Autism Spectrum Disorder Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

All About Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) 

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition that impacts the social interaction, communication, and behaviour of a child. It often appears in early childhood and is characterised by challenges in these areas and potential repetitive behaviours or interests. 

Autism symptoms in children have nothing to do with parenting or any other things after they are born. There is no clear answer to the question of why some people are autistic. Read on to understand autism signs, symptoms, diagnosis and more.

What are the Autism Signs and Symptoms?

Autism disorder symptoms involve challenges with social communication and interaction and restricted or repetitive behaviours or interests. These can manifest in various ways, including delayed language, difficulty with social cues, and sensory sensitivities. The characteristics of autism symptoms may differ from person to person, and two different people can show distinct signs of characteristics.

• Difficulty with social interaction and communication.
• Restricted and repetitive behaviours and Interests. 

Autism Signs of a Child in Social Situations  

The way a child socialises may differ by their age. A 3-year-old child will socialise differently than a child who is 10 or 15. Here is a detailed guide on how children socialise differently according to their age:

1. Autism Symptoms in Toddlers (12 to 24 months)

Here are some symptoms of autism in toddlers:

• They start to speak later than other children or have difficulty developing language skills.
• Avoiding or not making eye contact during interactions.
• Not responding to their name or appearing not to hear.
• Not showing a wide range of facial expressions or difficulty understanding others' expressions.
• Preferring to play alone or having difficulty engaging in social activities with others.
• Not sharing interests with others. 
• Not using common gestures like pointing or waving.
• Repeating words or phrases but not understanding how to use them.
• In some cases, children may develop some language or social skills and then lose them, particularly between 12 and 24 months.

2. Autism Symptoms in Kids

Here are some symptoms of autism in children: 

• Talk about a very narrow range of topics.
• Talk to themselves or have one-sided conversations.
• It is difficult to express their emotions or understand others’ emotions.
• Struggle to engage in back-and-forth conversations.
• Challenges with understanding others’ body language or expressions.
• They might become upset when they are in an unfamiliar situation or environment.

3. Symptoms of Autism in Teens

Here are some symptoms of autism in teenagers and adolescents:  

• Trouble understanding what others mean.
• Avoid social interactions and struggle to understand social norms like greetings and personal space.
• Difficulty maintaining friendships due to preference for solitary activities.
• Overly sensitive to certain situations. 
• Feeling anxious in social situations which leads to meltdown.

Autism Signs of a Child on Their Body Language 

Here are some symptoms and signs of a child on their body language and the way they act in different scenarios:  

1. Symptoms of Autism in Infants

Here are some symptoms of an infant’s body language: 

• Engage in repetitive movements, such as hand flapping or spinning.
• May have intense or unusual interests in specific objects, subjects, or activities.
• They may react unusually to sounds, smells, textures, colours, or tastes.
• The child may use toys or objects in a different, unusual manner.
• May engage in self-stimulatory behaviours like rocking, hand flapping, or making repetitive sounds.

2. Signs in Teenagers 

Here are some symptoms of a teenager’s body language: 

• May repeat specific words or phrases over and over.
• You may have difficulty doing multiple tasks at the same time.
• Intensely engaging in the same patterns or routines.
• May strongly prefer specific interests or topics.
• Unusual eating and sleeping patterns. 

We need to remember that there are no set characteristics of autism. The above features can be autism-like symptoms but not autism. However, if these characteristics or behaviours challenge a child in social situations or their day-to-day life, that can be a sign of autism.
 

What Causes Autism Symptoms?

According to researchers, there are no specific causes of autism. There can be various factors involved to cause autism, such as genetics and other things which are related to pregnancy, labour and delivery. All these factors may have a combination effect leading to the brain difference we notice in autism.
A few factors which can cause severe autism symptoms in your child:

• Become pregnant over the age of 35.
• Become pregnant too soon to have another baby.
• If you have gestational diabetes.
• Bleeding during pregnancy. 
• Giving birth too early.
• If the fetal size is smaller than usual.
   

Is There Any Genetic Link which Can Cause Autism?

There is not any single gene involved which can cause autism. There is the involvement of multiple different genes to cause autism spectrum disorder. A genetic disorder called Rett syndrome or Fragile X syndrome can be associated with autism for some kids. Every autistic person does not have a clear genetic cause.

Moreover, there can be different effects on brain development, which causes autism spectrum disorder. However, researchers have not yet found these genetic factors.
 

Does Autism Come from Inheritance?

It is easy to say that autism is inherited when we associate it with genetics. However, gene variations can show up for the first time in a child's brain. Therefore, in that case, autism spectrum disorder is not inherited. However, genetic patterns can be passed down in children.

The part of inheritance in autism can happen as genetic syndromes. There are some genetic syndromes, such as fragile X syndrome, down syndrome and tuberous sclerosis, which have a high possibility of showing autism spectrum disorder symptoms. If a child has one of these syndromes, they might show signs of autism with other developmental changes.
 

How to Diagnose Autism?

Getting an autism diagnosis involves a multi-step process that includes screenings and evaluations by specialists. The use of standardised diagnostic tools with a focus on observing behaviours and gathering information from parents or caregivers.

The diagnosis process begins with screening, where a set of questions is asked of the child. The screening happens by a paediatrician when the child is 18 to 24 months old. If the paediatrician finds any sign of autism, they will refer the child to a specialist for further diagnosis. The specialist will try to observe any other specific characteristics related to autism.

A Detailed Breakdown of Autism Diagnosis Criteria

Here are three factors a child must have difficulties in to diagnose as autistic:

1.Social-Emotional Reciprocity

This refers to the back-and-forth nature of social interaction, such as engaging in conversations or sharing emotions. For example, there may be difficulty initiating or responding to social interactions, a lack of sharing interests and emotions, an abnormal social approach, or failure of normal back-and-forth conversation

2.Nonverbal Communicative Behaviours

This includes using nonverbal cues like eye contact, body language, and gestures to communicate. For example, kids with autism show poor verbal and nonverbal communication, abnormal eye contact, and body language. They also show a lack of understanding and use of gestures or a total lack of facial expressions and body language.

3.Developing, Maintaining, and Understanding Relationships

This involves forming and maintaining relationships, understanding social cues, and adjusting behaviour to suit different social situations. For example, autistic kids experience difficulties adjusting their behaviour to suit various social situations. They may find it difficult to make friends, or they show an absence of interest in peers.

4. Diagnosed as Autistic

Any of the two symptoms present in a child indicates that they can be autistic:

• A child is showing repetitive hand movements, echolalia (repeating words or phrases), or repetitive use of objects.
• The child is heavily dependent on the same schedule. They are inflexible to different routines or ritualised verbal or nonverbal behaviour patterns. If the child cannot do the task on their way, they get upset.          
• The child strongly focuses on specific interests that may be unusual or intense.
• The child is hypersensitive to sensory inputs such as sounds, textures, or lights.

What Treatments Are Available for Autism?

There is no particular treatment available to cure autism. Treatment involves maximising the child’s way of functioning by decreasing the autism symptoms. It aims to help children do their day-to-day tasks properly and reduce complications in social situations.

The wide range of home and school-based treatments for an autistic child can be overwhelming. However, a healthcare specialist can identify and recommend the child's needs to provide help.

Here are some treatment options available for autism:

• Behavioural Therapies: This includes focusing on various social, language, and behavioural challenges associated with autism disorder. This therapy focuses on reducing behavioural challenges and teaching new skills to children.
• Educational Therapies: Children with autism disorder respond well to effectively structured educational exercises. These programs include expert teams that provide various activities to learn skills and communication.
• Medications: There are no medicines available which can cure the root cause of autism. However, there are certain medicines which can help control the symptoms of autism.
   

Treatment of Other Correlated Conditions

A lot of children experience other conditions which are correlated to autism. Here are some co-related conditions with autism:

• Anxiety disorder
• ADHD (Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder)
• Bipolar disorder 
• Depression
• Epilepsy
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• ARFID (Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder)
   

Conclusion

Autism spectrum disorder is a complex brain development disorder. Children with autism symptoms experience many difficulties in communication, behaviour, learning and social interactions. Autism symptoms appear at a very early age. While autism symptoms have no particular cure, early diagnosis and therapies to reduce the symptoms can help children with autism. Parents need to seek expert help to ensure their child gets proper treatment.