Autism (Autism Spectrum Disorders)
What is autism?
Autism is a
developmental disability
that causes problems with social skills and communication. Autism
can be mild or severe. It is different for every person. Autism
is also known as
autism spectrum disorders
.
What are some signs or symptoms of autism?
Children with autism may have problems with communication,
social skills, and reacting to the world around them. Not all
behaviors will exist in every child. A diagnosis should be made
by the child's doctor or other professional with experience
in working with children with autism. Possible signs and symptoms
are outlined below.
Communication:
- Not speaking or very limited speech
- Loss of words the child was previously able to say
- Difficulty expressing basic wants and needs
- Poor vocabulary development
- Problems following directions or finding objects that are
named
- Repeating what is said (
echolalia
)
- Problems answering questions
- Speech that sounds different (e.g., "robotic"
speech or speech that is high-pitched)
Social skills:
- Poor eye contact with people or objects
- Poor play skills (pretend or social play)
- Being overly focused on a topic or objects that interest
them
- Problems making friends
- Crying, becoming angry, giggling, or laughing for no known
reason or at the wrong time
- Disliking being touched or held
Reacting to the world around them:
- Rocking, hand flapping or other movements (
self-stimulating movements
)
- Not paying attention to things the child sees or hears
- Problems dealing with changes in routine
- Using objects in unusual ways
- Unusual attachments to objects
- No fear of real dangers
- Being either very sensitive or not sensitive enough to
touch, light, or sounds (e.g., disliking loud sounds or only
responding when sounds are very loud; also called a
sensory integration disorder
)
- Feeding difficulties (accepting only select foods, refusing
certain food textures)
- Sleep problems
How is autism diagnosed?
It is important to have your child evaluated by professionals
who know about autism. Pediatricians, as well as neurologists,
speech-language pathologists (SLPs), occupational therapists,
physical therapists, and developmental specialists, among others,
may help diagnose autism. SLPs play a key role because problems
with social skills and communication are often the first symptoms
of autism. SLPs should be consulted early in the evaluation
process. There are a number of tests and observational checklists
available to evaluate children with developmental problems. The
most important information, however, comes from parents and
caregivers who know the child best and can tell the SLP and
others all about the child's behavior.
To contact a speech-language pathologist, visit
ASHA's Find A Professional.
What treatments are available for people with autism?
There is no known cure for autism. In some cases, medications
and dietary restrictions may help control symptoms. Intervention
should begin when the child is young. Early intervention and
preschool programs are very important. An evaluation by an SLP
should be completed to determine social skill and communication
needs. An appropriate treatment plan that meets the needs of the
child and family can then be established. Treatment may include
any combination of traditional speech and language approaches,
augmentative and alternative communication, and behavioral
interventions. It is also important to have the child's
hearing evaluated to rule out hearing loss.
To locate a speech-language pathologist, visit
ASHA's Find A Professional.
What other organizations have information about autism?
This list is not exhaustive and inclusion does not imply
endorsement of the organization or the content of the Web site
by ASHA.
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