Diagnosis
Only your doctor can submit a sufficient amount of diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed autism symptoms. Your doctor can help to determine whether the symptoms are caused by autism, a connected disorder, or another condition. 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. Diagnosis of autism might be difficult, because the condition varies widely in terms of its symptoms and degree of severity. The diagnosis of autism is substantiated by the presence or absence of a collection of behavioral symptoms using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV).
Children with autism may exhibit mild, moderate or substantial 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. Because the symptoms of autism could vary greatly from person to person, there is no one 'best' treatment which will assist everyone.
Variability of Autism Symptoms
Autism symptoms can range from mild to severe and vary in intensity from symptom to symptom. Children with autism may display a wide range of symptoms, which range in severity from mild to disabling. Because of autism's variety, its symptoms seem best understood when presented 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 together with their communicative skills. Autism is sometimes coupled with retardation, which makes the majority of teaching techniques ineffective. Due to the fact that the symptoms of autism may vary greatly from person to person, there is no one 'best' treatment which will help everyone.
Autism and Asperger's Syndrome
Asperger's syndrome is a form of autism where language and intelligence 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 at together as central features of both autism and Asperger's syndrome. Asperger syndrome and autism are fairly similar in behavioral symptoms.
Severity of Symptoms
Clinical accounts indicate that conditions resembling autism don't differ 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 those with multiple handicaps. There is a range of severity in autism symptoms, and for this reason the term “autism spectrum disorders” is often used. Children with autism could have various behaviors and abilities because of the severity of their symptoms. Based on data from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), persons with autism have normal life expectancies and can lead typical or near-normal lives, depending on the severity of their symptoms.
Physicians use the term autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to describe individuals with mild symptoms, severe symptoms, or symptoms that fall anywhere in between. 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. Although autistic symptoms in children could lessen with age, autism is a lifetime disorder.
Autism Signs and Symptoms
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 confirm a diagnosis of autism, but are taken into consideration when evaluating children. The listing of signs and symptoms mentioned in diverse sources for autism includes those given below. It is vital to pay attention to autism symptoms when suspecting that a child might be dealing with from the disorder. Doctors look for particular symptoms in communication and social impairments to diagnose autism. 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)
Other symptoms of autism include difficulties with verbal and nonverbal communication. There could be symptoms not related to autism, and this is not intended to be an exhaustive list of symptoms.
Conclusion - Autism Treatment
Medications used to treat anxiety and depression are being investigated as a way to diminish certain autism symptoms. Atypical neuroleptics appear to be promising agents to treat behavioral symptoms frequently arising among autism patients. There are many diverse medications that are prescribed to treat the symptoms of autism. It has been reported that there are no well-established medications to treat central symptoms of autism. Authorities agree that early intervention is important in addressing the symptoms associated with autism. Children do not "outgrow" autism but symptoms may moderate as the child develops and receives treatment. Some children in treatment programs lose enough of their most disabling autism symptoms to function reasonably well in a regular classroom. In 1996, a young boy with autism was supplied secretin for an endoscopy and showed improvements in some of his symptoms of autism. Some have noted the improvement of autism symptoms to treatment with vancomycin. Over the years, a variety of interventions have shown promise for improving symptoms of autism in some children.
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