Severity of Symptoms
Clinical accounts suggest that conditions resembling autism don't 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 could go unrecognized, especially in mildly affected persons 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 numerous behaviors and abilities because of the severity of their symptoms. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), people with autism have normal life expectancies and can lead normal 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 specific examples. Moreover, signs and symptoms of Autism could vary on an individual basis for each patient. Children with Autism symptoms moreover vary a good deal in their mental abilities and also their communicative skills. Autism is sometimes coupled with retardation, which makes the majority of teaching techniques ineffective. Because the symptoms of autism could vary greatly from person to person, there is no one 'best' treatment which would help everyone. Autism symptoms can range from mild to severe and differ 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 and Asperger's Syndrome
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. 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.
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. Doctors use the term autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to describe persons with mild symptoms, severe symptoms, or symptoms that fall anywhere in between. Notwithstanding autistic symptoms in children may lessen with age, autism is a lifelong disorder.
Autism Signs and Symptoms
The diagnostic listing of symptoms and behaviors associated with autism is extended, 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 consideration when evaluating children. The list of signs and symptoms cited in a large number of resources for autism includes those presented below. The symptoms and characteristics of autism can display 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. It is vital to pay attention to autism symptoms when suspecting that a child might be suffering from the disorder. Doctors look for specific 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 difficulty with verbal and nonverbal communication. There could be symptoms not related to autism, and this is not intended to be an exhaustive list of symptoms.
Diagnosis
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 presence or absence of a collection 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 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. Only your doctor can submit adequate 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 connected disorder, or a different condition.
Children with autism may exhibit mild, moderate or severe symptoms in three areas (social, communication and behavior). Some children showed symptoms of autism in their first-year birthday video, for instance less frequent use of words or babbling. Other autistic children who behaved typically at age 1, appeared to regress and suggested typical symptoms of autism by age 2. Because the symptoms of autism might differ greatly from person to person, there is no one 'best' care which will benefit everyone.
Conclusion - Autism Treatment
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 often cropping up among autism patients. 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 central symptoms of autism. Professionals are in agreement that early intervention is fundamental in addressing the symptoms associated with autism. Children don't "outgrow" autism but symptoms may lessen as the child develops and receives treatment. Over the years, a variety of interventions have demonstrated promise for improving symptoms of autism in particular children. Some children in treatment programs lose enough 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.
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