What is the cause
The cause of autism is unknown, certainly this is not caused by the pattern of parental care is wrong. Research on identical twins suggests a possible genetic abnormality is in part because it tends to occur in both twins. Some cases may be associated with viral infection (congenital rubella or cytomegalic inclusion disease), phenylketonuria (an inherited enzyme deficiency) or fragile X syndrome (chromosomal abnormality).
Clinical symptoms
Autistic children is a loner, unable to establish close interpersonal relationships, not like the touch, avoiding eye contact, it is difficult to accept the changes, depending on the objects that are frequently encountered, and perform certain movements or rituals over and over again.
These children are usually too late to talk than his age, using a strange language that does not even want or can not talk at all. When you talk to these kids have trouble understanding the content of the conversation. They may repeat words spoken to them (echolalia) and use the personal pronoun is inverted, especially calling "you" instead of "I" to refer to himself.
A variant of autism called pervasive developmental disorder with onset in childhood or atypical autism. This disorder begins at an older age than autism, and 12 years. In this case the patient also can not build a normal social relationships, have quirks, and unusual speech patterns. Patients also may show obsessive-compulsive disorder and hyperactivity. In general, a doctor is difficult to distinguish this disorder from autism.
The symptoms of autism in a child followed by close observation allows the doctor to confirm the diagnosis. Although there is no specific test to check for autism, the examination can be done to find the cause or to see whether there is brain damage.
Most children with autism have the intellect of an unstable, making it difficult to examine intelligence. Tests of this kind must be done repeatedly. Children with autism usually have better value on motor skills and spatial than verbal tests on standard IQ tests. Allegedly about 70% of children with autism suffer from mental retardation (IQ less than 70).
Approximately 20-40% of people with autism with an IQ of less than 50 will experience cramps before reaching their teens. Some patients showed enlargement of the space of the brain called ventricles on CT-scan. In adults with autism will look at additional brain abnormalities by MRI examination.
Risk factors
These symptoms usually occur in the first age of life and always before 3 years. The disorder is 2-4 times more common in boys than girls.
Treatment
In general, symptoms of autism will last a lifetime. Many experts believe these disorders prognosis is determined by how much the speech therapist who already received at children aged 7 years. Autism with subnormal intelligence (IQ <50) should receive therapy full time. People with autism with nearly normal intelligence or above average can be psychotherapy or special education. Discussed in conjunction with speech therapy and occupational physical therapy. Sign language can be used in children who do not want to talk. Behavioral therapy administered to children suffering from severe autism to adapt at home and at school.
Sometimes medications can help, although not able to treat the cause. Haloperidol given to control the behavior of highly aggressive and endanger yourself. Other medications are fenfluramin, buspiron, risperidone, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline).
