Know about Symptoms of Autism

Autism can be defined as a group of complex neurodevelopmental disorders associated with repetitive, constrained and stereotyped patterns of behavior along with social apathy and difficulties in complex communication process. At present, there is 1 autistic child in 110 of normal children. Male children are four times more susceptible than female children. Technically it is called Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) because the condition can be as low as mild restriction of psychological development (called Rett Syndrome) or to its severe form or classical autism. Symptoms also vary according to the severity. Symptoms of Autism include –

• Impaired social function – this is the most common symptom in any patient suffering from autism. Autism is usually diagnosed in the first three years of a child. The close family member can easily find out that the child is not socializing normally. Initially the child will react to outside world normally. Gradual withdrawal and indifference to social engagement will follow in due course. Autistic child does not perform an eye-to-eye contact even during their first year of life and fail to interact with the mother. As the child grows up, they prefer to remain alone and confined in his designated part of the house. He may not like any attention paid to him and gives a dull expression when he is cared. Parents may feel their child is lacking the typical bonding behavior that other children have. Most of the autistic children hold themselves busy in continuous repetitive movements like swinging of their hands and walking in a loop. Rude behaviors like beating others or nail-biting are also commonly seen. The autistic child may engage is different types of games like playing with door-knobs, stacking his toys in a cupboard or lining them etc. The child may not respond when he called by his name or respond very late. He may be misunderstood as he is not paying attention intentionally, but the attention deficit disorder will prevent him from doing so. He may fail to interpret gestures and take all gesticulate in the same way. As he cannot see the world from other person’s point of view, this problem may be compounded. Any normal five year child understands joy, sorrow, goals and feelings of his parents. But an autistic child will be deficient in such understanding.

• Communication difficulties – most of the autistic child lacks proper communication power. If he feels thirsty, he may not be able to tell his caregivers the requirement. Banging the glass or a water bottle may be the most common expression. Due to poor cognition power, toilet training may also be hampered and the child may defecate in a place he is not supposed to do so.

• Seizures – about 40% of the autistic children experience epileptic fits. There may be overt seizures (Grand mal) or absence of overt seizures (petit mal). The subclinical seizures can only be diagnosed by EEG.

• Systemic diseases – a child with autism may also have Fragile X syndrome, Tuberous sclerosis, Angelman’s syndrome. Other systemic diseases include – constipation, celiac disease, chronic nonspecific colitis and others.

Symptoms of autism can be diverse and this is typical in a particular child. Therefore, it is said that if you are seeing an autistic child, you are seeing ‘one’ autistic child.