Autism Spectrum Disorder

“Austism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a common disorder that is related to the neurological and developmental aspects of the human body. Let us know about common symptoms, cure and cause of ASD in this article.”

Autism spectrum disorder, commonly known as ASD, is a disorder that is related to the neurological and developmental aspects of the human body and also affects how people interact , communicate, learn, and behave with or in front of others.

What is a Disorder?

First, let us see what a disorder actually is. The definition of the word disorder is something that is not in its actual state or original position. It means a state that is disturbed or confused. If we use this definition of disorder in relation to a person’s mental state, then we can understand the definition of mental disorders.

Hence, we can easily define mental disorders as the state of a person where he/she is not in his/her stable mental state and has a disturbance in his/her individual cognition, emotional regulation or behaviour.

Usually, the main reason behind mental disorders is the amount of stress being exerted on an individual. We will delve deeper into the actual causes of these disorders in the later stages of this article.

What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Autism spectrum disorder is a disorder that is related to the neurological and developmental aspects of the human body and also affects how people interact , communicate, learn, and behave with or in front of others.

Autism Spectrum Disorder, also known as autism, is mainly caused by developmental problems in a child’s brain. A person or child suffering from Autism has trouble interacting with people around them. They feel nervous when they are out in public and avoid interaction with people.

One can easily detect Autism Spectrum Disorder by observing the symptoms. The symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Some of the common symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder in children are :

• Avoiding people
• Always remaining sad and depressed
• Avoiding eye contact while talking
• Getting nervous every time
• Sensory aversions like dislike of small sounds, movements, disturbances, etc
• Delayed learning skills
• Unusual mood swings
• Gastrointestinal issues like constipation.
• Language impairment
• Anxiety issues
• Seizure disorders
• Getting too aggressive very easily
• Intellectual disability

These are some of the basic and general symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder. We must look for these symptoms if we think someone is suffering from Autism Spectrum Disorder and take consultation from a certified doctor or psychologist as early as we can.

Also Check: Turner’s and Klinefelter’s Syndromes

Symptoms of Autism in Men

• Getting anxious very easily
• Finding it difficult to express themselves
• Acting very rude and blunt in front of others
• Finding it hard to become friends with others
• Avoiding eye contact while talking
• Noticing small things and changes

Symptoms of Autism in Women

• Become quieter
• Show fewer signs of repetitive behaviour
• Hiding their feelings

Hence, it becomes difficult for the professionals to detect Autism Spectrum Disorder in women.

Autism Spectrum Disorder Causes

The main cause of Autism Spectrum Disorder is not yet known but research shows that it may be because of the genetic hierarchy and also because of environmental changes that are happening continuously. Autism Spectrum Disorder is a highly complex disorder and thus it does not have a single cause but has multiple causes.

Genetic causes

It has been seen that this disorder is linked with a syndrome called Rett syndrome or X fragile syndrome. It is also seen that Autism Spectrum Disorder is linked to genetic changes or mutations. The cause is not certain and thus it may occur spontaneously or might be inherited .

Environmental Factors

The other main reason is the environmental factor. At present, continuous research is going on whether or not viral infections are responsible for this disorder.

Also researchers are trying to find any link between climate changes, air pollutants and this disorder.

High functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

High functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder or High Functioning Autism is just a simple classification of Autism where a person has no problem understanding things or has no disability related to being intellectual.

A person suffering from High functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder lacks communication skills and emotional regulation. This person is less expressive and usually has no or very few friends. This disorder is very closely linked to Asperger’s syndrome.

Effective Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder

The best treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder is to stay aware of the symptoms and report them to a good doctor or psychologist as soon as we see them. Hence, early diagnosis and intervention is most important.

Some other treatments for Autism Spectrum Disorder include:

Behavioural Therapy

This treatment is based on the concept that behaviours can be changed by repetitive practice of a certain action. It alerts self defeating, self harming behaviours and replaces them with healthy, adaptive and full of confidence behaviours.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy is treatment that helps autistic children and adults learn day to day skills that will surely help them with daily chores, such as personal hygiene, movement, behaviour and responses. These skills are then integrated into their home, school, and work environments. In this treatment, therapists usually make patients learn to adapt to their surroundings, which will benefit the patients as they start to get comfortable in different types of situations.

This type of therapy helps autistic patients become more engaged and busy in their day to day lives. An occupational therapist creates a working plan that is according to the requirements and problems of a specific patient.

Sensory Integration Therapy

Sensory integration therapy is a type of therapy that helps people with autism adapt to different kinds of stimuli based on various sensory inputs. As we know, many people with autism can be oversensitive to certain specific stimuli, like lights or sounds, causing them to become nervous or very aggressive, hence overreacting. Others may or may not react to certain stimuli, such as someone speaking to them.

Many types of therapy activities involve a form of play, in which use of toys, swings, trampolines, games, etc happen so that the patients can be exposed to the sensory stimuli. Thereafter, therapists create a plan that focuses on the specific type of stimulation the person needs integration and treatment with.

Finally, we must understand that Autism Spectrum Disorder is a disorder that should not be taken lightly and treatment should be started as early as possible. Also, we must understand that this can be treated with persistent efforts, provided a disciplined schedule is followed without any changes.

FAQs on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

What is a disorder?

The literal definition of the word disorder is something that is not in its actual state or original position. It means a state that is disturbed or confused. If we use this definition of disorder in relation to a person's mental state, then we can understand the definition of mental disorders.

State the symptoms of ASD in men.

Symptoms are: Getting anxious very easily Finding it difficult to express themselves Acting very rude and blunt in front of others Finding it hard to become friends with others Avoiding eye contact while talking Noticing small things and change

List the treatments of ASD

The treatment of ASD include : Behavioural Therapy Occupational Therapy Sensory Integration Therapy