WHAT IS AUTISM?
Autism is a developmental disorder that emerges within the first three years of life and persists throughout childhood, causing difficulties in establishing and maintaining social relationships. It is characterized by difficulties with verbal and nonverbal communication, such as eye contact and gestures. It presents with distinctive and recurring symptoms such as delayed or limited speech, flailing arms, and an aversion to loud noises. While autism can be diagnosed at any age, it is considered a developmental disorder because symptoms most commonly appear in the first three years of life.
Sometimes symptoms begin before the age of one, while others experience normal psychosocial development, with developmental delays or stagnation observed after the first words like "mama" and "baba." Autism is thought to be caused by problems in the nervous system that affect the structure and functioning of the brain. This disorder has no connection to parenting styles or the family's socioeconomic status.
What are the symptoms of autism?
Sensitivity to certain images, sounds, smells, lights or physical contact, obsession with and repetition of behaviors, eating, drinking and movements, difficulty transitioning between activities, limited social communication and avoiding eye contact are common symptoms of autism.
Symptoms that can be considered as signs of autism are:
They make little or no eye contact
They are extremely interested in objects, especially rotating objects.
They don't pay attention when spoken to directly.
They move their hands, arms, fingers, or head repetitively
They have obsessions with being in a certain order, such as always eating the same thing or playing with the same thing.
They react differently to light, color, smell and sound.
Nonverbal communication, such as the use of gestures and facial expressions, is either absent or limited.
They do not like close contact such as hugging.
They constantly repeat certain words, known as echolalia
Delay in the development of speech and language skills
Expressing your distress by pulling the arm of the person who will meet your needs
People with autism also experience epilepsy
WHAT CAUSES THE PROBLEM OF AUTISM?
While the exact cause of autism is unknown, there is no single cause. Research suggests autism may be genetic, non-genetic, or environmental factors such as birth complications, viral infections, and pollution. More than 100 genes on different chromosomes can cause autism spectrum disorder of varying severity. Autism symptoms are also observed in rare genetic disorders, neurometabolic disorders (brain chemistry disorders), or conditions such as epilepsy, which disrupt brain function and cell communication.
