Understanding Autism

By Smrity Sharma

Autistic disorder (also known as infantile autism) is characterized by sustained impairment in reciprocal social interactions, communication deviance, and restricted, stereotyped behavioral patterns. The severe form is called autistic disorder, and the milder form is Asperger syndrome.

According to “ Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” (DSM-IV) abnormal functioning in the above areas must be present by age 3.

The ICD-10 also requires symptoms to be "manifest before the age of three years."

It is now estimated that autism occurs in as many as 1 in 150 kids, and it is 3 to 4 times popular in boys than girls but what causes autism is yet not known.

Children with autism are usually described as attractive child and, on first glance; do not show any physical signs indicating autistic disorder. These children do have high rates of minor physical anomalies, such as ear malformation, large head etc. Autistic children also have higher incidence of abnormal dermatoglyphics (e.g. finger prints).

The first one to notice the unusual behavior of children are their parents. A research has shown that usually parents are right about the developmental problems but they don’t understand the nature or the severity of the problem. Sometimes they think either the child is shy or introvert as children with autism remain secluded in their own world. They experience the world differently from other children of same age.

Kids with autism show some specific stereotypic behavior like hand flapping, hand gazing, revolving round and round in circle etc. Sometimes they will continue doing so for long duration until they are stopped. Aggressiveness or temper tantrums are often observed in such children with no apparent reason.

Most kids with autism have anxiously obsessive desire for the maintenance of sameness and would dread the change either in their daily routines or the placements of objects in their environment. They might spend hours lining up their cars and trains in a certain way, not using them for the type of pretend play expected of a non-autistic child. Some develop special interest in vacuum cleaner noise, washing machine, cooker whistle. They would be keen to known everything about it. Often there is great interest in numbers, symbols, or science topics.

Many such children seems to enjoy music, they would often sing a song or hum a tune or commercial jingle before saying words or using a speech. Pronoun reversal (using ”you” for “I”) is more common in such children.

If you have a child with autism than it is very important for you to understand "what is autism" in order to UNDERSTAND YOUR CHILD and his needs.