|
Autism is the central condition in the group
of difficulties known as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) or Autism
Spectrum Conditions (ASC). For simplicity, we will use the term
ASD. They are neurodevelopmental disorders –
which means they are caused by abnormalities in the way the brain
develops and works.
They affect approximately 1 in 100
children and young people.
Children and young people with ASD have
particular difficulties:
- in communicating
- being around people socially and with their
- behaviour
They have a range of intellectual ability from
having severe
learning disabilities, to being more
academically able and in mainstream education. About 10%
of people with autism may also have some special skills and
abilities.
For a diagnosis of autism, there must be
evidence of unusual development in the first 3 years of life.
Asperger's syndrome is a term used for some higher functioning
people on the autism spectrum who have intellectual ability in the
average range and no delays in learning to talk. Many often
have intense interests such as train timetables, buses or
dinosaurs.
What are the causes?
The exact cause of ASD is still unknown, although research shows
that a combination of genetic and environmental factors may account
for changes in brain development. There is an increased risk of ASD
and other developmental difficulties in the brothers and sisters of
children with ASD.
|
The characteristics of children and young people with ASD will
vary depending upon their age, developmental level and how severely
they are affected.
The difficulties are also likely to change
over time. Parents are usually (but not always) the first to have
some concerns about their child’s development, and difficulties may
be noticed from as early as infancy. Overall, the problems and
behaviours can be divided into three main areas:
Difficulties with communication
Children and young people with ASD have
difficulties with both verbal communication (speaking) and
non-verbal communication (eye contact, expressions and gestures).
Some children may not be able to talk at all or have very limited
speech.
Some have good speech and language skills, but
still have difficulty using their speech socially or to sustain a
conversation. Their use of language may be overly formal or
'adult-like'. They may talk at length about their own topics of
interest, but find it hard to understand the back and forth nature
of two-way conversations.
Difficulties with social interaction
Children and young people with ASD have
difficulty understanding the 'social world', for example, they
often have difficulty recognising and understanding their feelings
and those of people around them. This in turn can make it difficult
for them to make friends. They may prefer to spend time alone, or
appear insensitive to others because of their difficulties
understanding social rules and expectations.
Difficulties with behaviour, interests
and activities
Children and young people with ASD often
prefer familiar routines (e.g. taking the same route to school
every day, putting their clothes on in a particular order), and
tend to have difficulties dealing with change, which they find
difficult and distressing.
They may also have unusual intense and
specific interests, such as in electronic gadgets or lists of
dates. They might use toys more like 'objects' to line up, for
example. They may have unusual responses to particular experiences
from their environment such as tastes, smells, sounds and textures.
For example, they could be very sensitive to the sound of a hair
dryer, or the feel of certain materials against their skin.
Some children show unusual repetitive
movements such as hand or finger flapping or twisting, or
complicated whole body movements.
|