Every year on 2nd April, the United States of America takes various steps to spread awareness of Autistic Spectrum disorder worldwide. If you are also keen on knowing about the same, then keep scrolling, as we jot down a few things about it.
Autism is a neurological disorder developed in a child from when he is born or within 2 to 3 years of age. The evident causes of this syndrome have not been found by researchers or by health care. But it is strongly believed it can be either due to genes or drugs consumed during the pregnancy.
Also, there are no concrete symptoms of the disorder; that’s why doctors have said it a spectrum disorder, as it falls under a different range. A child will seem normal from the outside, but his behavior will differ from those of an average child. Like some children might stay aloof, or some might show occasional engagement. But it has been seen that majorly the child stays isolated. It also varies from developing onto some skills slowly or some being superficially intelligent.
Many tools have been developed to find out about the syndrome at an early stage. For kids of 18 months, CHAT (Checklist for Autism in Toddlers) has been found, and for children between 18 to 30 months of age group, M-CHAT is used, which is a questionnaire screening filled by parents.
There are various solutions to treating Autism. Since it has a broad spectrum, there are also different therapies and solutions to it. Some treatments focus on controlling behavioral problems, or some might help develop motor skills, social or communication skills, and some with food sensitivity or emotional issues.
But you have to note that it is not about choosing one type of therapy for your child. It is about helping them solving their array of issues, which can be different from others. Hence, there can be a situation in which you have to choose more than one therapy for your kid. So, if you don’t know how to start or which treatment is needed for them, do thorough research, and if required, talk to an autism expert before taking any drastic step.
Remember that your support and involvement are equally important as of the therapist in helping your child overcome it.
Since the syndrome’s impact is diverse, it isn’t easy to handle for the individual and his friends and family. That’s why more & more people need to be aware of Autism, so that early detection and therapy can be possible. Also, don’t restrict yourself to one day doing the same; you should try and tell people about Autism any chance you get.
