April is autism awareness month and we recently saw a wonderfully done ad stating that girls are 3x’s less likely to be diagnosed with autism. Autism is a spectrum disorder and is a condition related to brain development that impacts how a person perceives and socializes with others. Although there is no cure for this, early diagnosis and treatment can make a huge difference in the lives of those that have it. It’s important to understanding the early signs that can change a child’s life. Some symptoms include:
1. Reduced eye contact
2. Lack of response to their name
3. Sudden withdrawn or aggressive behavior
4. Loss of language skills they’ve already acquired
5. Difficulty learning
6. Some have very high intelligence and learn quickly, yet have trouble communicating
There are many other signs, so it’s important to do adequate research. There are also some patterns of behavior such as:
1. Repetitive movements
2. Doing activities that cause self-harm (banging head or biting)
3. Becomes annoyed with change in routines
4. Coordination problems
5. Fascinated with details of objects without understanding its overall function
6. Unusually sensitive to light, sound or touch
7. Fixates on objects with unusual intensity
While the causes of autism spectrum disorder is not known, there are plenty of treatment options. Early diagnosis will improve behavioral patterns and social interactions. Children will never “outgrow” autism spectrum disorder but they can learn to function well in society with it if caught at an early age.
