World Autism Awareness Day 2024: Autism, also referred to as autism spectrum disorder, is a group of conditions related to the development of the brain. The disorder is often characterised by the varied level of difficulty with social interaction and communication.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 1 in 100 children has autism. Although characteristics related to Autism may be detected in early childhood, autism is often not diagnosed until much later.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains that some people with ASD have a known difference, such as a genetic condition. Other causes are not yet known.
According to scientists, multiple causes of ASD act together to change the most common ways people develop. The CDC also revealed that people with Autism may behave, communicate, interact, and learn in ways that are different from most other people.
What are the symptoms of Autism?
Autism can begin before the age of 3 years and can last throughout a person’s life, although symptoms may improve over time. According to the CDC, some children show ASD symptoms within the first 12 months of life.
“In others, symptoms may not show up until 24 months of age or later. Some children with ASD gain new skills and meet developmental milestones until around 18 to 24 months of age, and then they stop gaining new skills or lose the skills they once had,” it stated.
People with Autism show the following signs and symptoms:
Problems with social communication and interaction
Restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests.
People with ASD may also have different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention
According to Mayo Clinic, every child with autism is likely to have a unique pattern of behavior and level of severity and it can vary from low functioning to high functioning.
What are the signs of Autism to look out for?
According to the Mayo Clinic, a child or adult with autism spectrum disorder may have problems with social interaction and communication skills, including any of these signs:
- Fails to respond to his or her name or appears not to hear you at times
- Resists cuddling and holding, and seems to prefer playing alone, retreating into his or her own world
- Has poor eye contact and lacks facial expression
- Doesn’t speak or has delayed speech, or loses previous ability to say words or sentences
- Can’t start a conversation or keep one going, or only starts one to make requests or label items
- Speaks with an abnormal tone or rhythm and may use a singsong voice or robot-like speech
- Repeats words or phrases verbatim, but doesn’t understand how to use them
- Doesn’t appear to understand simple questions or directions
- Doesn’t express emotions or feelings and appears unaware of others’ feelings
- Doesn’t point at or bring objects to share interest
- Inappropriately approaches a social interaction by being passive, aggressive or disruptive
- Has difficulty recognizing nonverbal cues, such as interpreting other people’s facial expressions, body postures or tone of voice
- Performs repetitive movements, such as rocking, spinning or hand flapping
- Performs activities that could cause self-harm, such as biting or head-banging
- Develops specific routines or rituals and becomes disturbed at the slightest change
- Has problems with coordination or has odd movement patterns, such as clumsiness or walking on toes, and has odd, stiff or exaggerated body language
- Is fascinated by details of an object, such as the spinning wheels of a toy car, but doesn’t understand the overall purpose or function of the object
- Is unusually sensitive to light, sound or touch, yet may be indifferent to pain or temperature
- Doesn’t engage in imitative or make-believe play
- Fixates on an object or activity with abnormal intensity or focus
- Has specific food preferences, such as eating only a few foods, or refusing foods with a certain texture
When to see a doctor?
Children usually show some signs of delayed development before age 2 years. According to Mayo Clinic, if you notice show signs in your child similar to autism, discuss your concerns with a doctor. It is noteworthy that the symptoms associated with the disorder can also be linked with other developmental disorders. Moreover, the signs of autism spectrum disorder often appear early and the delays in language skills and social interactions will become more prominent.
