Autism Definition, Reason, Symptom, Treatment, Prevention

Autism Definition

Autism is a developmental disorder of brain function. This disorder includes social and affective functions, verbal (language) and non-verbal communication, imagination, flexibility, scope of interest (interest), cognition and attention.

There are several behaviors that are often reported by parents of children with autism. Such as speech delays from their peers, indifferent and indifferent behavior, or anxiety if their child is suspected of being deaf.

Habits that are outside of normal behavior are usually seen when the child is 3 years old. It is at this time that parents usually realize that there is something different about their child.

Autism Diagnosis

A physical examination that can be found in patients with autism is the presence of autism symptoms. A child will be examined starting from height and weight, to a general body examination to see whether there are abnormalities or not.

Some of the tests that the doctor will do before making a diagnosis include:

• Child behavior examination
• Physical examination (including hearing examination)
• Follow-up examination (eg: chromosomal examination, EEG examination, and MRI)
• Child development examinations such as M-CHAT

Autism Symptom

Symptoms in children with autism are usually seen before the child is 3 years old. Some of the symptoms that can be noticed include the absence of eye contact and no response to the environment.

If therapy is not carried out, then after the age of 3 years the child’s development will stop or decline. Like not knowing the voice of his parents and not recognizing his name.

Some experts reveal 3 symptoms in people with classic autism, namely:

• Impaired social interaction
• Barriers to speech and non-speech communication (body language and gestures)
• Odd or very limited activities and interests.

In addition, there are other traits commonly found in children with autism, such as:

• It’s hard to join the other kids
• Laughing or giggling out of place
• Avoiding eye contact or making little eye contact
• Shows insensitivity to pain
• Prefers to be alone or withdraw from society
• Does not form an open personal relationship
• Likes to rotate objects or fixate on certain objects
• Very dependent on objects that are already well-known physically
• Active or not active at all
• Does not respond to normal teaching
• Interested in similar things, unwilling to accept or undergo change
• Not afraid of danger
• Stuck in the odd game
• Echolia (repeating words or syllables)
• Don’t want to be hugged
• Does not respond to words, acts as if deaf
• Has difficulty expressing his needs through words
• Likes to ask by hand signal or pointing
• Annoyed or annoyed blindly

Autism Treatment

Treatment for people with autism is divided into 2 parts:

• Education for families
  Families have an important role in helping children’s development. After all, parents are the closest people who can help children to learn to communicate, behave towards the environment and people around them. You could say the family is a window for people with autism to enter the outside world. Although it must be admitted that this is not an easy thing.
• Use of drugs
  The use of drugs in people with autism must be under the supervision of a doctor. This treatment is given if there is a suspected disorder in the brain that interferes with the emotional center of people with autism. This often causes sudden emotional disturbances, aggressiveness, hyperactivity and stereotypes. Some drugs that can be given are haloperidol (an antipsychotic), fenfluramine, naltrexone (an antiopiate), clompramine (reduces seizures and aggressive behavior).

From several recent studies, the treatment for developing autism disorder is behavioral therapy. This therapy is believed to be the most important therapy.

The goal is to control or shape desired and unwanted behavior through a system of rewards and punishments. Rewards will increase the appearance of the desired behavior, while punishment will reduce unwanted behavior.

Until now there has been no way to prevent autism. But there are not some ways you can do to reduce the risk of autism. Like:

• If you are pregnant and planning to become pregnant, you should avoid alcohol, caffeine and smoking
• If you are pregnant and planning to become pregnant, increase your consumption of nutritious foods such as vegetables and fruit
• If you are planning a pregnancy, do exercise regularly
• If you are pregnant, check regularly to the doctor

Do this if your child has already been born:

• Get closer to your child. Have your child talk, laugh, and hold your child as often as possible. You can also try sleeping with your child
• Breastfeed your child, even if you can until the age of 2 years
• Provide high-nutritional food

Autism Reason

The exact cause of autism is not yet known. Keep in mind that the cause of autism is not the parent’s fault. According to research, several causes of autism include:

• Biochemical imbalance
• genetic factor
• Metabolic factors
• In some unusual cases, autism is caused by a viral infection (TORCH), other diseases such as phenylketonuria (an enzyme deficiency disease), and X syndrome (chromosomal abnormality).

According to a study conducted by Lumbantobing (2000), the cause of autism is influenced by several factors, namely:

• Family and psychological factors
  Children’s responses to stressors from the family and environment.
• Abnormalities of biological and neurological organs (nerves)
  Associated with damage to organs and nerves that cause disruption of their functions, causing autism in sufferers
• Genetic factors
  In the results of the study found that 2-4% of siblings also suffer from the same disease.
• Immune factors
  Related to pregnancy, the mother’s immune factor cannot prevent infection, resulting in damage to the baby’s nervous tissue.
• Factors in pregnancy and birth
• Biochemical factors

2-Minute Neuroscience: Autism With Neuroscientifically Challenged