Autism Spectrum Disorder Between Facts and Causes

What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Autism spectrum disorder, or what is known as (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social and communication deficits and restricted or repetitive patterns of interests and activities. The symptoms of one person with autism can differ from those of another person with autism. Some think that the phrase "autism spectrum" means that the child has mild traits of the disorder, whereas the word "spectrum" constitutes the degree of severity of the disorder; a person with autism may have mild symptoms, while another person may have more severe symptoms, but both have autism spectrum disorder. Some people with autism disorder require a lot of help in their daily lives, while others require less help.

Despite the range of possible symptoms, there are some common actions and behaviors that may indicate that a child has autism spectrum. Parents and caregivers who notice these indicators should speak to the child's healthcare provider about autism spectrum disorder and screen the child to determine whether or not the child has autism spectrum disorder.

Signs and indicators:

A person may develop autism spectrum disorder before the age of 3. In other cases, symptoms may not appear until after 24 months or more, and some research indicates that autism traits can be observed as early as 9 months of age. Also, some children with autism disorder develop normally until about 18 to 24 months and then stop acquiring new skills, or lose the skills they previously had. Studies have also shown that one-third to one-half of parents of children with autism noticed a problem before their child was one year old, and about 80%–90% witnessed problems before 24 months of age.

Some signs and indicators that may be warning signs for your child:

- Does not respond to their name by 12 months of age.
- Not pointing at objects to show interest by 14 months.
- Impaired pretend play by 18 months.
- Poor eye contact.
- Difficulty understanding others' feelings or talking about their own feelings.
- Delayed speech and language skills.
- Repeating words or phrases over and over (echolalia).
- Giving answers unrelated to questions.
- Difficulty with changes in routine.
- Hand flapping, spinning.
- Prefers playing alone.
- Unusual reactions to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel.

Prevalence:

The prevalence rate of children with autism spectrum disorder has increased over time, and caregivers are often asked about the reasons for this increase. This increase may be attributed to several factors, including:

- Increased awareness of the disorder and its symptoms.

- Expansion of diagnostic criteria for disorders based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).

- Increased prevalence of autism disorder associated with biological risk factors.

Research is still ongoing to investigate and uncover the factors influencing the prevalence of autism disorder.

Facts about autism spectrum disorder:

- 1 in 59 children is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

- The rate of males affected by autism spectrum disorder is 4 times higher than that of females.

- Children are still being diagnosed with autism disorder after age 4, even though diagnosis is possible at age 2.

- Autism affects all races and communities without exception.

- Early intervention positively impacts a person's entire life.

- There are no medical tests to detect autism spectrum disorder.

- Research indicates that genetics plays the largest role in most cases.

- The rate of autism is higher among children born to older parents.

- Parents who have a child with autism disorder have a 2%–18% higher chance of having another child with the disorder.

- Studies have shown that in the case of identical twins, if the first child is affected, the likelihood of the other child being affected is 36%–95%, and in the case of non-identical twins, the rate drops to 31%.

- Scientific research has proven that there is no link between medical vaccines and developing autism disorder.

The diagnostic team:

Diagnosing autism spectrum disorder depends on the unit of the diagnostic team which consists of a multidisciplinary team:

- Developmental-behavioral pediatrician.

- Child and adolescent psychiatrist.

- Pediatric neurologist.

- Clinical psychologist.

- Speech-language pathologist.

- Occupational therapist.

- Social worker.

- Behavior analyst.

- Special education teacher.

Treatment:

There are no medications that can cure autism spectrum disorder or treat its core symptoms. However, there are medications that can help some people with autism disorder reduce secondary symptoms. For example, medication may help increase focus or reduce hyperactivity, depressive episodes, and the like. Medication cannot be used without consulting a specialist physician.

Research indicates that early intervention therapy services can significantly improve a child's development. Early intervention services help children from birth to 3 years (36 months) learn important skills such as: talking, interacting with others, and playing. Therapy services include:

- Applied Behavior Analysis.

- Occupational therapy.

- Sensory integration.

- Speech and language therapy.

References:

.https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/145/1/e20193447

.https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/signs.html

.https://www.autismspeaks.org/

Originally published in Arabic. This English version was produced with AI-assisted translation; the Arabic original remains the reference.