Autism spectrum disorders and sexuality

On the Internet, you often find questions like “autism – what kind of disease is it” and “how does autism manifest?” This pathology was identified as a separate disease relatively recently, so many people do not have information about its characteristics, causes of development, possible consequences and preventive measures.

There are three definitions of this pathology, complementary to each other:

• autism is a mental disorder. The essence of autism is the disruption of social interactions due to possible decline in cognitive abilities;
• autism is a disorder that is neurological in nature;
• autism is a congenital disorder that occurs based on genetic predisposition.

The genetic nature of the disease is manifested in the fact that autism in children, the signs and symptoms of which depend on many factors, is diagnosed more often in children under 3 years of age. Early autism in children is expressed in emotional and behavioral disorders. Autism in adults manifests itself somewhat differently than how this pathology manifests itself in children, but there are many similarities, including in the area of ​​social maladjustment.

In cases where autism is diagnosed in adults for the first time, it is likely that the pathology was present in childhood, but was not identified in a timely manner. In most cases, we are talking about an atypical form of the disease or a mild form that was not noticed in children, but developed against the background of experiences, stressful situations or hormonal changes in adolescence.

While autism in children can be diagnosed by pediatricians, who will be contacted by parents who have noticed oddities in the child’s behavior, symptoms in adults are most often attributed to seasonal depression or overwork, as a result of which help for patients is not provided in a timely manner.

In adults, this pathology occurs more often in men than in women, approximately 5 times.

Forms of pathology

Modern doctors have divided autism in adults into several areas:

• Kanner syndrome or autism itself with the presence of a full range of symptoms: asociality, atrophy of the speech apparatus, underdevelopment of important nervous structures, average intelligence or severe mental retardation. Such people cannot live independently, so in most cases they are placed in specialized medical institutions;
• Asperger's syndrome (pathology manifests itself in a mild form). Cognitive and verbal abilities are present. Even with problems with socialization and communication, people can become full-fledged members of society;
• Rett syndrome, which is a chronic neuropsychiatric disease transmitted through the female line. The pathology does not appear earlier than one year. Patients with Rett syndrome rapidly regress and live up to a maximum of 30 years, so there are few adult women with this disease;
• an atypical or combined form is established when it is impossible to identify a specific form of the disease.

Features of the disease in adults

Aspreger's autism syndrome is quite common in adults. Symptoms that appeared in childhood may persist or transform, changing their severity. The development of autism in adulthood usually leads to the appearance of an atypical form with a mild degree of severity or the manifestation of not all symptoms. Asperger's syndrome has been identified in many talented programmers, writers, and scientists. Rett syndrome is the result of changes formed in childhood, the progression of which leads to deformations of the musculoskeletal system and mental retardation.

Often autism in adults, the symptoms of which depend on the degree of manifestation of the pathology, remains undiagnosed. Touchiness and dependence on other people's opinions of patients are attributed to character traits, which can result in the transition of the disease to a severe form. Timely diagnosis and quality treatment allow the patient to successfully cope with many problems.

How does autism manifest in girls and boys?

Almost everything we know about autism comes from studying the disease in boys. But now some scientists are making discoveries that challenge common assumptions about autism in girls.

They started with questions that researchers had not addressed for years. Why are there so few girls diagnosed with autism? Are girls less susceptible to autism? Is autism different in girls? What makes detection and diagnosis difficult? A growing body of research suggests that girls with autism, especially those without intellectual disabilities, may be hiding in society.

Elements of the development of autism in girls:

• typical symptoms of the disease appear less, they better mask their social problems at school;
• suffer from anxiety and depression more often.

Research shows that girls with milder forms of autism are more difficult to diagnose, thereby delaying intervention from professionals. And some cannot be diagnosed at all.

Classification of the disease in adults

Psychologists distinguish five groups of pathology:

• The first group includes patients who do not interact with the outside world. Representatives of this group are diagnosed with autism and disabilities;
• the second group includes patients who communicate with the outside world solely on their own initiative;
• the third group includes adults who do not accept the norms and views of society;
• The fourth group includes people who are not independent, who do not know how to cope with problems, and who are touchy. Only a psychiatrist can diagnose pathology;
• The fifth group includes people diagnosed with mild autism and an above average intelligence level.

Strategies

Every child (whether they have ASD or not) needs to learn practical information and skills related to puberty and body changes, different types of relationships, modesty and appropriate social behavior, and other aspects of human sexuality. For children and adolescents on the autism spectrum, it is important not to make assumptions about what they know or instinctively understand about their level of understanding of what they hear and see.

Here are some general guidelines for what, where, how and when to teach your child:

• Due to the high risk of sexual abuse for people with autism, it is important that children with low functioning learn to wash themselves and maintain good hygiene.
• It is important to introduce your child to puberty before their body begins to develop. Otherwise, a girl may think she is bleeding during her first period, and a boy may think he peed himself when he has his first erotic dream.
• Typically, adolescents with ASD are less emotionally mature than their typically developing peers. They may not be ready for some information about intimacy and sexuality, but they need to receive sexuality education to reduce the risk of inappropriate behavior or sexual violence. Additionally, children may hear their peers discussing the topic and will know better what they are talking about.
• All teenagers should learn about grooming and dressing, but if your child wants to be like those around them, then you need to put a lot more effort into teaching grooming, dressing, fashion and style. It is imperative to convey why these topics are so important to typical peers. Accommodation is a necessary life skill and is important for self-esteem as well as future success in the non-autistic world. At the very least, teenagers on the autism spectrum should appear neat and clean; but having one or two pieces of “cool” clothing will help them fit in a lot more. Accommodation reduces the chances of being bullied.
• Talking about sex with children and teenagers who have trouble making eye contact is best done non-face-to-face. Try discussing this topic while you're walking side by side, working together (like cooking), or riding in the car together.
• How you choose to teach various topics about sexuality will determine how much your child understands you. Explain to him until he fully understands, reinforce what he has learned with visual voice materials in the form of Social Stories (see below). If necessary, analyze the problem or create visual material using words or pictures (see below). All children on the autism spectrum can learn about human sexuality, even if it takes them longer than children without autism. Figuring out exactly how to train them is the key.

Here are some specific strategies that may work with your child:

Social Stories Teaching social skills is a particularly important area for many children. Research has shown that many people with autism have problems with so-called. “model of mind” - they do not understand that other people think differently. This may be why they often cannot anticipate what others will say or do, and this creates problems in social behavior and communication. There are various methods for teaching social skills and communication, but one method that works particularly well in home settings is Social Stories.

Social Stories need to be made for a specific child and for each specific situation. When creating a Social Story, you need to first identify the behavior you are trying to change. For example, a child may become very emotional when faced with a small difficulty such as not being able to tie his shoes. The story should reflect the shoe incident specifically to have the optimal impact on the child. After assessing behavior, begin the Social History with a descriptive sentence that explains the situation or environment in which the problem occurs: “Every day before school, I have to put on my shoes and tie my laces.” This is followed by a perspective sentence that shows the child's or others' perspective on the situation: "When I can't tie my shoes, I feel very angry." Finally, a directive sentence will give the child specific instructions about what to do or not do: “When I am angry, I should not scream or cry” or “When I have trouble tying my shoes, I should stand up quietly and ask my mother for help.”

The composition of the Social History depends on the age and abilities of the child. For young children, just photographs or a picture and one sentence per page is sufficient. And older children may want the stories to be more adult-like. The number of descriptive, perspective and directive sentences may also vary depending on the child's ability level. Social History is usually a first-person story in the present tense.

Since Social History is written as if from the perspective of a child, it is important to understand his vision of the situation. By discussing with you the areas they are struggling with, higher functioning children can participate in creating the story, which will help you see what is happening through their eyes. This is not possible with lower functioning children, which means you will have to closely observe your child to find out the reason for his behavior.

Here is an example of social history:

My name is Jason. I go to Rosa Parks High School.

I like several girls in my class. I like to go up and touch them. Although I like to touch them, girls don't like it at all. They often yell at me or complain to the teacher.

I decide who touches my body. Now I have to understand that girls also decide if they want to be touched. I can ask girls if I can touch them, and if they say no, I shouldn't touch them.

Social Stories developer Carol Gray believes that half of all the stories you write should be about what your child does well.

Teaching Communication Using Comics Comic Strip Conversation can be used independently or in conjunction with Social Stories to address communication problems that a child is experiencing. The pictures show verbal communication, providing additional support for people who are trying to understand the rapid exchange of information that occurs in a conversation.

Typically, comics depict conversations between two or more people through simple drawings. In order for the child to see things in a conversation that he usually does not understand, they use figures of people, bubbles with thoughts and words (callout - translator's note), symbols and color. Speech bubbles can be drawn in different ways to convey different emotions (eg sharp edges for angry thoughts). Text can be written in different colors to convey different emotions or meanings (for example, green for happiness, red for sadness, yellow for fear, black for facts, and orange for questions). You and your child can choose the colors yourself. It is better to save the created comics in a book for future use and revision.

Comic-style conversations can be used to explain the sarcasm and ridicule that many children with autism find confusing. Because children on the autism spectrum have difficulty interpreting other people's thoughts, comics can also be used to show that different people have different thoughts.

Social Behavior Mapping Social behavior mapping focuses on behavior modification through internal self-regulation. This works best with children on the higher functioning end of the autism spectrum.

This method requires the child to consider the difference between “expected” and “unexpected” behavior, even as he learns the difference between “appropriate” and “inappropriate” behavior. By changing the language in this way, the focus shifts to the impact that behavior can have on peers. The child is asked to consider whether the action was expected of him and whether this will influence the reactions of his peers.

Here is an example of mapping social behavior:

Timothy is a teenager who loves to unexpectedly touch and hug the girls in his class. The Social Map for this situation shows that touching or hugging others without their permission is “unexpected.” This will help Timothy see how others view his behavior and how they react to it.

Appropriate behaviors in the Social Map are listed in the “expected behavior” table, along with the positive outcomes that may result from such behavior. Unexpected behavior and the resulting unpleasant consequences are listed in the “unexpected behavior” table. If you ask Timothy to compare these two tables, he can see how different behaviors lead to different results.

Here is an example of Timothy's Social Card:

If you decide to try this technique, be sure to keep the card with you. Once you've tracked the relevant behavior, place a checkmark next to it.

Special techniques for teaching hygiene and personal care Sometimes insufficiently learned rules of hygiene and personal care and their poor application are a consequence of the need to remember all stages of the process and the sequence of execution, as well as the lack of physical skills. Here are some techniques you can use to teach your child basic self-care skills:

• Make a schedule. A schedule of self-care routines should be posted near where the task is performed. For example, in the bathroom or bedroom you can hang a schedule for showering, changing clothes, brushing your teeth or combing your hair. It may be more convenient for your child to check his actions against the schedule in a notebook, rather than against reminders on the wall. Some children prefer words, others prefer pictures. Try whatever works.
• Use pictures. For children who cannot read, pictures are an excellent teaching tool for hygiene and self-care topics, and they can also be used to create a visual schedule. Children who do not speak oral language can communicate using pictures.
• Analyze tasks. Complete the task several times on your own; then analyze and write down each step required to complete the task. Ask your child to do the same steps to make sure you have found a good way to complete the task. Once you have found the sequence of steps that works best for your child, make a written plan or picture story for him. Then observe your child and write down at each step how he does it - independently or with the help of prompts - what prompts he needs. This is the basic level. Then you need to understand which steps to focus on when learning.
• Use the reverse chain method. When teaching each step of self-care, consider starting with the last point. When it is mastered, add the next one (preceding the last one) and so on. For example, when teaching a child to wash his hands, start by drying his hands with a towel. When successful, add turning off the tap. Continue in the opposite direction from lathering to turning on the tap. This way, starting from the last step and working backwards, your child will go through the entire process. This is useful in itself, but it also teaches the importance of completing tasks.
• Change the environment for poor motor skills. Some hygiene and grooming tasks require motor skills that your child may not have. For example, poor fine motor skills make it difficult to shave or attach a sanitary pad to underwear. In these situations, it is necessary to develop alternative strategies, possibly requiring adaptive equipment.
• Train your muscle memory. Some people on the autism spectrum have motor difficulties. They describe the problem in much the same way as stroke patients: they try to "tell" their limbs to move, but it doesn't happen. But if you place your hand on your baby's hand and move it around as you perform self-care tasks, you can gradually build muscle memory. Don't expect instant success - you may have to repeat the process many times before the muscle memory kicks in.
• Play music or songs. Rhythm, repetition of passages of poetry, melody and rhyme can help with memory. Many people with autism remember and master self-care steps while listening to familiar tunes (such as “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”). You can hum along as you go through the task, and then make a recording so that your child can play it when he or she completes the task independently. Over time, the child will be able to sing or whistle the melody to help him remember.
• Use video modeling. Watching videos of people doing a task is a good way to learn for some children. Videos can be fun and funny, and they're easy to create with your own camera or phone, and you don't need to be an expert. Watching videos of someone performing a task or a child doing a specific task correctly is a great way to learn.

Other strategies

• Some of the techniques described above (scheduling, task analysis, or using video modeling) can be used when teaching relationship skills, such as how to flirt, how to ask out, or how to prepare for a date.
• If a child behaves inappropriately in a social situation (for example, asks strangers too personal questions or instead of maintaining a conversation, goes into a monologue), then pay your attention to this. Write down the rules for such social behavior and explain them to your child. Do a Social Story with your child using the rule, and then practice by having your child role-play the situation with other participants. When the need arises, remind them of the rule, this will help them remember it. You can save rules and Social Stories as books or albums; It is useful to review them from time to time and analyze them.
• Many teens on the autism spectrum have indicated that acting classes and drama classes have been a great way for them to develop social confidence. In acting classes, people often start with a script, and this is exactly what a child needs in any new social situation. Then, like actors who have learned their roles, the child becomes less dependent on the script. You can also learn what facial expressions and gestures are appropriate in a given situation and how to add expressiveness to your voice. These lessons will help provide a safe environment to learn basic skills and build confidence.
• Enlist the help of a sympathetic young person familiar with teenage slang, behavior and fashion to guide your child through these social minefields. This will help your child know what to say, do or what clothes to wear in certain situations. Equally important, such a person can also help you understand what not to say, do or wear. And tell your child when he is too trusting or gullible (typical traits of someone on the autism spectrum).
• Create lots of “what if” scenarios with your child. For example, “What should you do if you get your period at school?”, “What if a boy teases you about your breasts?”, “What if you get an erection in front of class?”, “What if your voice breaks and because of this they laugh at you? Together you can come up with possible solutions to the scenarios.
• Try to be aware of any interests your child may have with other people. Help us understand that crushes and interests are normal and natural, but this does not apply to harassment either by or against other people. Explain to your child that healthy, mature relationships are mutual and respectful.
• The Internet presents parents with a whole new set of safety issues that need to be addressed. Make sure your child is fully aware of the potential risks of the Internet and knows how to use it safely. Be prepared to monitor your Internet usage. For more information about the Internet and ASD, please read the Internet Safety text.

Symptoms and signs of autism in adults

Signs of autism in adults manifest themselves in different ways, but the most common are:

• difficulties in contacting others, even with loved ones, lack of emotions when communicating;
• decreased facial expression;
• Very often, autism, the symptoms of which can vary in children, is identified by the fact that the child does not maintain eye contact. Autistic adults often look away;
• excessive irritability or apathy, outbursts of anger, character traits that were previously absent appear;
• a person ceases to feel guilt and other emotions towards others;
• the sphere of interests is extremely narrowed, the person seems to fall out of reality;
• a habit appears of repeatedly repeating phrases or words, movements.

If the signs of autism are noticed in a timely manner and the patient seeks help from doctors, the development of the pathology can be successfully stopped.

Are you experiencing symptoms of autism?

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Autism. The cruel truth of life.

Friday, April 3, 2020

Parents who hear that their child has autism perceive the condition as a death sentence.
What is this mysterious disease, what are the reasons for its development and is it possible to recognize it at an early stage? What is autism?
Autism is a disorder of mental and psychological development in which there is a pronounced deficit in emotional expression and communication. Translated, the word “autism” means a person who has withdrawn into himself, or a person within himself. A person suffering from such a disease never shows his emotions, gestures and speech to others, and his actions often lack social meaning.

Many parents are concerned with the question of how to understand that a child has autism and at what age does this disease first appear? Most often, this diagnosis is made to children aged 3 to 5 years and is called EDA (early childhood autism) or Kanner syndrome. The clinical manifestations of this disease, as well as the principles of treatment, depend on the form of autism and most often manifest themselves in disturbances in facial expressions, gestures, loudness and intelligibility of speech.

What are the causes of the disease?

In most cases, autistic children are well developed physically and have a pleasant appearance, that is, by their appearance it is impossible to say that this child has any disease of the nervous system. The exact causes of autism are unknown to specialists, but there are a number of factors that can contribute to the development of this disease, these include:

· Cerebral palsy;

· oxygen deprivation suffered during pregnancy or during childbirth;

· infectious diseases suffered by the mother during pregnancy, such as rubella, cytomegalovirus;

· obesity in the mother (doctors noted that the risk of developing autism in a child is higher if the mother suffered from obesity and other metabolic disorders in the body during pregnancy);

· hereditary predisposition – if there have already been cases of autism in children in the family on the maternal or paternal side.

How does an autistic child perceive the world around him?

With autism, a child, as a rule, cannot connect the details of any actions into one chain. In almost every case, a child with autism cannot distinguish animate objects from inanimate ones, and sees a person not as a single whole, but as a “set” of individual body parts. All surrounding external influences (touch, light, sound, close contact) have an irritating effect on the autistic person, so the patient most often withdraws into himself and refuses to make contact even with close people.

Symptoms and signs of autism

Autism in children is expressed by certain clinical signs. Early childhood autism can appear for the first time even in a one-year-old baby. Of course, only a specialist who understands this problem can make an accurate diagnosis, but parents may suspect a pathology in their child if he often experiences the following conditions:

· when talking to an adult, looks away and never makes eye contact (absent gaze);

· not interested in communicating with peers, prefers to play on his own and wanders away from the playground;

· does not like to be touched, always gets nervous;

· shows sensitivity to some loud sounds;

· does not speak, remains silent more, and if he speaks, he cannot always clearly express what he wants;

· often throws tantrums;

· passive or, conversely, hyperactive;

· does not recognize the danger of the situation, for example, puts objects into a socket, picks up sharp objects in his hands, or tries to cross the road along which a car is traveling at high speed.

Manifestations of childhood autism: first signals to parents

Early autism is characterized by 4 main clinical signs:

· violation of social interaction;

· disruption of communication;

· stereotypical behavior;

· early clinical manifestations of autism in children of primary preschool age (from 1 to 3 years).

Impaired social interaction

Already when a child reaches one year of age, parents may notice the first manifestations of autism. A mild form of the disease is considered to be a violation of eye-to-eye contact, that is, when the baby does not look at an adult when addressed and does not respond to speech. In addition, such a child may not smile at all at any attempt by the parent to make him laugh or, conversely, laugh when there is no reason for this.

Children with autism most often use gestures in communication, and then only for the purpose of indicating their needs and getting what they want.

A child with a similar problem is not able to find contact with peers; he is simply not interested in other children. An autistic child is always aloof from other children and prefers to play independently, and any attempts to join his games end in hysterics and whims.

Another difference between an autistic child and a normal healthy child aged 2-3 years is that they do not play role-playing games and are not able to come up with the plot of the game. Toys are not perceived as integral objects; for example, an autistic person may only be interested in a car wheel, and he will spin it for hours instead of rolling the car.

A child with autism does not respond to emotional communication from his parents, but if his mother disappears from sight, such a child begins to show anxiety.

Communication breakdown

Children with autism up to 5 years of age and later experience severe speech delay or mutism (complete absence of speech). As for the possibility of further speech development (after 5 years), it all depends on the severity of the disease - with an advanced severe form of autism, the child may not begin to speak at all or express his needs in short words - eat, drink, sleep. In most cases, if speech is present, it is not coherent, sentences are meaningless and are a collection of words. Many autistic people talk about themselves in the third person, for example, Masha sleep, play, etc.

Abnormal speech is observed. If you ask such a child a question, he may only repeat the last words or answer something unrelated to the topic. In most cases, autistic children do not respond to their own name when someone calls them.

Stereotypical behavior

The following actions can be classified as stereotypical behavior of autistic children:

· concentrating on one activity – this is also called fixation. A child can spend several hours building a tower, spinning a car wheel, or putting together the same puzzle. At the same time, it is very difficult to divert his attention to something else.

· Perform daily rituals – autistic children feel discomfort and anxiety if their usual environment changes. Changes such as rearranging furniture in a room or moving to a new apartment can provoke deep withdrawal or severe aggression in the child.

· Repeating certain movements many times in a row - when stressed or in an unusual environment, a child with autism may senselessly repeat the same movements many times, for example, shaking his head, swaying to the sides, fiddling with his fingers.

· Development of fear – with frequently recurring stressful situations, such a child develops aggression even towards himself.

Early symptoms of autism in children under one year of age

Attentive parents can notice the first signs of autism in a child before the age of one. In the first months of life, such babies show less interest in bright toys, are less mobile, and have poor facial expressions. As they grow older (at the age of 5-6 months), infants with autism are practically not interested in nearby objects, do not try to grab them, while the muscle tone of their hands is developed normally.

Intelligence in a child with autism

Depending on the course of this disease, some signs of autism may also appear in the child’s intellectual development. In most cases, such children have mild mental retardation. Autistic children do poorly in school, do not remember material, and cannot concentrate in class - all this is caused by the presence of abnormalities and defects in the brain.

When autism is caused by chromosomal developmental abnormalities, microcephaly or epilepsy, the child develops profound mental retardation. The main feature of this disease in children is selective intelligence. This means that sick children can show excellent success in certain areas of science - drawing, mathematics, reading, music, but at the same time lag significantly behind in other subjects.

There is such a thing as savantism - this is a state when an autistic child or adult is very gifted in a particular area. There are cases where autistic people were able to accurately reproduce a melody that they had heard only once or quickly calculate complex examples in their minds. The most famous autistics in the world are Albert Einstein, Woody Allen, Andy Kaufman.

Types of Autistic Disorders

The most common types of autism disorders are Asperger's syndrome and Rett syndrome.

Asperger's syndrome

This form of autism is relatively mild, and its first symptoms appear in children after 6-7 years of age. Features of Asperger's syndrome are:

· sufficient or high intellectual level of the child;

· normal speech skills, speech intelligibility;

· presence of problems with speech volume and intonation;

· manifestation of fixation on any particular activity;

· poor coordination of movements – awkward gait, uncharacteristic postures;

· egocentrism and refusal to make any compromises.

An autistic patient with Asperger's syndrome can lead a completely normal life, not much different from other people - successfully study, graduate from universities, and start a family. All this is possible only if the necessary conditions for development and upbringing were initially created for such a child.

Rett syndrome

This form of autism is severe and is associated with the presence of abnormalities in the X chromosome. Rett syndrome occurs only in girls, and male children who receive this disrupted chromosome die in the womb. Rett syndrome occurs in 1 case per 10,000 girls; the characteristic clinical symptoms of this form of the disease are:

· deep withdrawal into oneself, complete isolation from the outside world;

· full development of the child up to one year, then sharp inhibition and manifestation of signs of mental retardation;

· slower head growth after one year;

· loss of acquired skills and purposeful movements of the limbs;

Frequent, meaningless movements of the hands, reminiscent of washing;

· deterioration in coordination of movements;

· lack of speech.

Rett syndrome is often diagnosed in parallel with epilepsy or delayed brain development. When such a diagnosis is made, the prognosis is unfavorable; the disease is practically impossible to correct.

Methods for diagnosing autism

External clinical signs of autism in a child of the first year of life are practically absent, and only experienced parents with more than 1 child in the family manage to notice any developmental abnormalities with which they consult a doctor. If there are already cases of autism in the family or lineage, then it is extremely important to carefully monitor the child and promptly seek medical help if necessary. The sooner a child is diagnosed, the easier it will be for him to adapt to the world and society around him.

The main methods for diagnosing autism in children are:

· conducting tests with special questionnaires;

· Ultrasound of the brain - allows you to identify or exclude damage and abnormalities in the structure of the brain that can provoke symptoms of the disease;

· EEG – carried out to detect epilepsy, since sometimes autism can manifest itself as epileptic seizures;

· examination of the child by an otolaryngologist and a hearing test - this is necessary to exclude delayed speech development due to hearing loss.

Parents themselves must correctly assess changes in the behavior of a child who may have autism.

Can autism be cured?

Parents whose children have been diagnosed with autism ask the doctor the same question: can this disease be cured?
There is no cure for autism, but with the help of methods for correcting the disease, you can significantly improve the child’s condition and help him adapt to the world around him as much as possible. Of course, parents need to work closely with teachers and carry out routine activities for a long time, but the result of these efforts can bring great success. A few recommendations for parents of autistic children:
· you must clearly understand that your child is not like others;

· you should take maximum care to create a favorable environment for the child so that he can fully develop and exist in society - stress and constant changes in the world around him can greatly aggravate the baby’s condition;

· you should regularly consult with specialists - a psychologist, speech therapist, psychotherapist.
Autism in young children is treated in stages:
· develop the skills necessary to communicate with others;

· gradually, slowly and confidently develop the rudiments of speech in the child;

· learn to imitate the baby, carefully observe the slightest changes in his condition;

· timely eliminate behavioral disorders that are unconstructive - aggression towards oneself, fears, withdrawal into oneself;

· learn to play role-playing games;

· learn to establish emotional contact.

Behavioral treatment for autism in children

The most common direction in the correction of autism. A specialist observes the behavior of an autistic person for some period in order to find out the characteristics of the course of his disease and the patient’s reaction to a particular stimulus. After this, certain incentives are selected individually to help correct the child’s behavior. For some children, such a stimulus is a toy, for others it is a treat, for others it is a favorite pastime. With such rewards, the specialist reinforces the desired reactions in the child, that is, if he has completed what is required of him, then the baby receives his reward. Thus, contact develops, acquired skills and actions are consolidated, and signs of behavioral disorders are eliminated.

Speech therapy treatment

Regardless of the degrees and types of autism, most children still have speech development disorders, which prevents patients from normally expressing their desires and communicating with people around them. Regular individual lessons with a speech therapist allow you to achieve correct sentence construction and intelligibility of speech.

Acquiring self-service and social skills

Autistic children lack self-care skills; they do not understand why they need to wash their face, brush their teeth, get dressed, and adhere to a daily routine. To reinforce the necessary skills in a playful way, the specialist uses cards to demonstrate, on which the procedure for performing the necessary daily actions is drawn in detail.

Autism or another disorder?

The clinical manifestations of autism in children are similar to the symptoms of some diseases, so it is important not to self-medicate, but to immediately seek medical help. Such diseases (with similar clinical manifestations) include:

· delayed psycho-speech development – ​​despite the similarity of symptoms, it can be easily corrected if you consult a doctor in a timely manner and conduct regular classes with the child;

· attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – children are restless, have trouble concentrating, do not learn new material, and find it difficult to study;

· hearing loss – a hearing impairment of a congenital or acquired nature. Due to the fact that the child has poor hearing, he has delayed speech development and difficulties communicating with others, as a rule, a hearing aid helps solve the problem;

· schizophrenia is a mental illness that manifests clinically by talking to oneself, aggression, isolation, hallucinations, and impaired coordination of movements. Unlike autism, schizophrenia is successfully treated with medications and responds well to treatment.

Forecast

Parents whose children are diagnosed with autism should understand that this is by no means a death sentence. Proper care for the baby, creating and ensuring a favorable environment in the family and regular classes with specialists help such a patient grow up as a full-fledged person, get an education and start a family.

Take care of each other!

Causes

Autism manifests itself in adults, the symptoms of which can have varying intensity, as a result of genetic mutations that determine the functioning of the nervous system. The onset of autism in adulthood can be associated with various external influences (infections, stress, overwork, etc.). The exact causes of autism have not yet been established, but modern scientists are increasingly calling autism in children a genetic disease that develops under the influence of various negative factors.

The main non-genetic causes of autism are:

• metabolic disorders and inappropriate diet;
• Pregnant women taking medications when there is a threat of miscarriage;
• disorders of bone development;
• disorders of brain activity;
• entry of hazardous substances into the body, etc.

Scientists believe that in most cases, autism, the causes of which depend on external factors, progresses when a person is in an unfavorable psychological environment and under severe physical stress.

High-functioning autism in children

Today, there are several classifications of ASD. Among which there is high-functioning autism (HFA) in children . It is commonly believed that patients diagnosed with HFA are geniuses of some sort.

Signs of high functioning autism:

1. The presence of a slight speech delay, the child masters a full vocabulary without any particular difficulties.
2. Children develop the entire necessary range of mental skills in a timely manner, and they calmly navigate the environment.
3. Hyperactivity.
4. Problems in close contact with peers, difficulty making friends, often avoiding dialogue.

From scientific articles we can conclude that in this category of ASD, behavioral spectrum problems begin to appear in school or even adolescence. For correction, weak medications are often used that affect the functionality of brain activity (stimulants).

HFA can manifest itself in:

• sensory hypersensitivity;
• social awkwardness;
• anxiety and bouts of depression;
• difficulties of self-organization;
• emotional instability;
• rejection of complex speech structures.

Risk factors

Autism spectrum disorder, or autism, the symptoms of which depend on the patient's health, progresses more quickly if the following risk factors are present:

• viral disease (flu);
• intoxication;
• fever;
• antibiotic therapy;
• immune system disorders;
• poisoning

Among the reasons why autism develops in children, the symptoms of which are somewhat different from the symptoms of pathology in adults, doctors call:

• problematic or difficult childbirth;
• taking medications by a pregnant woman;
• infection during pregnancy;
• asthma, hyperemia, obesity or exhaustion of the mother during pregnancy.

When to see a doctor

In adults, autism is treated by a psychotherapist. If necessary, the specialist can refer you to a psychiatrist or other specialist. You should seek medical help if you have the following symptoms:

• lack of desire to communicate with others, including loved ones;
• lack of desire to participate in group activities or general conversations;
• passivity or irritability appeared;
• complete ignorance of events in your life and in the lives of loved ones;
• stereotypical movements appeared, a tendency to repeat phrases;
• the sense of real time is lost.

People with autism may not be aware of the problem. In such cases, it is recommended that relatives consult a doctor.

JSC "Medicine" (academician Roitberg's clinic) in Moscow offers the services of qualified psychotherapists in the field of autism treatment. The clinic is located at 2nd Tverskoy-Yamskaya Lane, building 10, a 5-minute walk from the Mayakovskaya metro station. Highly qualified psychotherapists and the use of modern treatment methods allow patients to be confident in the success of therapy.

Autism in girls: reviews from loved ones

Below are examples of feedback from parents of girls with autism spectrum disorder.

The reviews are very diverse, but it all comes down to the fact that diagnosing autism spectrum disorder in girls is truly difficult. And in this matter, not only the right specialists, but also the attitude of the parents play a big role.

Conclusions: External signs in girls with autism may be absent, and behavioral symptoms may be well masked. But you can't hide everything. In families where parents interact with their children, they have a trusting relationship and understanding, the diagnosis will be made in a timely manner. Listen to your children so as not to miss an important “bell” and take action. Research is still underway, and perhaps a technique will soon appear that will solve the problem of diagnosing autism in girls.

Diagnosis of autism

The diagnosis of autism in adults is made by a qualified doctor based on anamnesis, a survey and the results of an instrumental examination. Instrumental examination (electroencephalography) allows us to exclude the possibility of concomitant pathologies and carry out differential diagnosis. Differential diagnosis of autism in adults is carried out if schizophrenia or depressive disorders are suspected.

The most commonly used diagnostic methods are:

• EEG to detect seizure activity;
• MRI and ultrasound to detect changes in the brain.

Consultations with a psychiatrist, neurologist, and audiologist are also prescribed. JSC "Medicine" (clinic of academician Roitberg), located in the central district a stone's throw from the metro stations "Mayakovskaya", "Chekhovskaya", "Novoslobodskaya" has the latest laboratory and diagnostic equipment for conducting a comprehensive examination.

Treatment

Treatment of autism in adults involves the use of various techniques. The disease autism responds well to treatment with therapeutic methods, the goal of which is to create internal balance and reduce stress levels.

Drug treatment for autism is prescribed in cases where the patient’s condition requires correction, and includes a number of drugs:

• tranquilizers, antidepressants, antipsychotics, nootropics;
• anticonvulsants;
• stimulants.

In the case of autism, psychological therapy, with the correct choice of methodology, can significantly improve the patient’s adaptation to society. People with autism successfully cope with the disease if they seek help in a timely manner.

Recommendations for family members of an autistic person

It is quite possible to improve the quality of life with such a pathology if loved ones actively participate in the process of adaptation of the autistic person to society. The main role in these processes is given to parents, who must thoroughly study the characteristics of the disease. You can visit autism centers; there are special schools for children.

Relevant literature will also help, from which the patient’s family will learn all the intricacies of building relationships and living together with such a person.

Here are some more useful tips:

• If an autistic person is prone to running away from home, but cannot find his way back on his own, it is advisable to attach a tag with a phone number and address to his clothes;
• If there is a long trip ahead, it is recommended to take something from the patient’s favorite things, which helps him calm down;
• Avoid long lines, as autistic people often start to panic in them;
• You should not violate the patient’s personal space; he should have his own room, where he will arrange things and objects at his own discretion, while household members are not allowed to touch, move, rearrange, or rearrange anything.

The family should accept that their loved one is special, so they must learn to live taking this circumstance into account.

Is it possible to get disability

According to current legislation, an adult with autism is entitled to disability. For this:

1. You need to go to the clinic at your place of registration to confirm the diagnosis. You can contact a psychiatrist or neurologist.
2. After the examination, the doctor will issue a referral for a medical examination and give recommendations regarding additional examinations and specialists who will need to be examined.
3. When the examination is completed, all results are transferred to the doctor (psychologist, psychiatrist) who issued the appropriate referral. It is he who will prepare the documentation for the commission.
4. All that remains is to come to the ITU with the finalized documents.

Article on the topic: How to apply for disability due to autism