A huge number of diseases are inherited. However, it is not the disease itself that can be inherited, but a predisposition to it. It is to such problems that autism is attributed.
A special type of mental disorder occurs, according to scientists, due to disturbances in the functioning of the brain. The disease is expressed by an acute lack of attention. A child with autism does not make contact, it is very difficult to adapt.
Causes of the disease
The cause of this condition may be a single gene or a chromosomal mutation. The baby is already being born with pathology. The genetic aspects of the problem are extremely complex. Genetic researchers are more likely to believe that there are several factors that trigger the birth of an autistic baby.
These include:
- old age of the future father of the child;
- the country in which the baby was born;
- low birth weight;
- lack of oxygen at the time of childbirth;
- prematurity.
According to some parents, vaccinations are the main reason for the development of pathology. However, there is no evidence for such a hypothesis.
It was found that boys are more likely to suffer from the disease. The effects of solvents, phenols, heavy metals and pesticides have been associated with autism.
The infectious diseases transferred during the gestation period are also capable of provoking development. The use of narcotic drugs, smoking, alcohol leads to pathology. These factors affect both during pregnancy and before it.
In any case, there are many reasons. It is impossible to predict the appearance of such a child in advance. The predisposition may not manifest and not be realized throughout life. But no specialist can give a complete guarantee of this.
Types of pathology
Despite the great generality of the manifestations of the diagnosis, there are several types of autism:
- complete detachment from what is happening;
- active rejection;
- artistic interests.
With a complete rejection of the outside world, disturbances in activity appear early. Toddlers completely refuse any contact with others.
The children themselves do not ask for anything. They do not respond to requests, do not speak or gesticulate. Such a course is considered the most serious and profound.
With active rejection, most of the world remains outside of perception. The stability of the familiar environment is much more important for babies. With age, the disease manifests itself more acutely due to the need to visit an educational institution.
Speech is more developed, but almost all words should be associated with specific situations. In this case, it is easier for children to understand the information.
With artistic interests, kids are often conflicted, selfish, and require the same activities. Children have a fairly well-developed speech, but the sentences are long, abstruse.
When thinking is disturbed, the intellect is quite developed. With the organization of interaction, kids are experiencing difficulties. They are unable to communicate with others, and motor skills are difficult for them. The carriers of pathology are distinguished by the poverty of speech. These manifestations are referred to as the mildest form.
Features of behavior
Almost all experts agree that the most severe forms are extremely rare. Autistic manifestations are more common. When spending enough time with such children, the baby is almost no different from his peers.
External manifestations of the disease begin with changes in the brain zones. The process has not been studied to this day, but parents noted that autists have such signs from early childhood. You can instill communication skills in your child in case of immediate urgent action.
A complete cure has not been developed. Only a small fraction of autistic people enter adulthood on their own. Some still manage to achieve some success. At an older age, frequent bouts of aggression and anger are manifested.
Usually, a certain pattern of behavior is often duplicated. Doctors distinguish several types:
- stereotypy;
- compulsive behavior;
- ritual behavior;
- limited behavior;
- autoaggression.
Stereotypy is manifested in body rocking, head rotation, constant swaying of the body. A child needs monotony. In a particularly strong form, protests are manifested even if parents want to rearrange the furniture in the nursery.
An example of compulsive behavior is nesting objects in a very specific way. Autoaggression manifestations can lead to injury. With ritual behavior, all actions resemble a certain ritual performed daily and constantly.
With limited behavior, a single subject is of interest. Disregard for eye contact has been identified as another factor. Such children do not look the interlocutor in the eye.
Features of the psyche
Since pathology affects the nervous system, the disease manifests itself in developmental deviation. Such signs are noticeable from an early age. Outwardly, the baby looks normal. However, upon close examination, mental deviations are noticeable.
The main symptoms are considered:
- lack of learning;
- seizures that appear more often in adolescence;
- inability to concentrate attention;
- hyperactivity when adults try to give a specific order;
- anger, especially noticeable in the case of difficulties with the formulation of one's desires, when outsiders interfere with the usual ritual, violate the usual routine;
- Savant's syndrome (rarely manifests itself in the form of phenomenal abilities, for example, musical talent, talent for drawing).
In the latter case, there are very few autistic people with this trait. With close supervision of the child, parents immediately detect a developmental deviation. Adults often cannot explain their anxieties, but they see that their baby is noticeably different from other children in certain signs.
Revitalization syndrome is impaired from infancy. Even their mothers, such children learn much later from their peers. At the same time, the baby will not stretch out his arms, smile. He will not respond to attempts to communicate with him.
For hours an autistic person lies and looks at one point. Unexpectedly afraid of his own hand. Often such children have frequent rocking. As they grow older, liveliness does not increase. Differences with peers are often more pronounced.
Signs of autism
There is detachment, indifference to what is happening. During communication, the autistic person avoids eye contact. The team is not for such children. They do not know how to play with everyone, they prefer loneliness. Usually, such a child performs the same actions for a long time.
He is distinguished by indifference, constantly makes mechanically stereotyped movements. The vocabulary is extremely poor, the pronoun "I" never sounds in speech. In the children's collective, such individuals are distinguished at first glance.
They perceive the outside world as continuous and completely incomprehensible to them chaos. This is what autistic people with speech skills tell us. The reason for this perception is not only mental deviation, but also impaired sensory perception.
A child with pathology perceives irritants familiar to other people as extremely negative. He does not orientate himself in the situation, he has increased anxiety. Often, even healthy children do not want to communicate. Everyone has different rates of development.
However, there are several signs that should alert adults. Dangerous sudden changes in mood, inadequacy of the baby's behavior. It is alarming if the baby avoids contact, is indifferent to pain, or does not tolerate harsh sounds.
The desire to be silent at all or very poorly developed speech causes excitement. The carrier of pathology does not communicate with peers. When studying new objects, the baby tries their taste, sniffs.
Obsession or complete detachment is not uncommon, a stop in development is likely. So, the child is familiar with some words, but does not build sentences with them. Even if there are some signs, it makes sense to show the baby to a specialist.
Recommendations for communication and activities with such children are given by a psychologist. He will determine the level of manifestation of the symptoms of the disease.
Working methods
With the best effort, there is a chance that children will acquire communication skills. But the treatment must be timely and comprehensive. Its main tasks are:
- relieving stress in the family;
- increased functional independence.
Methods are selected individually. individual selection of therapy. There are no universal remedies for autism. Techniques provide improvement.
There are special programs that help reduce the manifestations of symptoms in the disease and acquire working skills. They are usually supplemented with medications, drugs to reduce anxiety. They cannot be given without appointment by a specialist.
The baby's diet is also changed, excluding from it products that stimulate or depress the nervous system. Be sure to give vitamins. In communication, the features of an autist must be taken into account.
To establish contact with special babies, you should follow simple tips:
- It is important to accept the child as he is.
- His interests should always be taken into account.
- Be sure to strictly observe the rhythm of the baby's life.
- It is important to develop and follow certain rules every day, to visit the institution where the offspring is studying more often.
- It's important to talk to a baby.
- We must try to create a comfortable environment for learning and leisure.
- Explain all stages of activity patiently.
- It is very good to support the explanation with pictures.
- Overwork is unacceptable.
The diagnosis of autism is not a sentence. The main thing is to love the child.
