Autism and Asperger's Syndrome
Asperger's syndrome is a condition of autism where language and aptitude are typical 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 core features of both autism and Asperger's syndrome. Asperger syndrome and autism are fairly similar in behavioral symptoms.
Severity of Symptoms
Clinical accounts suggest that conditions resembling autism don't vary just in terms of severity, but also in pattern of symptoms. Because it varies widely in its severity and symptoms, autism might go unrecognized, especially in mildly affected individuals or in those with multiple handicaps. Based on data from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), persons 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 may have different behaviors and abilities due to the severity of their symptoms.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of autism might 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 substantiated by the presence or absence of a collection of behavioral symptoms using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Just your doctor can provide sufficient 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 linked 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 at least two from social impairment, and one each from communication impairment and behavior impairment.
Children with autism might display mild, moderate or severe symptoms in three areas (social, communication and behavior). A few children showed symptoms of autism in their first-year birthday video, for example less frequent use of words or babbling. Additional autistic children who behaved normally at age 1, appeared to regress and suggested typical symptoms of autism by age 2. Because the symptoms of autism could differ vastly from person to person, there is no one 'best' treatment which will help everyone.
It is not unusual for autism to be confused with other pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), such as Asperger's disorder or syndrome, or to have overlapping symptoms. Though autistic symptoms in children ought to lessen with age, autism is a lifelong disorder. 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 might be suffering from the disorder. Doctors look for certain 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 considerable. Some typical autism symptoms are given and the intent is to create a better understanding of the autistic disorder. The diagnostic catalog of symptoms and behaviors characteristic with autism is long, and each affected person expresses his or her own combination of these behaviors.
These symptoms alone don't substantiate a diagnosis of autism, but are taken into consideration when evaluating children. The list of signs and symptoms stated in a large number of sources for autism includes those given below.
- 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)
More 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 a complete list of symptoms.
Variability of Autism Symptoms
Autism symptoms can range from mild to severe and differ in intensity from symptom to symptom. Children with autism may display a wide range of symptoms, which range in severity from mild to disabling. Due to autism's variety, its symptoms seem best understood when given descriptively and with particular examples. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Autism could vary on an individual basis for each patient. Children with Autism symptoms in addition vary a good deal in their mental abilities together with their communicative skills. Autism is sometimes coupled with retardation, which makes most teaching techniques ineffective. While the symptoms of autism may vary greatly from person to person, there is no one 'best' treatment which is able to help everyone.
Conclusion - Autism Treatment
Professionals think that early intervention is vital in addressing the symptoms characteristic of autism. Children don't "outgrow" autism but symptoms may diminish as the child develops and receives treatment. There are a multitude of different 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. Medications used to treat anxiety and depression are being explored as a way to diminish certain autism symptoms. Atypical neuroleptics look to be promising agents to treat behavioral symptoms frequently occurring among autism patients. Some children in treatment programs lose enough of their most disabling autism symptoms to function reasonably well in an ordinary 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 demonstrated promise for improving symptoms of autism in some children.
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