What is Autism Spectrum Disorder / Condition?
Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD for short has later been called Autism Spectrum Condition to reduce the stigma behind it. It is a developmental disability that is caused due to differences inside the brain. Many individuals with ASD are known to have a difference such as ones with genetic conditions. The other causes behind Autism Spectrum Disorder are currently unknown. Many scientific researchers have said that there are multiple causes of ASD that combine together to change an individual in the way they act and develop in their life.
People with Autism Spectrum Disorder may act, behave, and even learn in a completely different way that may seem not ‘normal’ to the outside world. There is no significant difference in how they look can tell us that they have autism. The abilities that people are able to do with autism range as there are people who are able to have advanced conversation skills with other people but someone may be non-verbal and unable to communicate. Those with much more severe autism will need a lot of care and help throughout their daily life whereas some need no care and live their life with next to no support.
ASD can begin in a person before the age of three years old and it will last throughout their entire lifespan, although the symptoms of their autism can decrease and be more manageable over time. Some children have been found to show signs of ASD within 12 months of being born but others may not show symptoms till past 24 months old or even longer.
Children who suffer from ASD later in adolescence and adulthood will often have trouble maintaining or making friendships or understanding behaviours that are expected in work and school. Many people with Autism Spectrum Disorder also suffer from other conditions that have come to the attention of medical healthcare professionals as people with ASD suffer from conditions such as anxiety, depression and more due to their ASD.
It’s important that if you believe your children or yourself have autism spectrum disorder you get diagnosed as soon as possible as the earlier you discover, the better you can manage your everyday life with autism.
Most common signs of Signs & of ASD
People who have ASD will show a variety of signs & symptoms varying on the individual due to a number of factors including their genetics, environment and many more. People with ASD have different ways of learning, moving and talking than what is considered ‘normal’ but there are characteristics that can make their life very challenging due to their ASD.
There is a wide range of symptoms that people with ASD can show, say and do but there are many common symptoms that people with ASD portray in their everyday lives.
- Struggle to maintain eye contact
- Does not respond to their name
- Gets sad by minor changes
- Obsessive interests
- Repeated words and phrases
- Delayed movement skills
- Delayed language skills
A lot of symptoms can range from age aswell such as using no gestures (waving goodbye) to people till 12 months of old can be a sign of autism.
Common misconceptions of Autism Spectrum Disorder
There is a very big misconception that all people with Autism Spectrum Disorder have the same skills and difficulties in life but that is not true. All individuals who have ASD are extremely unique and they do have different abilities and interests, even the way they communicate is all different meaning that if they need support for their ASD it should always be unique and tailored to the individual for the best support.
Another one is that people with autism are not able to speak, that is not true while some do suffer from being non-verbal, every person with autism is able to communicate in different ways. A lot of children may speak a lot earlier than their other peers but they may come across a lot different in the way they communicate. It is important for you to remember that there is a wide range of skills and abilities that children with autism show when communicating. If they are unable to speak, they often still have the capacity to communicate in other ways such as writing or gestures which needs to be supported.
With the correct support, those with autism will still be able to build relationships with other individuals and take part in social events plus express themselves freely.
ASD diagnosis
There is currently no recommended medication for the core symptoms of ASD so some patients may believe there is no point in having a diagnosis as there is no way they can get help for the condition but that could not be further from the actual truth. Having a diagnosis from a professional psychiatrist is extremely helpful in pinpointing the likely support needs that the individual will benefit from. Knowing that you have ASD can be very important in the long run in a variety of areas such as personal relationships, work and family.
It has been found that for people who receive a diagnosis later in their adolescence or adulthood that their ASD diagnosis has helped them understand themselves more and made sense of the difficulties that they’ve suffered from earlier in their life – a diagnosis is extremely helpful to individuals as it can stop them from being misdiagnosed with a mental illness such as personality disorder and even stop a person from becoming a victim of the criminal justice system. Having a diagnosis that shows you have ASD can lead to caution rather than a conviction as there is an explanation for certain actions.
If diagnosed, there are treatments that can help you manage your autism such as specialist target coaching. Those with ASD are still very capable of learning techniques and strategies that are tailored to their personality instead of the traditional school system that they may struggle with. This type of coaching will be able to you help you understand social situations greater and the different types of interactions you face in life.