What is Autism?

Autism is a complex biological disorder that generally lasts throughout a person’s life. It is called a developmental disability because it starts before age three, in the developmental period, and causes delays or problems with many different ways in which a person develops or grows.

In most cases, autism causes problems with:

Communication, both verbal (spoken) and nonverbal (unspoken)
Social interactions with other people, both physical (such as hugging or holding) and verbal (such as having a conversation)
Routines or repetitive behaviors, like repeating words or actions over and over, obsessively following routines or schedules for their actions, or having very specific ways of arranging their belongings
The symptoms of the disorder cut off people with autism from the world around them.Children with autism may not want their mothers to hold them. Adults with autism may not look others in the eye. Some people with autism never learn how to talk. These behaviors not only make life difficult for people who have autism, but also make life hard for their families, their health care providers, their teachers, and anyone who comes in contact with them.

Do all people with autism have the same symptoms?
Autism is a complex disorder that affects people differently. Because people with autism have a lot of similarities and differences, doctors now think of autism as a “spectrum” disorder; so rather than being just one condition, autism is a group of conditions with a range of similar features. Doctors use the term “autism spectrum disorder (ASD)” to describe people with mild symptoms, severe symptoms, or symptoms that fall anywhere in between.

Are there other things that might be signs of autism?

There are a number of things that parents, teachers, and others who care for children can look for to determine if a child needs to be evaluated for autism. The following “red flags” could be signs that a doctor should evaluate a child for autism or a related communication disorder.

“Red Flags” include...

The child does not respond to his/her name.
The child cannot explain what he/she wants.
Language skills or speech are delayed.
The child doesn’t follow directions.
At times, the child seems to be deaf.
The child seems to hear sometimes, but not others.
The child doesn’t point or wave bye-bye.
The child used to say a few words or babble, but now he/she doesn’t.
The child throws intense or violent tantrums.
The child has odd movement patterns.
The child is hyperactive, uncooperative, or oppositional.
The child doesn’t know how to play with toys.
The child doesn’t smile when smiled at.
The child has poor eye contact.
The child gets “stuck” on things over and over and can’t move on to other things.
The child seems to prefer to play alone.
The child gets things for him/herself only.
The child is very independent for his/her age.
The child does things “early” compared to other children.
The child seems to be in his/her “own world.”
The child seems to tune people out.
The child is not interested in other children.
The child walks on his/her toes.
The child shows unusual attachments to toys, objects, or schedules (i.e., always holding a string or having to put socks on before pants).
Child spends a lot of time lining things up or putting things in a certain order.

What conditions are included in the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) category?
Currently, ASD includes:

Autistic disorder (sometimes called “classic” autism)
Asperger syndrome
Childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD)
Rett syndrome
Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDDNOS) or atypical autism
Depending on his or her specific symptoms, a person with autism can be in any one of these categories.

Early Detection

Detecting children with special needs is not an easy task, much more if you are the parent. It is like looking at your own nose or mouth. How can you tell if something is wrong with it without usung a mirror? We give our best shot to our children and all of a sudden other people tell us something is wrong with them? It is true that sometimes we are our own enemies because we tend to deny the truth.

We once had a 4-year old neighbor that we usually invite in the house to play with my kids. She seemed so intelligent with the songs that she sang and the numbers that she can count but something is bothering me with her. When I talk to her I would wonder why she wouldn't look at me in the eye. It's not that she's shy because she doesn't seem so. My kids sometimes leave her in their bedroom and run downstairs but she doesn't seem to be disturbed to be left alone. She played all by herself there. But the funny thing is her mom doesn't seem to notice this. They thought she was just a baby girl. I really didn't know how long it would take for them to realize she need special attention. They moved to another and I wasn't really able to tell my observation to her mom. Once I had a talk with her mom she seemed confident that her kid is intelligent. I didn't want to touch her ego so I left her at that.

Early detection is very important with special kids. If we can all try to be able to help them at an early stage then the damage would not be that much. When parents deny the truth it would be a pity to the kid. Special kids can be detected by a group of professionals like doctors, therapists, guidance counselors, teachers and most of all parents. These professionals are the mirrors we use to help in diagnosing the disability. Stop worrying and start working for what's best for your kid. We have to remember that they are our future.