Frequently Asked Questions
What is Autism?
Autism is a complex neurodevelopment disorder that is characterized by repetitive patterns of behavior and impairments in social communications and interactions. The symptoms may present since infancy.
Why autism is nowadays called ASD?
Autism spectrum disorder is an array of conditions classified as developmental disorder which usually affects communication and behavior. However, nowadays autism has come to be known as ASD due to the varying symptoms and severity among individuals with autism.
What are the common symptoms of autism?
A person with autism can be characterized by noticeable obstacles in behavior, social interactions, communication and sensory integration dysfunctions. These symptoms are commonly found in people on spectrum, but may not necessarily be exhibited by all.
What is meant by triad of deficit?
It imprints the deficit that describes autism such as:
Social and emotional deficit: Difficulties with working co-operatively, maintaining friendships and managing unstructured parts of day
Language and communication deficit : Difficulty in processing and holding verbal information as well as facing difficulty in understanding jokes, sarcasm, literal interpretation, body language, facial expression gestures and language use in social context
Imagination deficit: Difficulty with empathy, generalizations and coping mechanisms if faced with changes in routine.
Does my child have autism?
As a parent it is difficult to believe that your child might be experiencing a problem but If the child, ideally by the age of eighteen months, is experiencing mild to severe impairments while communicating verbally and non-verbally, relating to others and to the world around themin social context, it can be concluded that the child is autistic and thereby require early diagnosis to help him/her to thrive.
Why was my child diagnosed with autism?
No one cause can be singled out to reason the question about the initiation of autism. However, mostly child is diagnosed with autism due to early brain development deficits. This can also be due to genetic dispositions or more preferably results due to gene-environment interactions. Environmental factors mostly comprise non-genetic factors such as parental age at the time of conception, infections, maternal diabetes, intake of antidepressants during pregnancy, exposure to chemical pollutants or birth complications involving oxygen deprivation to the baby’s brain.
When can we say that the child has autism?
A child who received a formal diagnosis as Autism Spectrum Disorders according to DSM V criteria from a respective specialist team.
How is autism diagnosed?
The answer to this is not simple since there exists no single medical test that will definitely give the diagnosis for autism. However, the clinicians can screen the child for combinations of behaviors and compare them to those identified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. A comprehensive diagnostic team may include a developmental pediatrician, clinical psychologist, speech therapist, special educator and an occupational therapist.
Who diagnose autism?
At the start, it is the pediatrician who can first point out the delays to the parents as they know exactly the differences in development of a normal and a child with autism. It is then up to medical professionals such as a developmental pediatrician, pediatric neurologist, child psychologist or child psychiatrist to diagnose autism.