Is Autism Confusing You? Getting conflicting advice? Not sure what information is reliable?
The first symptoms parents usually notice often become apparent in infancy. The child fails to make spontaneous eye contact or actively avoids it. He does not respond to his name when it’s spoken aloud and reactions to social stimuli are absent. A prime example of this is not mirroring nonverbal cues like returning a smile when someone smiles at him. Many people with autism, but not all, exhibit a “deadpan” expression. Parents may also notice the child not asking verbally for something he wants. Instead he is more likely to point or use gestures to symbolize his wants.
This disconnection from the people around him leads the autistic child to show little interest in them. This, in turn, means he makes no effort to engage them by pointing out things they like or are interested in and doesn’t understand their emotional responses.
The child with autism displays a large amount of rigidity in his reaction to the world around him. He often has a set of rituals he has created in order to deal with his reality. Any deviation from the rituals or change in his environment can send him into a tantrum, a very strong indicator to parents that something is wrong with their child.
Diagnosing autism -- its signs, symptons, and treatments -- is not a simple case of “is-is not.” Symptoms vary widely, so diagnosing autism is often a challenge. The variability makes it necessary to custom-tailor a treatment plan for each patient. Treatments will need to be applied throughout the lifespan of the autistic person, becoming a part of his daily routine.
Occupational and physical therapy are often used in the treatment of autism with good results. Occupation therapy provides training in the activities of daily living like personal grooming and dressing. Physical therapy relaxes tense muscles, allowing the release of pent-up emotions.
Applied behavior analysis deals with the emotional outbursts and rigidity and thus aids in socialization.
Recently, there has been success in nutritional assessment and supplementation in the treatment of autism. The avoidance of casein and some grains, along with dietary supplementation of vitamins A, the B complex, and D show some promise in controlling symptoms.
There are many more resources and information about autism signs, symptoms, treatments, and cutting edge medical research in, Autism: Everything Parents And Caregivers Should Know About The Disorder
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