Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder is caused due to some developmental disabilities and specific differences in the human brain. People suffering from this disorder have problems with learning disabilities, repetitive or restricted behaviors of interest, communication, and social interaction. Although some people not affected by this disorder have similar symptoms, people suffering from this problem have a challenging life. These people's behavior, learning, interaction, and communication are greatly different from others. However, they are also blessed with different abilities, such as advanced conservation and communication skills. At the same time, some people can have strong non-verbal communication.

Usually, this problem starts before three years of age and can affect the patient's life throughout the year. There can be an improvement in the symptoms of this disorder with time. The symptoms can be apparent within 12 months of age in some children, but there may not be any symptoms till the age of two years in some other children. There are no medical tests for the diagnosis of this disorder, and doctors usually look at the development and behavior of children to diagnose this problem. Although there is no treatment for complete recovery from this disorder, current treatments are sufficient enough to reduce the severity of symptoms and learning disabilities. Multiple professionals and healthcare experts are involved in these treatment plans.

The risk factors for this problem include genetic, environmental, and biological. The most common reason for this disorder involves baby birth to bit older parents, birth complications, genetic problems, chromosomal changes, and having siblings with the same disorder. Generally, the parents must consult with the doctor if the child is suffering from the followings.

  • The child loses social or language skills at any possible age
  • The child is unable to speak at least two words or phrases by the age of two years
  • The child is unable to pretend or play by the age of 18 months
  • The child is unable to say even a single word by the age of 16 months
  • The child is unable to give any gesture (waving, pointing) by the age of 14 months
  • The child doesn't coo or babble by the age of 12 months
  • A child doesn't make facial expressions or mimic sounds by the age of 9 months
  • The child is unable to respond with happy expressions or smile by the age of 6 months

Scientific Literature Links

  • Yarımkaya, E. and Esentürk, O.K., 2022. Promoting physical activity for children with autism spectrum disorders during Coronavirus outbreak: benefits, strategies, and examples. International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 68(4), pp.430-435.

  • Dichter, G.S., 2022. Functional magnetic resonance imaging of autism spectrum disorders. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience.

  • Solmi, M., Song, M., Yon, D.K., Lee, S.W., Fombonne, E., Kim, M.S., Park, S., Lee, M.H., Hwang, J., Keller, R. and Koyanagi, A., 2022. Incidence, prevalence, and global burden of autism spectrum disorder from 1990 to 2019 across 204 countries. Molecular Psychiatry, pp.1-9.

  • Fernandez, B.A. and Scherer, S.W., 2022. Syndromic autism spectrum disorders: moving from a clinically defined to a molecularly defined approach. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience.

  • Berger, N.I., Wainer, A.L., Kuhn, J., Bearss, K., Attar, S., Carter, A.S., Ibanez, L.V., Ingersoll, B.R., Neiderman, H., Scott, S. and Stone, W.L., 2022. Characterizing available tools for synchronous virtual assessment of toddlers with suspected autism spectrum disorder: A brief report. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 52(1), pp.423-434.

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