In 1911, the word "autism" was first used to describe a group of symptoms then associated with schizophrenia. The word "autism" comes from the Greek word "autos," meaning "self." In the 1940s, autism was beginning to be used to describe children with certain social disorders. A doctor named Leo Kanner used the word to describe withdrawal in several children he was studying.
What It Is
"Autism" is a term used to describe a group of several different brain disorders that involve problems with brain development. These disorders are known as pervasive developmental disorders, or PDD. Reuters Health explains that studies have shown autism can be caused by some rare genetic disorders, or damaged chromosomes. The problem is that these theories have not been proved. Also, some people believe autism is linked to vaccinations, but this has not been proved either. Research on autism is still being conducted to determine a probable cause for its range of disorders.
Warning Signs
Sometimes autism can be detected in children as young as 1 year. The signs are never considered to be proof of autism, but serve as red flags and should be brought to the attention your child's doctor. A few of the signs of autism include your child's not smiling or having any other joyful expressions by six months of age, no facial expressions by nine months, no babbling or back-and-forth gestures such as pointing by 1 year, no words by 16 months, no short meaningful phrases by 2 years, or the loss of speech or social skills at any age.
Diagnosis
Autism is usually diagnosed by psychologists or pediatricians. They will observe your child and run a series of standard tests. Some of these include speech and language, academic, audio logical, and social behavioral tests. The speech and language tests involve your child's being observed speaking and being taught new words. Often when using the academic test, doctors will ask for school records and possibly ask your child to take tests to observe his math and reading skills, but this is depends on the age of your child. The audiological test shows how your child responds to sound. For the social behavioral test, the doctor will place your child in a room with other children and observe how he interacts with them.
Treatment Options
Treatments for children with autism include therapy with professionals and at home. The therapy for a child with autism is intensive. You must constantly and consistently work with your child in a structured and orderly environment to see symptom improvement. Keep the teaching schedule as rigid as possible and teach the child anything he is having trouble with. There are some medications to treat autism, but not all types of autism have the same symptoms. This makes choosing the right medication for your child a difficult but important task. What may work for one form of autism may not work for another. Some of these medications include, but are not limited to, antidepressants, antipsychotic medications and anti-anxiety medications. These medications work to address the individual behavioral problems of the child.
