Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder, characterised by impaired social skills, communication, and repetitive behaviours.
Individuals with autism are always met with challenges in society. Firstly, they have to deal with the difficulty of having to live with the condition and cope with it. Not only does it affect them but it also parents and family members who have to learn about the condition so that they can provide a solid support system, which is in no way easy. It is quite difficult to help because unlike other conditions autism does not have obvious symptoms or signs.
It affects everyone differently and it might show itself in many subtle ways that society might not understand, and therefore those dealing with it might be subjected to stigma.
What are the possible causes of autism in children?
The structure and makeup of the brain of a child with autism has been found to be unique to that of a neurotypical child, studies have determined.
Available scientific evidence suggests that there are probably many factors that make a child more likely to have an ASD, including environmental and genetic factors, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says.
Signs of autism may be visible in a child by 2 to 3 years, and sometimes as early as 18 months. Researchers say the chances of having autism spectrum disorder appear to increase with the age of the parents when a child is born. Healthline says it is reported that there are 50 percent chances that a child will be on the spectrum if the parents are between the ages of 40 and 50.
Some studies have found that the chances are even higher if the male parent is older.
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What are the different types of autism?
An article by Medical News Today says that before 2013, healthcare professionals defined four types of autism which include:
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
- Asperger’s syndrome
- childhood disintegrative disorder
- pervasive developmental disorder- not otherwise specified
These were, however, all put under the umbrella term, ASD by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 2013. Some of the disorders listed above might sound familiar to you, for example, some articles refer to Level 1 on the spectrum as Aspergers’s syndrome. People on this level are very intelligent and might be able to handle their day-to-day life — they might constantly focus and discuss topics that interest them.
One of the notable and outstanding people dealing with the condition is Greta Thunberg, a Swedish activist known for challenging world leaders to take immediate action for climate change mitigation. Thunberg was able to stand in front of a huge crowd of people… not to mention the cameras… and speak, which is quite a huge step for someone suffering from the condition.
Medical News Today mentions the following three levels of ASD:
Level 1: Require assistance
Communication issues:
- difficulty initiating social interactions
- atypical or unsuccessful response to social interaction from others
- the ability to speak in clear sentences and engage in communication, but with an issue maintaining a two-way conversation with others
- difficulty making friends
Behavioural issues:
- inflexible behavior that interferes with general functioning in one or more contexts
- problems switching between activities
- issues with organization and planning, which can impact independence
Level 2: Requiring substantial support
Communication issues:
- interactions that are limited to narrow special interests
- reduced response to social interactions from others
- limited initiation of social interaction
Behavioural issues:
- Difficulty adapting to change
- Repetitive behaviours that might be notable to a casual observer
- Difficulty to change focus
Level 3: Requiring very substantial support
Communication issues:
- Severe impaired verbal or nonverbal communication (might not be able to speak at all)
- Using few words of intelligible speech
- Responding to only very direct approaches
Behavioural issues:
- Extreme difficulty coping with change
- Experiencing great distress or difficulty when changing focus or action
- Inflexible behaviour
