Autism

AUTISM

Autism is a life-long developmental disability that usually

appears in the first three years of a child's life. It

interferes with normal development of the brain, preventing

individuals with this rare disorder from understanding what they

hear, sense, and observe. Although this severe disability is

considered a child's disability, autism is found in adults,

interfering with normal social and emotional development. Anyone

can acquire autism; it is put in place at birth. Boys, however,

are more prone to it, as they are four times more affected. In

describing the characteristics of autism, what causes autism and

how it's being diagnosed, and treatment to help people with

autism we will discover that the life of an autistic individual

is a much more challenging one. An autistic individual lacks the

socialization skills needed to succeed in society.

Much like a normal individual's characteristics, an

autistic individual's characteristics can greatly vary.

Characteristics of autism could include any of the following.

Abnormal or severe delays in language. People suffering from

autism commonly have problems speaking. Many of those who have

this symptom never speak at all. Some mumble, utter small words,

but they usually cannot have civilized conversation. Some may

repeat words they have heard on the television or on the radio

this is known as echolalia. Whatever the case may be, this

characteristic is found in most autistics. Another

characteristic is unusual movements. Many people with autism

tend to repeat the same movements, for example, rocking back and

fourth, twiddle their thumbs, twirl in circles and so on. Most

beings with this symptom tend to be hyperactive and they are

constantly on the go. They move from one place to another for

what seems to be no reason at all. Many typically insist on

sameness. People with autism have a low tolerance for change in

their environment. Changes to their surroundings, their daily

routines could set an autistic into tantrums, or fear.

Unfortunately a common trait in autism is retardation. More than

eighty percent of all individuals with autism are mentally

handicapped. Some do display special skills however, leading to

the next sign of autism. Special skills such as memorization of

long lists of numbers or names, the skill of being able to tell

what day of the week a date will fall in any year, these skills

can be seen in only a few autistics but is still a

characteristic. One of the most important signals that a person

has autism is social detachment and unresponsiveness. Many

autistic children won't smile, don't want to be picked up or

cuddled, usually don't want to play, will often stare off into

space as if they were in their own little world, are unaware of

things around them, and usually have little or no concern for

others. This characteristic is usually the most serious one.

Their insistence in not socializing makes it very difficult for

an autistic to fit in. Other symptoms may include negativism,

fascination with physical objects, insensitivity to pain,

impulsive behaviour, frequent crying and tantrums for no reason.

Knowing what causes autism and how it is being diagnosed

may help individuals understand the difficulties autistics face

when trying to socialize with the rest of the world. Right now

there is no known cause of autism. It has been linked however to

several other diseases. It has been linked to untreated rubella,

celiac disease and chemical exposures to pregnant women.

Diagnosis of this disability can be a difficult task as well.

There are no medical tests that can diagnose the disorder.

Doctors must observe the patient to determine whether their

behaviour patterns comply with those of autistic individuals.

This is the only way autism is diagnosed. Many children live

with autism for years not knowing it. Because of autism's

unknown cause and the difficult task of diagnosing