It is a disorder whose symptoms begin before the age of 3 and manifest itself with social and communication deficiencies or limitations, repetitive behaviors and limited interests. Although it is generally known as Autism, it is actually a broad spectrum.
ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder. Symptoms begin in early childhood. Although it was previously stated to be rare, recent studies show that it is more common today. Increasing awareness of physicians of other branches and families other than child psychiatry about the disorder also plays a role in the increase in prevalence. studies are ongoing. There is no single reason. There are studies showing that genetics, environmental factors, maternal age and some vitamin deficiencies may be the cause. Research on brain development continues, especially on the frontal lobe responsible for attention and executive functions, the amygdala related to social behavior and affect, and the temporal lobe related to language development. Therefore, ASD is a pervasive developmental disorder because it does not occur from a single cause.
ASD Diagnosis
There is no biological diagnostic marker for diagnosis. The diagnosis is made by clinical evaluation and monitoring behavioral characteristics. Psychometric examinations can be performed on suitable children. Videos taken at home or in social environments are useful in diagnosis. If deemed necessary, hearing test and neurological examination may be appropriate. Many symptoms can be seen and evaluated in children under 2 years of age. Social communication deficiency can be observed with clinical observation in children under 1 year of age, and these children should be registered as RISK CHILDREN.
Symptoms of ASD:
The symptoms are 13 in most of them. -It is seen at the age of 14 months. While development is normal in some of them, regression begins between the ages of 1-2.
IN THE GROUP UNTIL 1 YEAR OLD:
Bringing or noise It has little variety,
There is indifference to those who care or talk to it,
It is unresponsive to the caregiver leaving or calling,
Sleeping problems, crying at an abnormal sound,
Feed Symptoms such as resistance to stroke or inability to communicate while breastfeeding may be observed.
SYMPTOMS IN GENERAL:
Limitation in eye contact,
Inability to look when you call his name,
Does not look at your face or interact when you talk,
Lack of social reaction or smiling,
Not playing purposefully with toys,
Expression and expression at age level Delays in receptive language,
Developing a language of one's own,
A monotonous language,
Lack of empathy,
Understanding and interpreting emotions inadequacies,
Inability to show what is wanted, to show one's wishes with the parent's hand,
Lack of sharing emotions or favorite objects,
Repetitive behaviors (stereotypies) (around oneself such as turning, twisting hands, dealing with an object for hours),
Limited areas of interest (such as cars, maps, TV, clips),
May be loosely hypotonic,
There may be a delay in motor development,
There may be a lack of response to stimuli such as touch,
Sleeping and feeding problems may develop,
There are no imitation skills.
Early diagnosis is very important in ASD. If your child has some of these symptoms, it is appropriate to seek professional support. I would advise you not to pay too much attention to what people around you say to you, such as 'he is younger, he will grow up, his father was like this too'. Although it is not easy to accept the situation, early diagnosis and treatment are very important.
TREATMENT:
First of all, family and caregivers need to be well informed about ASD and their role in treatment. .
The main treatment option is special education. It should be noted that they should receive special education from educators who are trained in this field.
For children under the age of 2, more parental education and social-emotional development education are appropriate.
At older ages, the content of education depends on the child's age and cognitive abilities. It should be arranged according to development.
From time to time, drug treatment may be recommended for additional diagnoses such as Attention Deficit, Anxiety symptoms, Behavioral Problems, and Sleep problems.
Children with good mental performance can progress faster in treatment. It does. How long the treatment will last depends on the child's learning capacity, mental development, use of words in expressive language, and good social and family support. It's about. It may take 1-2 years for some children, and longer for others.
Children with ASD, who have good mental skills during adolescence, may experience various problems because they can see the differences in their situations. Medical support may be required during this period. In children whose performance is not good, problems such as intense tantrums, sexual behavior problems, and physical harm may be more evident during adolescence.
Treatment should be organized with a multidisciplinary approach. The child's development and problem areas should be reviewed at regular intervals with the follow-up doctor.
It is especially important to note that there are no scientific studies showing that alternative treatments such as diet treatments, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, heavy metal detoxification therapy and neurofeedback are effective in ASD. I would like to point out.
Read: 0
