Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex disorder that causes parents to worry about their child’s health and future. It appears in all ethnic and social groups, and statistics indicate that ASD diagnosis rates are increasing by 10–15% annually around the world, emphasizing the importance of autism spectrum disorder treatment.
Statistics show that ASD affects more males than females by a ratio of 4:1. It is one of the most diverse disorders, with about half of those affected showing high levels of intelligence with reduced ability to socialize, while the other half require lifelong support if ASD is not diagnosed and treated at an early stage with autism spectrum disorder treatment.
What is autism spectrum disorder?
Autism spectrum disorder is a neurological condition that affects the development of the brain, leading to difficulties in social communication and understanding social life, and is characterized by limited and repetitive behavioral patterns, encompassing a wide range of symptoms of varying severity, which is expressed by the term “spectrum”.
Autism spectrum disorder symptoms appear from early childhood, causing the child to have trouble socializing in school, which can lower their academic performance. In fact, developmental milestones are normal for the first year of life, but then they begin to go through a regression phase between 18 and 24 months, when symptoms begin to appear.
Autism spectrum disorder: What makes it different?
A diversity of symptoms and severity characterizes autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as it encompasses several disorders under the term “spectrum.” It is also characterized by uneven development of skills, where an individual may demonstrate exceptional skills in areas such as math, art, or memory, but have great difficulty with social or motor skills.
Many disorders are now classified under the umbrella term autism spectrum disorder, such as Asperger syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, autism, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, which were previously classified separately.
Possible autism spectrum disorder causes
In fact, there is no single known cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There are many possible causes of the disorder, with genetic and environmental factors playing large roles. The brain of people with autism shows differences in how neurons communicate with each other, and some studies show abnormal activity in areas of the brain associated with social communication and sensory processing, and some studies show abnormal activity in areas of the brain associated with social communication and sensory processing.
Genetic and environmental causes of autism
The main potential causes of ASD are genetic and environmental. In some children, ASD may be associated with other genetic disorders such as Rett syndrome or fragile X syndrome, and in other children, these variations may increase the risk of developing ASD.
In terms of environmental factors, researchers are experimenting with the association of viral infections, chemicals or certain medications with ASD, and studies show that a child may develop ASD in the case of premature birth or low birth weight, but the influence of genetic factors remains the most likely role in the development of ASD.
Autism spectrum disorder symptoms in children and adults
Some of the autism spectrum disorder symptoms appear early in the child’s life, such as a lack of eye contact with the child, and the child may be normal in the early stages but suddenly begin to withdraw, become aggressive, and may lose some of the language skills they learned before. Usually, each child with ASD has a distinctive pattern of behavior that differs from that of his or her peers, as they exhibit different patterns of behavior and social communication.
Social and behavioral signs of autism
The child makes strange, random and repetitive movements such as swinging, spinning or fluttering the eyes, and may perform activities that cause him harm such as biting his tongue or hitting his head, he may have a distinctive walking pattern such as walking on his toes and a stiff body, and may show extreme sensitivity to light and sound, but does not pay attention to painful or thermal stimuli, emphasizing the importance of autism spectrum disorder treatment.
The child shows signs of difficulties in socializing and interacting with others, such as not responding when their name is called or acting as if they haven’t heard. The child tries to avoid hugs, gets upset when held, prefers to play alone and away from others, has poor eye contact, difficulty initiating conversations, inability to understand facial expressions, questions or simple instructions, and often has delayed language acquisition or loss of the ability to pronounce words and sentences after being able to do so, necessitating autism spectrum disorder treatment.
The child has a distinctive pattern of concentration and observation on the details of some things, such as being fascinated by the patterns on clothes, ceiling fans, or the way characters move in cartoons and electronic games. They have a preference for certain types of food based on their size, color, or texture, and they may face learning difficulties. Still, despite all this, these children do not have a lack of intelligence and may even have a high level of intelligence compared to their peers, which should be addressed through autism spectrum disorder treatment.
How to diagnose autism spectrum disorder
Some symptoms of the autism spectrum can be observed in children younger than 3 years, such as impaired communication and social interaction, such as poor eye contact and lack of response to his name, and the presence of specific stereotyped behaviors that the child performs, such as the child’s strong attachment to a specific routine and refuses to change it, and there are a number of early screening methods for the child that are used in the diagnosis, such as the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-).2), the Revised Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R), and the Modified Checklist for Autism in Young Children (M-CHAT), and genetic testing may be used to detect some syndromes such as Fragile X syndrome in some cases.
Methods used to diagnose autism
There are several tools that are used to diagnose ASD, such as the ADOS-2, ADI-R, and M-CHAT, each of which has its own unique features:
- Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2): An interactive diagnostic tool that takes place in a 30-60 minute session with a child one year old or older in which the clinician observes the child’s behavior during play and social interaction, the gold standard used globally.
- Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R): Conducted with parents and lasting about two to three hours with a child older than a year and a half, this method examines early development (when the child starts talking and walking), social skills, and complex behaviors. This method is effective in detecting cases that are not obvious or have mild symptoms.
- The Childhood Autism Screening Checklist-Modified (CHAT-M): It is a quick 20-question questionnaire that parents answer to screen young children between the ages of 16 and 30 months. The answer format is yes or no, and if the parents answer 3 basic questions in the negative, then the child is at risk, and the child is referred for a comprehensive evaluation. This method is easy to apply, freely available, and available in several languages.
Treatment and early intervention for autism spectrum
Fortunately, autism spectrum disorder treatment in children before the age of 3 significantly improves symptoms and develops the child’s social and language skills to become very close to a normal person, and the treatment is through behavioral therapy methods such as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Developmental Intervention (DIR/Floortime), and Speech and Language Therapy (SLT).
Pharmacotherapy can also play a role in autism spectrum disorder treatment, although there is no specific medication to treat autism, but there are a number of medications that help alleviate a number of accompanying autism symptoms.
The most important behavioral and pharmacological therapies
Behavioral therapies play the biggest role, and fortunately, today there is a range of effective treatments for autism that help improve the quality of life for those with the disorder:
- Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA): It is the most widespread and effective method in the treatment of autism, as it focuses on modifying behavior by enhancing desirable skills and reducing undesirable and inappropriate behaviors, working through positive reinforcement such as rewarding the child when performing a good behavior, dividing skills where complex skills are converted into simple steps such as teaching the child to wash hands step by step, and repetition and practice have the biggest role where training is done in intensive sessions (20-40 hours per week).
- The Development and Individual Interaction Model (DIR/Floortime): It focuses on emotional and social development through interactive play, and works by engaging with the child in activities of their choice such as playing with blocks, and building a challenge for the child to fulfill such as building a palace with blocks, which enhances emotional communication and encourages the child to express their feelings during play.
- Speech and Language Therapy (SLT): It aims to improve verbal and non-verbal communication by stimulating speech and improving comprehension, such as teaching the child to follow simple commands, and using alternative communication systems such as using pictures to ask for things, this method is used with children who do not speak or have difficulties understanding language.
The importance of early autism spectrum disorder treatment and how it helps improve symptoms
Autism spectrum disorder treatment at an early stage is considered the cornerstone in improving the lives of people with this disorder, as in childhood the neurons in the brain are flexible, which makes it more susceptible to remodeling neural connections, and autism spectrum disorder treatment at an early age focuses on improving communication, social skills and adaptive behaviors such as eating and sleeping, and studies show that children younger than 4 years old who received intensive treatment showed a 30-50% improvement in IQ and language compared to those who started receiving autism treatment later.
The role of family support in improving the quality of life for people with autism
Family support for autism is one of the important things that must be provided to improve the lives of people with autism spectrum disorder, as parents provide a supportive environment that promotes the child’s development and integration with society, as continuous encouragement and participation in activities with the child helps to develop his abilities and strengthen his self-confidence, and parents play an important role in following up the treatment programs and applying them at home, which enhances their effectiveness and accelerates the achievement of the desired results.
Providing the family with emotional support makes the child feel safe and stable, which helps him adapt to daily challenges, and family support for autism helps facilitate the process of integrating the child into the community and school, as parents become a bridge between the child and the outside world.
In conclusion, treating ASD is not impossible if it is diagnosed and treated in the early stages, and doctors at Bimaristan Medical Center provide medical care for patients, work to improve their quality of life with the latest methods, provide regular follow-up for the child, and provide medical and psychological advice that will educate parents about their child.
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