Autism and Asperger's Syndrome
Asperger's syndrome is a condition of autism where language and aptitude are standard and autistic symptoms present later in childhood. What distinguishes Asperger's Syndrome from autism is the severity of the symptoms and the absence of language delays. Cognitive symptoms and social symptoms need to be looked through together as central features of both autism and Asperger's syndrome. Asperger syndrome and autism are fairly similar in behavioral symptoms.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of Autistic Disorder consists of a total of at minimum six observational items from social impairment, communication impairment and behavior impairment categories outlined (see list) with minimally two from social impairment, and one each from communication impairment and behavior impairment. Only your doctor can submit sufficient diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed autism symptoms. He or she can help to determine whether the symptoms are caused by autism, a linked disorder, or another condition. Diagnosis of autism may be difficult, due to the fact that the condition varies widely in terms of its symptoms and degree of severity. The diagnosis of autism is verified by the occurrence or absence of a collection of behavioral symptoms using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV).
Because the symptoms of autism could vary greatly from person to person, there is no one 'best' care which will help everyone. Children with autism may exhibit mild, moderate or severe symptoms in three areas (social, communication and behavior). Certain children showed symptoms of autism in their first-year birthday video, such as less frequent use of words or babbling. Other autistic children who behaved normally at age 1, appeared to regress and exhibited typical symptoms of autism by age 2.
Variability of Autism Symptoms
Autism is sometimes coupled with retardation, which makes most teaching techniques ineffective. Because the symptoms of autism can vary greatly from person to person, there is no one 'best' treatment which would help everyone. Autism symptoms can range from mild to severe and vary in intensity from symptom to symptom. Children with autism can exhibit a wide range of symptoms, which range in severity from mild to disabling. Because of autism's variety, its symptoms seem best understood when given descriptively and with specific examples. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Autism could vary on an individual basis for each patient. Children with Autism symptoms moreover vary a good deal in their mental abilities along with their communicative skills.
Severity of Symptoms
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), people with autism have normal life expectancies and can lead average or near-normal lives, depending on the severity of their symptoms. There is a range of severity in autism symptoms, and for this reason the term “autism spectrum disorders” is often used. Children with autism might have diverse behaviors and abilities because of the severity of their symptoms. Clinical accounts hint that that conditions resembling autism do not vary just in terms of severity, but also in pattern of symptoms. Because it varies widely in its severity and symptoms, autism could go unrecognized, especially in mildly affected persons or in individuals with multiple handicaps.
Notwithstanding autistic symptoms in children may lessen with age, autism is a lifelong disorder. It is not unique for autism to be confused with other pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), such as Asperger's disorder or syndrome, or to have overlapping symptoms. Physicians use the term autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to describe persons with mild symptoms, severe symptoms, or symptoms that fall anywhere in between.
Autism Signs and Symptoms
It is fundamental to pay attention to autism symptoms when suspecting that a child may be experiencing from the disorder. Doctors look for certain symptoms in communication and social impairments to diagnose autism. The diagnostic list of symptoms and behaviors associated with autism is extended, and each affected person expresses his or her own combination of these behaviors.
These symptoms alone don't establish a diagnosis of autism, but are taken into account when evaluating children. The catalog of signs and symptoms stated in various sources for autism includes those given below. The symptoms and characteristics of autism can display in a multiplicity of combinations, from mild to severe. Some typical autism symptoms are given and the intent is to create a better understanding of the autistic disorder.
- social interaction impairment (poor eye-to-eye gazing, lack of social reciprocity, no peer relations)
- communication impairment (can't sustain a conversation, lack of spontaneous play, delay in development of language)
- repeating/stereotyped patterns of behavior (repetitive motor habits, pre-occupation with parts of objects , preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus, repeated hand or finger flapping or twisting, complex whole body movements, preoccupation with parts of objects)
Additional symptoms of autism include problems with verbal and nonverbal communication. There may be symptoms not related to autism, and this is certainly not intended to be an exhaustive list of symptoms.
Conclusion - Autism Treatment
Professionals think that early intervention is important in addressing the symptoms associated with autism. Children don't "outgrow" autism but symptoms may moderate as the child develops and receives treatment. Over the years, a variety of interventions have demonstrated promise for improving symptoms of autism in particular children. There are multiple diverse medications that are prescribed to treat the symptoms of autism. It has been reported that there are no well-established medications to treat core symptoms of autism. Medications used to treat anxiety and depression are being explored as a way to relieve certain autism symptoms. Atypical neuroleptics look to be promising agents to treat behavioral symptoms frequently occurring among autism patients. Some children in treatment programs eliminate sufficient of their most disabling autism symptoms to function reasonably well in a conventional classroom. In 1996, a young boy with autism was supplied secretin for an endoscopy and exhibited improvements in particular of his symptoms of autism. Some have noted the improvement of autism symptoms to treatment with vancomycin.
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