Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), also known as Pervasive Developmental Disorders, is a broad category of developmental disorders that affect how a child develops socially and communicates. The most common form is Autism, which refers to any one of several types of developmental delays in communication, language, and motor skills. A child with Autism may be completely unable to communicate verbally or physically, and has an intense preference for toys and is highly interested in certain themes. Most children with Autism will outgrow it before the age of three.
Social interaction is an integral part of autism. The social and communication difficulties caused by Autism can interfere with the development of many daily activities and cause depression and other behavioral problems. In order to treat autism, the first step is understanding what the symptoms are and how to recognize them in your child. There are six main categories of autism. Autism symptoms and diagnosis most commonly occur early on in a child's life.
Atypical/Atypical Developmental Disorder: ASD is characterized by an impaired social interaction, with marked deficits in communication and/or repetitive behaviors, as well as in the use of language development. Children with ASD may show some of the following behaviors: excessive or overly sensitive to social situations, repetitive body movements, and/or facial expressions. The majority of children with ASD are able to adjust over time, but it is important to remember that these symptoms can occur with or without autism. In addition, children with ASD may not have other developmental disabilities.
Pervasive Developmental Disorder: PDD-NOS, or pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, is a difficult condition to diagnose because symptoms mimic those of a range of developmental disabilities. These include attention deficit disorder (ADD), Fragile X syndrome, and Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Childhood Autism: ASD is associated with a wide range of developmental delays in speech, language, memory, and cognitive skills. The most common symptoms of ASD include: persistent and repeated language delays; non-reflexive gestures; delayed eye contact; trouble initiating and maintaining eye contact; frequent tantrums and crying; and decreased interest in various activities. In addition, children with ASD may also have problems with gross motor skills and gross motor coordination and are at risk of developing a range of psychological conditions.
Fragile X Syndrome: ASD is associated with many characteristics of other developmental disorders, including IQ deficits, but with different symptoms, such as gross motor delays and a small brain size. Some of the characteristics of ASD include: delays in language acquisition and understanding; limited gross motor skills; difficulty with eye contact and gross motor coordination; and abnormal muscle tone; and limited receptive language abilities.
PDD-NOS: ASD is a disorder of the autism spectrum and is characterized by a variety of developmental delays in social interactions, communication, language development, and gross motor skills. Common symptoms of PDD-NOS include: delays in language acquisition; repetitive speech patterns; delay in gross motor skills; and delays in the development of language; delayed development of language skills; and problems with gross motor coordination. These delays can lead to delays in gross motor skills and gross motor coordination. Some children with PDD-NOS may also have delays in gross motor coordination, with or without the presence of language delays.
These are just a few of the different autism symptoms associated with ASD
Research is still ongoing and there is no known definitive test to tell if a child actually has Autism Spectrum Disorder, but it is helpful to keep in mind that most children with ASD will eventually outgrow it.
It is important to be aware of the fact that there are some families who have more than one child who have been diagnosed with autism. While not all children with ASD will eventually outgrow it, there are likely some children whose symptoms and development delays continue to worsen into adulthood.
If you suspect that your child's symptoms or development delays may be due to ASD, talk to your child's doctor about their concerns. Some physicians will perform neurobiological tests in order to determine if the symptoms that your child displays may be related to ASD. and if so, they may prescribe treatment options for your child.
If a family member's symptoms seem similar to yours, see them and ask them questions about what the child has experienced. If they are unsure, talk with your doctor about your child's symptoms and how it could be related to ASD.
