Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a group of disorders characterized by delays or abnormalities in the development of social skills, such as language, communication, and behavioral foundations. Autism is a developmental disorder, and its causes remain unclear, with no definitive cure. Autism is specifically identified through issues with social and verbal communication, and it can be observed through an individual’s interactions with their parents and others around them.
Some mistakenly compare autism with intellectual disability, whereas autism and intellectual disability are vastly different. Some individuals within the autism spectrum exhibit remarkable intelligence and talents.
Some autistic children, when provided with the right guidelines, rules, and support, can attend regular schools and achieve academic excellence. They can have a successful place in society just like neurotypical individuals. Therefore, a diagnosis of autism does not mean the end of one’s life or lack of success.
Signs of autism are typically recognizable in childhood, specifically before the age of three. This disorder affects a part of the brain responsible for social interactions, impacting an individual’s socialization, speech, and communication skills.
Research shows that the prevalence of autism does not correlate with socioeconomic status. However, autism is four times more common in males than in females. Additionally, autism exists on a spectrum, meaning it includes various conditions and characteristics.
Characteristics of an Autistic Individual
Autistic individuals often face difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication. Some may struggle significantly with clear and natural speech, and in severe cases, they may be completely unable to speak, despite having normal hearing. Depending on the severity of their autism spectrum, individuals may experience various types of verbal challenges. For example, some may be entirely nonverbal, others may have a speech delay and exhibit pauses in responses, while some might speak in nonsensical or unclear phrases with no direction in their speech. Certain autistic individuals may not pay attention to the topic at hand and continue to talk about unrelated subjects.
Difficulty in Communication Affects Friendships and Play:
Due to communication issues, forming friendships and playing normally with peers becomes challenging. Humans have both an inner world and an outer world. In their inner world, people engage in self-dialogue and reflection. However, to interact with the outer world, they must adjust their inner factors and develop certain skills for effective communication. For autistic individuals, this process is particularly difficult.
Repetitive Words or Behaviors: Autistic individuals often engage in repetitive behaviors, such as spinning in circles or making repetitive circular motions with their fingers. They may repeatedly play a part of a song, follow the direction of a ceiling fan, or consistently watch the same movie, game, or video.
- Attachment to Objects: Autistic individuals may develop unusual attachments to everyday, seemingly insignificant objects.
- Resistance to Change: These individuals often resist changes and prefer conditions to remain exactly as they are, finding comfort in routine and consistency.
- Unclear Pain Threshold: Autistic individuals may have an unclear pain threshold. For instance, while a typical person would quickly pull their hand away from a flame to avoid burning, an autistic person may not feel pain even if they are hurt much more severely than others.
- Overactivity or Underactivity of the Senses: These individuals may be overly sensitive to certain stimuli, such as smelling odors that others cannot detect or hearing faint sounds that others miss. However, they might show indifference to loud sounds that would typically bother others.
- Inability to Understand Social Situations and Others’ Emotions: Autistic individuals sometimes struggle to understand situations and their consequences. They also find it challenging to put themselves in others’ shoes, which can lead to social rejection and exclusion by others.
Suggested article: Educational Psychology
Causes of Autism Formation
- One of the most important causes of autism is the advanced age of the parents, particularly the mother.
- The second significant factor is maternal diabetes. The likelihood of giving birth to an autistic child is higher among obese and diabetic mothers.
- Environmental issues, such as air pollution and nutrition, which affect the human genome, can also contribute to the development of autism.
- Low birth weight of the newborn.
- Parents’ history of autism spectrum disorder.
Difference Between Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism
Asperger’s syndrome and autism have been recognized under the same diagnosis since 2013. However, if an individual was diagnosed with Asperger’s before 2013, they are still recognized by that name.
An important distinction about Asperger’s disorder is that individuals with this condition often view it as part of their identity. In contrast, individuals with autism may not necessarily perceive it this way. The key difference between the two diagnoses is that individuals with Asperger’s syndrome generally display milder symptoms that may resemble those of autism but cause fewer problems for themselves and others.
As a result, Asperger’s syndrome is no longer used as a term in the diagnosis of disorders.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Autism
The common factor among all individuals with autism is difficulty with communication. Consequently, they are unable to properly understand and follow social norms. Despite this, they can possess exceptional talents and perform very successfully in various areas, such as becoming skilled writers.
Autism symptoms can typically be identified from the age of 8 months, as the child’s cognitive abilities are expanding. The sooner the disorder is diagnosed, the easier it is to manage.
With continuous and consistent education, individuals with autism can have a bright future, live independently, and make significant progress.