has formed deep bonds with her animals, spends her free time drawing and coloring and her counselor has been helping her open up to more of the family and become more connected.