My youngest son is autistic which leaves me explaining what autism is to many people. It’s a hard question to answer, as all people with autism do not suffer from the same symptoms. So, what is autism?
Clinical Definition of Autism
There are many ways to define autism, but the best clinical definition comes from Google Health. It says that autism is “a developmental disorder that appears in the first 3 years of life, and affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills.” While this is a good definition, people still ask, “but what does this mean?”
Autistic persons often have trouble making friends because they cannot communicate with others the way their peers do. This is also true as the child gets older. The communication skills do not suddenly appear. An autistic child must go through intense therapy to learn to communicate with others and sometimes, it doesn’t help.
Symptoms of Autism
There are many symptoms that could present in an autistic person and they will vary from person to person, according to WebMD. Social interactions and relationships play a big role in the symptoms that are most present in an autistic child. Autistic children do not understand social cues such as eye contact and body language and they do not understand how to show empathy with other’s problems.
Autistic children have a significant delay in their verbal ability, if they learn to talk at all. Because they have trouble verbally communicating with others, making friends is very difficult for autistic children. They also do not really enjoy playing games and such with other children. Most autistic children prefer to play alone, so it is harder for them to make friends.
Causes of Autism
Autism is present at birth although it is not usually discovered until the child is two or three years old. There is no known cause of autism; however, there is great speculation on causes. The most well known of the possible causes is that autism is caused by getting the MMR vaccine even though Dr. Wakefield’s research has been discredited.
Cure for Autism
There is no cure for autism at this time but research is underway that could lead to ways to relieve the symptoms of autism. By relieving the symptoms of autism at an early age, autistic children could learn to form friendships with their same aged peers and learn to communicate with other people. This help will most likely come from a daily medication that the sufferer could take that would alleviate most of the symptoms, according to geneticist Dr. Geer in South Carolina. He and his colleagues hope that their research will bring relief within the next ten years.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
Read more: Raising an Autistic Child: Life with Jimmy, Autistic Teens: Challenges Autistic Children Face in Puberty, Siblings of the Autistic Child, and Autism's Terrific Traits and Jimmy
Daphne Matthews - Author
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