Autism

Autism
Definition
Autism is a severe disorder of brain function marked by problems with social contact, intelligence and language, together with ritualistic or compulsive behavior and bizarre responses to the environment.
Autism is a brain disorder that affects the way the brain uses or transmits information. Studies have found abnormalities in several parts of the brain that almost certainly occurred during fetal development. The problem may be centered in the parts of the brain responsible for processing language and information from the senses.
Autism is a developmental disorder and the specific cause for autism is not known. It is believed that some biochemical imbalance would have caused autism and some believe that it is a psychological disorder. Children with autism cannot communicate their feelings and emotions properly. Such children find it difficult to socialize. They communicate only to get their needs and not to socialize.
Autism behaviors include lack of proper response to social and environmental stimulations. Communication in a child with autism would be minimal and there would be no eye contact and the child would be in its own world and the response would be very slow. These are some of the autism behaviors that can be noted. There are many therapies available for treating such children.
About autism
· Autism is characterized by impaired development in social interaction, communication, and behavior.
· The degree of autism varies from mild to severe.
· Severely afflicted patients can appear to have a profound intellectual disability.
· The cause of autism is unknown.
· The optimal treatment of autism involves an educational or vocational program that is suited to the developmental level of the child or adult, respectively
· Lack of pointing to direct others’ attention to objects (occurs in the first 14 months of life)
· Does not adjust gaze to look at objects that others are looking at
· Cannot start or sustain a social conversation
· Develops language slowly or not at all
· Repeats words or memorized passages, such as commercials
· Does not refer to self correctly (for example, says "you want water” when the child means "I want water")
· Uses nonsense rhyming
· Communicates with gestures instead of words
Causes:

Autism is a physical condition linked to abnormal biology and chemistry in the brain. The exact causes of these abnormalities remain unknown, but this is a very active area of research. There are probably combinations of factors that lead to autism.

Genetic factors seem to be important. For example, identical twins are much more likely than fraternal twins or siblings to both have autism. Similarly, language abnormalities are more common in relatives of autistic children. Chromosomal abnormalities and other neurological problems are more common in families with autism.
What Are the Symptoms?
Symptoms of autism include:
Extreme difficulty in learning language.
Inappropriate response to people. A child with autism may avoid eye contact, resist being picked up or cuddled, and seem to tune out the world.
Inability or reduced ability to play cooperatively with other children or to make friends.
Inability to understand other people's feelings.
Need for a rigid, highly structured routine -- and being very distressed by changes in routines.
Extreme hyperactivity or unusual passivity, and extreme resistance to change.
Repetitive body movements including pacing, hand flicking, twisting, spinning, rocking or hitting oneself.
Insensitivity to pain or lack of response to cold or heat.
Impulsive behavior and no real fear of dangers.
An unusual attachment to inanimate objects such as toys, strings or spinning objects.
Frequent crying and tantrums for no apparent reason.
Peculiar speech patterns. An autistic child may use words without understanding their meanings.
Abnormal responses to sensations such as light sound and touch. At times an autistic child may appear deaf. At other times the child may be extremely distressed by everyday noises.
Some of these symptoms occur in children with other disabilities. Symptoms can change, as the child grows older.

Treatments:
There is no cure for autism. Treatments are aimed at reducing specific symptoms. Because the symptoms vary so widely from one person to the next, there is not a single approach that works for every person. A spectrum of interventions includes training in music, listening, vision, speech and language, and senses. Special diets and medications may also be prescribed. Speech and language therapists and Occupational therapists can help to improve their skills.

Prevention of ఆటిసం:
Until the cause of autism is discovered, prevention is not possible.