Diagnosis
Diagnosis of autism may be hard, 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 presence or absence of a cluster of behavioral symptoms using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). The diagnosis of Autistic Disorder consists of a total of at least 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 provide a sufficient amount of diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed autism symptoms. Your physician can help to determine whether the symptoms are caused by autism, a linked disorder, or a different condition.
Children with autism might display mild, moderate or substantial symptoms in three areas (social, communication and behavior). Because the symptoms of autism might differ greatly from person to person, there is no one 'best' treatment which will assist everyone. Certain children showed symptoms of autism in their first-year birthday video, for example less frequent use of words or babbling. Other autistic children who behaved typically at age 1, appeared to go back and exhibited typical symptoms of autism by age 2.
Autism and Asperger's Syndrome
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 quite similar in behavioral symptoms. Asperger's syndrome is a form of autism where language and intelligence 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.
Severity of Symptoms
Clinical accounts indicate that conditions resembling autism do not vary just in terms of severity, but also in pattern of symptoms. As it varies widely in its severity and symptoms, autism might go unrecognized, particularly in mildly affected individuals 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 may have diverse 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 average or near-normal lives, depending on the severity of their symptoms.
Variability of Autism Symptoms
Due to autism's variety, its symptoms seem best understood when presented 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 symptoms can range from mild to severe and vary in intensity from symptom to symptom. Children with autism might display a wide range of symptoms, which range in severity from mild to disabling. Autism is sometimes coupled with retardation, which makes the majority of teaching techniques ineffective. While the symptoms of autism can vary greatly from person to person, there is no one 'best' treatment which will help everyone.
Physicians use the term autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to describe persons with mild symptoms, severe symptoms, or symptoms that fall anywhere in between. Though autistic symptoms in children ought to 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.
Autism Signs and Symptoms
The symptoms and aspects of autism can display in a multiplicity of combinations, from mild to substantial. Some typical autism symptoms are presented and the intent is to offer a better understanding of the autistic disorder. The diagnostic listing of symptoms and behaviors associated with autism is long, 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 account when evaluating children. The catalog of signs and symptoms stated in numerous resources for autism includes those given below. It is essential to pay attention to autism symptoms when suspecting that a child may be suffering from the disorder. Doctors look for particular symptoms in communication and social impairments to diagnose autism.
- 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)
Further symptoms of autism include problems with verbal and nonverbal communication. There might 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 explored as a way to relieve certain autism symptoms. Atypical neuroleptics seem to be promising agents to treat behavioral symptoms often cropping up among autism patients. There are multiple different 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. Over the years, a variety of interventions have shown promise for improving symptoms of autism in particular children. Some children in treatment programs lose sufficient of their most disabling autism symptoms to function reasonably well in a conventional classroom. In 1996, a young boy with autism was given secretin for an endoscopy and showed improvements in certain of his symptoms of autism. A few have noted the improvement of autism symptoms to treatment with vancomycin. Experts believe that early intervention is important in addressing the symptoms associated with autism. Children do not "outgrow" autism but symptoms may lessen as the child develops and receives care.
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