-How Much Do You Know About Autism?
Autism is a developmental problem that often starts in early childhood. Different children with autism can have widely different symptoms, so autism is called a "spectrum disorder." This means it is a group of disorders with similar features that ranged from mild to serious. Find out more about autism by taking the following quiz.
1. A person with autism finds it hard to interact with others.
Which of these is an example of this?
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People with autism
often don't respond to others' emotions. They may not realize how their behavior affects
others. They find it hard to know what another person means through tone of voice
or
facial expression. Children with autism often speak later than other children. They
often have hearing problems. They may also rock, twirl their hair, or bang their head
over and over again. Many people with autism also don't feel pain as strongly as others.
They may have an abnormal response to sounds or touch.
2. Autism varies widely in severity and symptoms. This makes it difficult to diagnose.
Which of these behaviors should raise red flags for parents?
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You should have your child assessed for autism right away if any of these symptoms are present. Other behaviors that should raise concerns include:
- Possible deafness, or deafness that comes and goes
- The child used to speak but now does not
- The child doesn't smile when smiled at
- The child throws very strong temper tantrums
- The child walks on their toes
3. What causes autism?
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A number of genes
appear to play a role in autism. So do things in the environment. Research has found
brain problems in people with autism. Nerve cells (neurons) in parts of the brain
in a
person with autism are smaller than normal. These cells have shorter nerve fibers
than
normal. These changes may mean that something got in the way of brain development
of the
fetus. Other studies have found problems with the signaling molecules in the brain
of
those with autism. Other disorders such as Tourette syndrome, learning disabilities,
and
attention deficit disorder often occur with autism but don't cause it. About 1/3 of
children with autism go on to develop epilepsy.
4. Which vaccine has been falsely linked to autism?
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Some parents believe
that the measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine caused their child's autism. But no
scientific proof has been found to back this up. The symptoms of autism often appear
around the same time as the MMR vaccine is given. But that doesn't mean the vaccine
has
caused the autism. There is no scientific proof that any vaccine or combination of
vaccines causes autism.
5. Autism can be cured with:
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Autism has no cure.
But behavioral therapy and medicine may help ease symptoms. In behavioral therapy,
therapists work 1-on-1 with children to help them develop social and language skills.
The earlier a child is helped with this therapy, the better the outcome. Medicine
may be
prescribed to ease troublesome behavior or other symptoms of autism. The medicine
affects the levels of signaling chemicals such as serotonin in the brain.
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