Autism and Asperger's Syndrome
Asperger's syndrome is a condition 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 through together as central features of both autism and Asperger's syndrome. Asperger syndrome and autism are quite 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 may go unrecognized, particularly in mildly affected individuals or in those with multiple handicaps. Based on the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), persons with autism have normal life expectancies and can lead normal 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 frequently used. Children with autism may have diverse behaviors and abilities because of the severity of their symptoms.
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. Even though autistic symptoms in children ought to lessen with age, autism is a lifetime disorder. Physicians use the term autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to describe people with mild symptoms, severe symptoms, or symptoms that fall anywhere in between.
Autism Signs and Symptoms
The symptoms and characteristics of autism can present themselves in a wide variety of combinations, from mild to substantial. Some typical autism symptoms are given and the intent is to offer a better understanding of the autistic disorder. It is vital to pay attention to autism symptoms when suspecting that a child may be experiencing from the disorder. Doctors look for specific symptoms in communication and social impairments to diagnose autism. The diagnostic listing of symptoms and behaviors characteristic with autism is extended, 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 listing of signs and symptoms mentioned in numerous sources for autism includes those presented 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)
Other symptoms of autism include difficulty with verbal and nonverbal communication. There may be symptoms not related to autism, and this is not intended to be a complete list of symptoms.
Diagnosis
Only your doctor can provide sufficient 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 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 could be hard, because the condition varies widely in terms of its symptoms and degree of severity. The diagnosis of autism is established 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 differ vastly from person to person, there is no one 'best' care which will assist everyone. A few children exhibited symptoms of autism in their first-year birthday video, for example less frequent use of words or babbling. Additional autistic children who behaved typically at age 1, appeared to regress and exhibited typical symptoms of autism by age 2. Children with autism may exhibit mild, moderate or extensive symptoms in three areas (social, communication and behavior).
Variability of Autism Symptoms
Due to autism's variety, its symptoms seem best understood when presented descriptively and with specific examples. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Autism might vary on an individual basis for each patient. Children with Autism symptoms also vary a good deal in their mental abilities along with their communicative skills. Autism is sometimes coupled with retardation, which makes the majority of teaching techniques ineffective. Because the symptoms of autism may vary greatly from person to person, there is no one 'best' treatment which is able to help everyone. 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.
Conclusion - Autism Treatment
There are numerous 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. Professionals agree that early intervention is crucial in addressing the symptoms characteristic of autism. Children do not "outgrow" autism but symptoms may diminish as the child develops and receives care. 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. Over the years, a variety of interventions have demonstrated promise for improving symptoms of autism in some children. Medications used to treat anxiety and depression are being explored as a way to relieve certain autism symptoms. Atypical neuroleptics appear to be promising agents to treat behavioral symptoms frequently occurring among autism patients.
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