Today, the number of children born with Autism
is causing researchers and parents alike to be more concerned on how they could
make the lives of the affected children better and if possible get a cure for
the disorder once and for all.
Autism is a result of a disorder of the neural
development seen from the impaired social interaction and communication of the
child. The child also shows signs of restrictive and repetitive behaviour not
common with normal children. At the age of three years old the signs are
visible and the child has problems in communicating with the parents. The child
grows with a non-relational attitude and hardly responds normally to the
external world as a normal child would do. The stumbling block that has all
researchers working day and night is to get an explanation how autism affects
the information processing in the brain and whether there could be a way to
curb the disorder while the child is still at a young age.
Autism is among the three known brain disorders
in the ASDs, otherwise known as the autism spectrum. The other two disorders
are Aspergers syndrome and Pervasive development disorder. Over the past years,
experts have estimated that in three to six children out of every one thousand
will have this unpredictable disorder. A closer survey shows that the males
have a four times greater possibility than females of having autism. But the
condition on girls is much more severe compared to that in males.
The disorder is marked by difficulties in
social interaction; the child tends to be avoiding having relationships with
other children. The child also has problems in communicating. The third sign is
repetitive behaviours.
The condition of autism has heavy implications
on the child. It is observed that a child with autism will be locked to a
particular activity and have a rigid pattern of thinking. The child has no
touch to the world that surrounds him/her, people can pass by the child without
the child reacting or sensing any change. Critical observations have shown in
extreme cases that some infants have been less sensitive to burns or bruises
and may go to an extent of causing self mutilation.
The cure for autism is still not available but
research continues feverishly and we certainly hope and pray that there will be
a solution or cure one day.
The condition is believed to be genetically
inherited and also may have been due to roles played by the environment.
Although not clearly identified as to how but that is what many experts
currently believe. Despite the luck of a cure for autism, therapies are carried
out on the infants to remedy the specific symptoms in an effort to bring
substantial improvement. It is believed the earlier the therapy is practiced on
the infant showing signs of autism, the better.
The fight to get a cure is on and in every
search, an answer can eventually be found. We hope that the cure will be found
very quickly.
Just because your child may be shy or withdrawn
does not automatically mean they have Autism but you should keep an eye on them
for particular signs of autism so that if necessary, treatment can start as
soon as possible. For more insights and additional information as well as a
wealth of information and resources for you about child autism, please visit a
neurologist at the earliest.
