Autism and Asperger's Syndrome
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. 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.
Diagnosis
Just your doctor can submit sufficient diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed autism symptoms. He or she can help to determine whether the symptoms are caused by autism, a related disorder, or another condition. 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. Diagnosis of autism could be difficult, because the condition varies widely in terms of its symptoms and degree of severity. The diagnosis of autism is substantiated by the occurrence or absence of a cluster of behavioral symptoms using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV).
A few children showed 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 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' care which will help everyone. Children with autism may display mild, moderate or substantial symptoms in three areas (social, communication and behavior).
Severity of Symptoms
Clinical accounts suggest that conditions resembling autism do not differ just in terms of severity, but also in pattern of symptoms. Due to the fact that it varies widely in its severity and symptoms, autism might go unrecognized, particularly in mildly affected persons or in individuals with multiple handicaps. Based on 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. There is a range of severity in autism symptoms, and for this reason the term “autism spectrum disorders” is frequently used. Children with autism could have diverse behaviors and abilities due to the severity of their symptoms.
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. Notwithstanding autistic symptoms in children could lessen with age, autism is a lifelong 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 diagnostic catalog 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 substantiate a diagnosis of autism, but are taken into account when evaluating children. The listing of signs and symptoms cited in numerous sources 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. The symptoms and aspects of autism can present themselves in a multiplicity of combinations, from mild to extensive. Some typical autism symptoms are presented and the intent is to offer 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)
More symptoms of autism include difficulty with verbal and nonverbal communication. There might be symptoms not related to autism, and this is certainly not intended to be an exhaustive list of symptoms.
Variability of Autism Symptoms
Autism is sometimes coupled with retardation, which makes the majority of teaching techniques ineffective. Due to the fact that the symptoms of autism can vary greatly from person to person, there is no one 'best' treatment which will help everyone. 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. Because of autism's variety, its symptoms seem best understood when presented descriptively and with particular examples. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Autism may 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.
Conclusion - Autism Treatment
There are many various 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 don't "outgrow" autism but symptoms may decrease as the child develops and receives care. Over the years, a variety of interventions have shown promise for improving symptoms of autism in specific children. 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. 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 supplied secretin for an endoscopy and exhibited improvements in some of his symptoms of autism. Some have noted the improvement of autism symptoms to treatment with vancomycin.
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