Autism in Children
Uploaded by mumsa1 on Dec 05, 2011
Symptoms of autism usually become apparent before a child is three years of age.
In this article:
What is autism?
Causes
Treatment
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Advice & Support
What is autism?
Autism is a behavioural condition which is much more common in boys than girls. There may be no indication at birth that the infant is autistic, but signs and symptoms may quickly become apparent after the child’s first year, particularly where there is a focus upon mother-child attachment and interaction, and the differences in infant behaviour compared to others at that stage in their development.
There has been a significant increase in the number of children with autism in the UK over the past decade. The precise reason for this has not been established.
Symptoms
Symptoms of autism can vary from child to child, and include:
A disinterest in others or in making friends
A detached demeanour which makes the autistic child come across as unapproachable and aloof
Little or no appreciation of or sensitivity to the feelings or concerns of others
Difficulty in expressing themselves
Using an odd choice of words, continuously repeating words or phrases, and a tendency to come out with inappropriate remarks or comments in situations where those present would find this strange and even offensive
Unusual mannerisms and body movements (e.g., waving arms around aggressively or in a playful manner, hand-flapping and sudden turning of the head)
Apoplectic anger in response to the disruption of their particular routine
Self-harm – banging their head against a wall or slapping themselves in the face, again as an angry response to a situation that frustrates them or where their routine has been interrupted by another person
Obsessive behaviour
Rocking back and forth over and over again, and other repetitive behaviour(s), such as: the constant opening and closing a door, or relentless rearranging of cutlery on a table, for example.
Note: An autistic child can display all these behaviours or just some of them, depending upon the severity of their condition.
Causes
Despite intense research by clinical psychologists and other healthcare professionals worldwide, the exact cause of autism still remains unknown. There has been some suggestion in the British media that the MMR vaccine may play a part in a child developing the condition, but this is not a definite cause as there is no solid evidence supporting this suggestion.
Other suggested causes include:
Genetics – some children may have a genetic predisposition to being autistic. That is, a family member from a previous generation suffered from autism and so the vulnerability to the...