Contents
In line with its mission, the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony makes every effort to provide reliable medical content supported by the latest scientific knowledge. The additional flag “Checked Content” indicates that the article has been reviewed by or written directly by a physician. This two-step verification: a medical journalist and a doctor allows us to provide the highest quality content in line with current medical knowledge.
Our commitment in this area has been appreciated, among others, by by the Association of Journalists for Health, which awarded the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony with the honorary title of the Great Educator.
The autism spectrum is a broad term that encompasses various autistic disorders. Autistic diseases are usually detected and diagnosed in childhood, as the symptoms of the disease appear relatively early. The autism spectrum significantly affects a child’s quality of life and its functioning in society.
What is the autism spectrum?
The autism spectrum or the autistic spectrum disorder is any disorder involving different mechanisms or causes that cause developmental difficulties. People who struggle with the autism spectrum have problems with communication, social interaction or a limited number of interests. The autism spectrum disorders include:
- childhood autism – the child incorrectly judges the information that comes to him. Problems arise in understanding the behavior of other people and also in communicating with them. Even the smallest changes in the child’s environment can cause anxiety and panic;
- atypical autism – symptoms appear after 3 years of age. In this case, there are also no characteristic symptoms or factors that are the basis for determining the diagnosis. It is mistakenly assumed that atypical autism is a less severe disorder and less bothersome symptoms than childhood autism;
- Asperger’s syndrome – characterized by symptoms similar to autism, but in the course of this ailment there is no delay in speech or intellectual abilities;
- Rett syndrome – characterized by a severe motor disability, as well as a limited ability to communicate with the environment;
- impairment of non-verbal learning ability;
- pervasive development disorder.
What are the causes of the autism spectrum?
It is likely that the autism spectrum is caused by neurological defects of a largely unknown etiology. Among the most frequently mentioned reasons, the following are indicated:
- genetic conditions – the tendency to develop an autistic disorder is inherited. Scientists discovered 20-30 genes responsible for the onset of autism;
- father’s age over 40;
- metabolic disorders such as glucose or casein intolerance;
- disturbances of the intestinal bacterial flora;
- perinatal injuries;
- serious infections that were treated with an antibiotic in infancy;
- cerebral palsy;
- damage to the central nervous system;
- Congenital toxoplasmosis.
Autism spectrum – symptoms
The list of symptoms of autism is very long, so to organize them, it is divided into categories. The symptoms of autism therefore relate to the communication, social and behavioral spheres. Children with symptoms of autism in the communication sphere avoid eye contact and their facial expressions are inconsistent with the spoken words. People with autism have problems with the correct interpretation of non-verbal communication. Often they do not understand jokes, repeat the same sentences several times and instead of answering a question, they repeat the content of the question asked. In the context of the autism zone in the social sphere, attention is drawn to the fact that children do not express any particular willingness to build social relationships. They have trouble understanding the feelings of others, and often cannot hear what is being said to them. Autistic children do not like to share their stuff with others, which often ends up in a row in a shared play area. On the other hand, the behavioral area of symptoms in the autism spectrum is the repetition of experienced experiences. People with autism do not like change and it is very difficult for them to adapt to them. They are strongly attached to different sometimes small things and their interests concern specific knowledge, e.g. studying and remembering timetables.
In the treatment of autism, a sense of security is important – also during sleep. For this purpose, it is worth ordering a weighted blanket at medonetmarket.pl, which supports the body with motor-sensory disorders.