Little known facts about autism

Here are things you may not know about autism spectrum disorder in children.

Most diagnoses occur at 24 months or older, when the diagnosis is considered very reliable, but the disorder can be detected as early as 18 months. There is no medical or blood test for autism, so doctors usually evaluate a child’s behavior through developmental screening and then do a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation, including hearing, vision, and neurological tests. The doctor may also refer the child to another pediatric specialist to support the diagnosis of autism.

Symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can vary (from mild to severe) depending on the individual. However, symptoms of this disorder generally tend to involve communication skills and social behaviors, such as being extremely secretive, not wanting to play with other children, or not making eye contact. Children with ASD may repeat certain behaviors (such as hand flapping) over and over again, or they may be obsessed with a particular toy. Lack of verbal skills is one of the most prominent symptoms (20-30% of people with ASD are estimated to be non-verbal), but this is not always the case. Some tips for parents to identify autism early include being very sensitive to noise, having intense tantrums, not responding, or not being “attracted” to interesting objects before 18 months.

The rate seems to be increasing

Autism statistics vary, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 1 in 68 children in the United States had autism spectrum disorder between 2000 and 2010, up from 1 in 150 in 2000. This may be due to a general increase in awareness of the impact the condition has on a child's life, and it may also be due to changing diagnostic criteria that are leading to more children being identified.

Autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed 4.5 times more often in boys than in girls. The reason is that girls are less concerned about this issue than boys. When a girl is shy, doesn't talk or likes to play alone, people often think that this is a girl's personality so there will be no problem. But for boys, it seems that people have the idea that they are often naughty, running around, playing with friends, so when they see that they don't want to play with their friends, they immediately get the right attention with a doctor's diagnosis.

Scientists still don’t know exactly what causes autism. Most experts agree that a combination of genetic and environmental factors increase the risk of developing autism spectrum disorder, but much remains unknown. Recently, there has been new evidence that children may begin to develop autism before they are born, based on the development of brain cells. Some risk factors for autism can be predicted before birth, such as the mother taking anti-epileptic drugs during pregnancy, being an older mother, or having a sibling with autism.

About 2% of people with ASD have a condition called Fragile X syndrome, which causes intellectual disability. Additionally, about 39% of people with autism develop epilepsy as adults. Additionally, people with ASD may also be prone to anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, sleep problems, allergies, and gastrointestinal problems.

The suspicion that vaccines cause autism stems from a small 1998 study in the US that claimed to find a link between the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and autism, but the study was deemed flawed and the journal that published it retracted it. In addition, thimerosal, another vaccine ingredient that has also been linked to autism, has not been linked to ASD and has been removed from vaccines since 2001. And subsequent research has consistently shown that vaccines are safe and that there is no link between childhood vaccinations and autism.

There is no cure for autism, but early intervention can help children with autism thrive. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and occupational, speech, and physical therapies are often used. ABA is perhaps the most widely used because it works by identifying the reasons why children with autism often act out, such as tantrums and hand-flapping, which are often triggered by the frustration of not being able to express that they are hungry. The earlier a child is diagnosed and treated for autism, the more advantages they will have in terms of communication and social skills. There are also medications that can help manage some of the symptoms of ASD, such as antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, or attention-enhancing medications.