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. Given that autistic symptoms in children may lessen with age, autism is a lifetime disorder. Doctors 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
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 establish a diagnosis of autism, but are taken into account when evaluating children. The catalog of signs and symptoms cited in various sources for autism includes those presented below. It is essential to pay attention to autism symptoms when suspecting that a child might 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 substantial. 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 difficulties with verbal and nonverbal communication. There could be symptoms not related to autism, and this is certainly not intended to be an exhaustive list of symptoms.
Severity of 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 various behaviors and abilities due to the severity of their symptoms. Clinical accounts indicate that conditions resembling autism don't differ 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 individuals with multiple handicaps. According to 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.
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 at least two from social impairment, and one each from communication impairment and behavior impairment. Diagnosis of autism may be difficult, because the condition varies widely in terms of its symptoms and degree of severity. The diagnosis of autism is established by the appearance or absence of a collection of behavioral symptoms using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Only your doctor can submit a sufficient amount of 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 a different condition.
Children with autism might exhibit mild, moderate or substantial symptoms in three areas (social, communication and behavior). Certain children showed symptoms of autism in their first-year birthday video, for instance 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 might vary greatly from person to person, there is no one 'best' treatment which will help everyone.
Variability of Autism Symptoms
Due to autism's variety, its symptoms seem best understood when given descriptively and with select examples. In addition, 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 and also 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 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 could help everyone.
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 aptitude 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.
Conclusion - Autism Treatment
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. There are numerous various 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. Professionals believe that early intervention is crucial in addressing the symptoms associated with autism. Children don't "outgrow" autism but symptoms may decrease as the child develops and receives treatment. Over the years, a variety of interventions have demonstrated promise for improving symptoms of autism in certain children. Some children in treatment programs lose enough of their most disabling autism symptoms to function reasonably well in a regular classroom. In 1996, a young boy with autism was given secretin for an endoscopy and exhibited improvements in certain of his symptoms of autism. A few have noted the improvement of autism symptoms to treatment with vancomycin.
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