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Friday, Jan 09, 2009 | 02:47 PM
Madisons Foundation - Moms And Dads In Search Of Needed Support
Autistic Disorder
Autism, Infantile Autism, Kanner's Syndrome
Sunday, 12 October 2003
Last Updated Wednesday, 03 May 2006
What
Autism is a complex disorder primarily affecting a child’s development. Children with this disorder have problems with social relationships, communication skills and behavior. Typical symptoms may include little or no interest in social interactions, delays in learning language, and repetitive movements. Lack of interest in social interaction is often noticed before the first birthday. Autism is the most severe of the “pervasive developmental disorders” which also include Asperger’s syndrome.Who
True autism affects children starting in early infancy. It is estimated to occur in 1 out of 1000 children or 0.1% of the population. If a couple has one child with this condition, the chance that they may have a second child with autism is increased to 20 to 90 out of 1000 or 2-9%. This disorder is 3 to 4 times more common in males than females. Autism is seen in people from all ethnic and racial backgrounds.Signs and Symptoms
A wide range of features are associated with autism. Children with autism can vary a great deal in the number and severity of signs and symptoms. On the surface, some children with autism may seem nearly normal, while others never develop language or the ability to form relationships with others. The most distinctive features of autism are differences in forming social and emotional relationships. Children with autism will frequently ignore their parents. Being able to share interest in an object or event is an ability known as “joint attention”, and the lack of this social behavior is one of the hallmarks and first signs of autism. Children with autism also often play by themselves and show limited or little emotional attachment to other children or adults. They appear to live in a world of their own because they lack the ability to pick up on social and emotional cues from other people. Another feature is that they do not have imaginative or pretend play which requires that the child use toys or actions to pretend with or “symbolize” the real world, such as putting dolly to sleep or playing house. Differences in language development are another hallmark of autism. Children with autism talk very little, and much of their language is the repetition of words or songs heard from television, radio, or other people. Behavioral differences are also common in autistic children. They usually have one or more repetitive behaviors such as body rocking and hand flapping. Another issue is increased sensitivity to sensory stimuli such that they are bothered by touch (bathing, dressing, cuddling, clothes), sound (cover their ears), lights (close their eyes) and tastes (dislike many foods). Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep is common in children with autism. Occasionally children with autism will have health problems. A quarter of children with autism have seizures. About 6% will have tics, or brief, jerking movements or sounds.Possible Causes
The exact cause of autism is unknown. Research suggests that this condition is caused by abnormalities in several genes that are responsible for brain development. Parenting behaviors do not cause or contribute to the development of autism. While much has been made about a possible relationship between immunizations, mercury, and autism, there is no good scientific evidence that such a link exists, and furthermore, currently available vaccines no longer have any mercury in them, with the exception of the influenza vaccine.Diagnosis
There is no medical or x-ray test that can diagnose autism. All children should have high quality screening for developmental delays at routine checkups with their physician. If children have developmental delays, they should be screened for autism. If a child is found to be developmentally delayed or suspected of having autism, he/she should see a specialist who is skilled in diagnosing autism. If the child meets the characteristics, or criteria, for autism, the diagnosis may be made without further testing. However, if there is question about the cause of the behaviors, tests to rule out other conditions may be performed such as: neurologic testing, genetic testing, metabolic testing, brain imaging with computed tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and/or positron emission tomography (PET), and psychological testing. Currently there is no evidence that mercury levels, stool studies, hair analysis, micronutrient/vitamin levels, or intestinal permeability studies have any role in the diagnosis or treatment of autism.Treatment
Specialized, individually tailored behavioral and educational programs may be useful in improving outcomes for children with autism. Behavioral programs are usually geared towards teaching social, motor, and thinking skills as well as reducing behavior problems. Educational programs usually teach social skills, speech, self-care skills, job skills, and others. Individualized treatment programs, and home-based programs that cater to the particular needs and interests of the child, when started in the first few years of life, have been most successful. There is some evidence that newer treatment programs result in more children with good outcomes and fewer children with poor outcomes. Although no medication can cure autism, medication may have a role in controlling some of its symptoms such as temper outbursts or repetitive actions. There is no evidence that vitamin or mineral treatments, dimethylglycine, secretin, famotidine (Pepcid), or special dietary changes are effective in changing the severity or prognosis of this disorder.Prognosis
Many of the symptoms of autism can be improved with early behavioral and educational treatment, although most people will have symptoms throughout their lives. The prognosis is highly individual, however, and depends on the severity of the condition and the level of treatment that the individual receives.Connect with other parents
In the spirit of community and support, Madisons Foundation offers the unique service of connecting parents of children with rare diseases. If you would like to be connected to other parents of children with this disease, please fill out this brief form.Weblinks
Autism Society of America
The largest national organization for autism, the ASA sponsors many support groups and a newsletter about autism. Also available in Spanish.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Answers many frequently asked questions about autism and provides links to resources for families.
Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital
This website provides easy to understand information for many conditions that affect children.
National Institute of Mental Health
A summary of information with links to ongoing research and support. More complex and medically oriented.
Vaccines and Autism
This is a collection of resources discussing the scientific background as to whether the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine or mercury (thimerosal) causes autism