Autism (autism): definition, symptoms, causes, treatment, treatment, etc.

Definition

What is autism (autism spectrum disorder)?

Autism is a serious and complex disorder of brain and nerve function that affects human behavior and thinking processes.

Autism includes all disturbances in social interactions, language development, and communication skills both verbally and nonverbally. These developmental disorders generally begin in childhood and last a lifetime.

Children with autism (the old term for children with autism, -red) tend to have difficulty expressing thoughts and self-expression, both with words, gestures, facial expressions, and touch.

They also tend to have a hard time understanding what other people are thinking and feeling. They are so sensitive that they are more easily distracted, or even hurt by sounds, touches, smells, or sights that seem normal to others.

In addition, children with this disorder also tend to do repetitive things and have narrow and obsessive interests.

How common is autism?

Nowadays, autism is more commonly known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The term GSA also encompasses other developmental disorders with similar characteristics, such as Heller syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder (PPD-NOS), and Asperger's syndrome.

By chance, boys are generally 5 times more likely to have autism than girls.

Based on a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States (CDC), 1% of children in the world are classified as autistic (the old term for children with autism, -red). That means 1 in 100 children in the world are known to have this developmental disorder.

How about in Indonesia? Quoted from the CNN page, Melly Budhiman, an expert and chairman of the Indonesian Autism Foundation, said that until now in Indonesia there has never been an official survey regarding the total number of cases of children with autism spectrum disorder.

Even so, in 2013 the Director of Mental Health Development at the Ministry of Health once suspected that the number of children with autism in Indonesia was around 112 people, ranging in age from 5 to 19 years.

Experts believe that the case continues to increase from year to year. This can be seen from the number of visits to public hospitals, mental hospitals in child development clinics from year to year.

Signs and Symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of autism?

Symptoms of autism vary from one child to another.

These neurological and developmental disorders produce a variety of symptoms. Each child may have different symptoms, ranging in severity from mild to severe.

However, generally sufferers show some symptoms of autism, as quoted from the National Health Service, namely:

Symptoms of autism in infants and younger children

Doesn't respond when his name is called
Avoiding eye contact with other people
Don't smile, even if you smile at them
Perform repetitive movements, such as flapping your hands, snapping your fingers, or swinging your body
Tends to be quiet, doesn't chat much like most babies
Repeating the same words or phrases frequently

Symptoms of autism in older children

Difficulty expressing feelings and expressing emotions
Difficulty understanding what other people are saying, thinking, and feeling
Have a high interest in an activity so that it seems obsessive and performs a behavior repeatedly (stimming)
Likes routine that is structured and the same. If the routine is interrupted, he will be very angry.
It is difficult to make friends and prefers to be alone
Often times the answer is something that doesn't match the question. Instead of answering, they repeated what the other said more often

Symptoms of autism in boys and girls, sometimes a little different. Girls tend to be more calm and quiet, while boys tend to be more hyperactive. These "vague" symptoms in girls make diagnosis more difficult.

Symptoms of autism in adults

Difficulty understanding what other people are thinking or feeling
Very anxious about various social situations or activities outside of routine
Difficulty making friends or prefer to be alone
Often speak bluntly and harshly and avoid making eye contact with other people
Difficulty showing feelings to other people
When talking to other people, their body position will be very close to yours. It could also be the other way around, disliking other people being too close or making physical contact, such as touching or hugging
Is very precise at things that are small, patterned, and easily distracted by smells or sounds that others perceive to be normal.

When should I see a doctor?

You should call your doctor if you think your child is developing slowly. Some of the symptoms can be seen in the first 2 years. Signs and symptoms to consider when taking your little one to the doctor include:

Does not respond when called
Slow development of communication
It is difficult to behave and behave or experience some of the symptoms mentioned above

If you have any signs or symptoms above or any other questions, please consult your doctor. Everyone's body is different. Always consult a doctor to treat your health condition.

Cause

What causes autism?

Until now, the exact cause of this neurological and developmental disorder is not known with certainty. However, researchers say that this disorder is closely related to genetic and environmental factors.

Researchers discovered a number of genes that may play a role in this disorder. Imaging tests have found that people with autism develop several different brain areas.

This disruption in brain development causes problems with the performance of brain cells with one another.

Risk factors

What increases my risk for autism?

Some things that can increase a person's risk factors for autism are:

Gender. Autism occurs 4 times more often in men than women.
Family history. Families with autistic children may have other autistic children.
Other diseases. Autism tends to occur more frequently in children with certain genetic or chromosomal conditions, such as fragile X syndrome or tuberous sclerosis.
Premature baby. Autism is more common in premature, low weight babies. Usually babies are more at risk if they are born before 26 weeks.
Exposure to certain chemicals and drugs. Exposure to heavy metals, valproic acid (Depakene) or thalidomide (Thalomid) drugs in the fetus can increase the risk of developing autism.

Diagnosis & Treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How do I diagnose autism?

There are no specific laboratory tests to diagnose autism in children. However, the doctor will perform a variety of test approaches that can help make a diagnosis. Various ways that doctors generally do, include:

The first step involves general development screening during which the child is seen with a pediatrician during childhood. Children who showed some developmental problems were referred for additional evaluation.
The second step involves evaluating a team of doctors and other specialists. At this stage, your child can be diagnosed with autism or another developmental disorder.

During this process the doctor will observe the child's behavior and symptoms by asking the parents questions. In line with this, the doctor will observe how the child interacts and communicates.

The doctor will test the child's abilities and hear, speak, and listen to what other people have to say. Next, imaging tests will be done to rule out some conditions or diseases.

What are the autism treatment options?

There is no specific treatment that can cure autism. Even so, certain treatments can reduce the severity of symptoms and improve the quality of life for people with this disorder.

This really needs to be done as soon as possible, considering that this disorder affects various aspects of life, such as social, educational, and self-welfare.

Children who do not get proper care will find it difficult to interact with other people, receive lessons at school, and make friends. If allowed to continue, this will affect the child's achievement at school, their future, and their relationships with loved ones.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States (CDC), treatment and treatment options for people with autism include:

Care to improve behavior and communication

People with autism usually have low communication skills and often behave differently than people in general. To overcome this, the doctor may recommend various types of therapy, such as:

Occupational therapy, which is therapy that teaches various skills in dressing, eating, bathing, and building relationships with other people.
Sensory integration therapy, which helps process information from sights, sounds, touches, and smells so that there is less sensitivity to them.
Speech therapy, namely improving communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal (language and gestures).

Use of drugs

There is no medicine that can cure autism. However, some medications can be used to relieve certain symptoms. For example, drugs for antidepressants to reduce anxiety, anti-seizure drugs, or drugs to help increase concentration.

These drugs should not be used indiscriminately. The reason is, excess doses and side effects can occur, especially if given to children. For that, always use the drug under a doctor's supervision.

Additional care

To relieve symptoms of autism, some additional treatments may be recommended. Before it is done, doctors and other health professionals will consider the benefits to the patient. Some of the additional treatments that are usually done include:

Nutritional therapy, which is the fulfillment of certain nutrients needed while helping patients from unhealthy eating habits.
Chelation, which is a special treatment to remove heavy metals in the body. Unfortunately, this treatment is very risky so it needs careful consideration if it is to be done.

Home remedies

What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies that can be done to treat autism?

Some of the lifestyle and home remedies that can help you deal with a child with autism are:

Create a regular routine at home

Autistic people are easily distracted by activities outside of their routine. This can trigger symptoms, thus making you rack your brain to cope with them.

So, always make a routine schedule of activities and as much as possible avoid sudden activities. The benefit is not only that, it can help reduce repetitive behavior in patients.

Follow the treatment as directed by the doctor

Treatments for people with autism vary widely. To get the right type of treatment, consult your doctor first. Your doctor will help you choose a treatment that suits your needs and the severity of your symptoms.

At mild symptom levels, patients may be recommended a single treatment. However, in some cases, the patient will need to undergo combination treatment. Always consult a doctor regularly to monitor the results of treatment.

Always keep a record of the various behaviors and symptoms that occur in patients during the treatment period to report to the doctor.

Create useful home activities

Improving children's ability to socialize and communicate, not only the task of doctors or therapists. As a parent, you are also an important figure who can support child care, namely making useful activities at home.

This activity can be done in many ways, such as reading a book together to help him process language and words.

Introducing it to various sounds from objects that are around can reduce the patient's level of sensitivity to a normal sound. Apart from that, it also helps you to avoid certain sounds that can trigger the symptoms.

Making such activities is not easy. So, plan this with the doctor or therapist who treats the child's condition. Not only support care, these activities can also strengthen the bonds between patients and parents and the people around them.

Meet the patient's needs according to his condition

The patient's need is not only for medication and nutritional fulfillment. Patients still need education and increase their horizons. For that, look for specialized schools and trained teachers who can help patients to learn.

You can ask for school or teacher recommendations from doctors or therapists who treat patients. In addition, you can also get additional references from the internet.

Join the autistic community

Being a caregiver and nurse for a person with autism is not an easy task. You need to increase knowledge about this neurological disorder, starting from the condition itself, symptoms, treatment, and various ways of dealing with problems in treating patients.

You can get all this by consulting a doctor, reading a book, or getting involved in a community for autistic people. From here, you can exchange ideas, share, as well as expand the network with people who are facing the same difficulty.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.