Autism

Table of Contents:

1. What is autism?
2. Prognosis of autism
3. Symptoms of autism
4. Medical tests for autism
5. What causes autism?
6. Can it be prevented?
7. Treatments for autism

What is autism?

Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), refers to a variety of similar conditions that affect a person’s social skills, communication, interaction, interests and behavior.
There are many types of autism, which are caused by different combinations of genetic and environmental influences.
Autism tends to be more common in boys and is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people. In general, children usually present symptoms of autism in the first year of life, although in many cases there is a period of regression between 18 and 24 months.

There is no cure for ASD, but a variety of therapies and interventions such as speech and language therapy and occupational therapy are available to help children and parents.

Prognosis of autism

When ASD is suspected, it is crucial to have a diagnostic evaluation as soon as possible, as early diagnosis is essential to obtain specific medical care as soon as possible.

With an early diagnosis, early care should be offered to the child population, between 0 and 6 years of age, but also to their family and environment. In this way, it will be possible to provide a better response to the needs that they present in the early stages of development.

Adequate early care is very important to favor the development and quality of life of patients with ASD. These two aspects contribute significantly to the development of language, behavior and skills. Although children or people diagnosed with autism do not stop having symptoms when they grow up, they can learn to function appropriately on a day-to-day basis.

What are the symptoms of autism?

People with autism usually have problems with social interaction and communication. As very young infants, some do not make any vocal sounds. Older children have problems and difficulty making eye contact, facial expressions, or interpreting body language and gestures when interacting with others. They also tend to ignore family members and strangers.
In general, there is a lack of awareness and interest in interacting with other children and they tend to play alone. The general symptoms of autism at any age are:

• Avoids eye contact.
• Prefers to be alone.
• Delay in language development.
• Repeats the same words and phrases.
• Easily upset by small changes in their routine or environment.
• Highly restricted interests.
• Repetitive behavior.
• Intense reactions to sounds, smells, tastes, colors, and light.

Medical tests to detect autism

In order to diagnose autism it is necessary to perform a specialized assessment that takes into account the patient’s behavior. Generally, a multidisciplinary team of different professionals, such as psychologists, educators and physicians, is involved.
Based on the suspicion of ASD, not only an evaluation of the patient’s behavior is performed, but also medical examinations, psychological and genetic assessments and otorhinolaryngological examinations.

Genetic and environmental factors are involved in the
involved in the development of autism

What causes autism?

The exact cause of ASD is not known, but several genetic and environmental factors are involved.

• Genetics: there are multiple genes that have been associated with autism spectrum disorder, such as Rett syndrome or Fragile X syndrome.
• Environmental factors: viral infections, pregnancy complications, drugs or air pollutants may be involved in the development of ASD.
• Vaccines: Extensive research has been conducted on the belief that the MMR vaccine was the cause of ASD, but large-scale studies worldwide have failed to substantiate this.

Can autism be prevented?

It is not possible to prevent autism. However, there are some factors that are important to favor the quality of life and communication capacity of the patient with ASD: early diagnosis and care.

What treatments are available for autism?

There is no cure for autism, but there are specialized interventions that help with educational and social development. It may take some time to recognize which intervention will work best for a child because each person with autism is affected differently. Some interventions involve hours of intensive work.
A team of specialists must do a detailed assessment of the child. Specialized autism teams make sure that each child has a case manager who coordinates treatment, provides care and support, and transitions to adult care. There are parent support programs that offer detailed advice for those who have a child newly diagnosed with ASD.
In some cases, medication may be prescribed to treat some symptoms or conditions associated with ASD. They often suffer from sleep problems, depression, epilepsy, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and aggressive behavior.