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. 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 confirmed by the occurrence or absence of a collection of behavioral symptoms using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Only your doctor can give out adequate 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 related disorder, or a different condition.
Because the symptoms of autism could vary vastly from person to person, there is no one 'best' treatment which will benefit everyone. Children with autism might display mild, moderate or severe symptoms in three areas (social, communication and behavior). Certain children exhibited symptoms of autism in their first-year birthday video, such as less frequent use of words or babbling. Additional autistic children who behaved normally at age 1, appeared to go back and suggested typical symptoms of autism by age 2.
Doctors use the term autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to describe persons with mild symptoms, severe symptoms, or symptoms that fall anywhere in between. Although autistic symptoms in children could lessen with age, autism is a lifelong disorder. 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.
Autism Signs and Symptoms
The symptoms and characteristics of autism can present themselves in a wide variety of combinations, from mild to extensive. Some typical autism symptoms are presented and the intent is to provide a better understanding of the autistic disorder. The diagnostic listing 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 account when evaluating children. The catalog of signs and symptoms mentioned in diverse sources for autism includes those presented below. It is valuable to pay attention to autism symptoms when suspecting that a child may be dealing with 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)
More symptoms of autism include difficulties 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.
Severity of Symptoms
Clinical accounts suggest that conditions resembling autism do not differ just in terms of severity, but also in pattern of symptoms. Because it varies widely in its severity and symptoms, autism may go unrecognized, especially in mildly affected individuals or in individuals with multiple handicaps. There is a range of severity in autism symptoms, and for this reason the term “autism spectrum disorders” is frequently used. Children with autism might have various behaviors and abilities because of the severity of their symptoms. Based on 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.
Autism and Asperger's Syndrome
Asperger's syndrome is a condition of autism where language and aptitude are normal 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.
Variability of Autism Symptoms
Because of autism's variety, its symptoms seem best understood when presented descriptively and with select examples. Moreover, signs and symptoms of Autism may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Children with Autism symptoms also vary a good deal in their mental abilities as well as their communicative skills. Autism symptoms can range from mild to severe and vary in intensity from symptom to symptom. Children with autism might exhibit a wide range of symptoms, which range in severity from mild to disabling. Autism is sometimes coupled with retardation, which makes most teaching techniques ineffective. Due to the fact that the symptoms of autism could vary greatly from person to person, there is no one 'best' treatment which would help everyone.
Conclusion - Autism Treatment
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 a few of his symptoms of autism. A few have noted the improvement of autism symptoms to treatment with vancomycin. Authorities believe that early intervention is fundamental in addressing the symptoms associated with autism. Children don't "outgrow" autism but symptoms may moderate as the child develops and receives care. 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 core symptoms of autism. Over the years, a variety of interventions have shown promise for improving symptoms of autism in some children. Medications used to treat anxiety and depression are being investigated as a way to diminish certain autism symptoms. Atypical neuroleptics seem to be promising agents to treat behavioral symptoms often cropping up among autism patients.
|
