Department Name: Realms of Autism

Authors:
Nicole Seah (16)
Tan Jin Hui (17)
Tan Yuan Jun (18)
Clarissa Teng Yao (19)

Email: bioautism@gmail.com

Tel no: +6516171819

Fax: +6516171819

4L

What is AUTISM

Autism is a brain development disorder that impairs social interaction and communication, and causes restricted and repetitive behavior.

What Causes Autism

Autism affects about 1 in every 150 kids, but no one knows what causes it. Some scientists think that some kids might be more likely to get autism because it or similar disorders run in their families. Knowing the exact cause of autism is hard because the human brain is very complicated. The brain contains over 100 billion nerve cells called neurons. Each neuron may have hundreds or thousands of connections that carry messages to other nerve cells in the brain and body. The connections and the chemical messengers they send (called neurotransmitters) let different neurons in different areas of the brain — areas that help you see, feel, move, remember, and much more — work together. For some reason, some of the cells and connections in the brain of a kid with autism — especially those that affect communication, emotions, and senses — don't develop properly or get damaged. Scientists are still trying to understand how and why this happens.
There is no known cause for autism, but there are a few speculations about the cause of autism.
Genes and heredity:
Studies have shown that people with autism have irregularities in several regions of the brain. They also have abnormal levels of serotonin or other neurotransmitters in the brain. This suggests that autism could result from the disruption of normal brain development caused by defects in genes that control brain growth and that regulate how neurons communicate with each other. It is supported by the fact that in families with one autistic child, the risk of having a second child with the same disorder is higher at 5 percent. However, no single gene has been identified as causing autism. There is also a trend observed that people with certain medical conditions such as Fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, congenital rubella syndrome, and untreated phenylketonuria (PKU), will have a higher chance of developing autism.
Environment:
The rise in autism rate can also be associated with the environment factors. It can be seen that there are more environmental toxins such as mercury these days. Those who are at risk of developing autism are especially vulnerable as they have a weaker ability to metabolize and detoxify these exposures.

Signs and Symptoms

The common signs and symptoms of people suffering from autism are usually distinctive behaviors which characterizes autism. The hallmark feature of autism is impaired social interaction.
The symptoms of autism can be noticed by parents as early as infancy. A baby with autism may have abnormal reactions to sensory stimuli, lack responses to others. They are indifferent to surroundings, lacks interest in toys, does not point out objects of interest. They tend to appear content to be alone, resists to cuddling, and often develop inconsolable crying.
Children with autism may fail to respond to their name and often avoid eye contact with other people. They have difficulty interpreting what others are thinking or feeling because they cannot understand social cues, such as tone of voice or facial expressions, and do not watch other people’s faces for clues about appropriate behavior.
The children with autism engage in repetitive movements such as rocking and twirling, or in self-abusive behavior such as biting or head-banging. They start speaking later than normal children, and use weird languages, might refer themselves by names, instead of “I” or “me”. They have the tendency to withdraw from social interaction, they do not know how to play and interact with other children. Many children with autism have a reduced sensitivity to pain, but are abnormally sensitive to sound, touch, or other sensory stimulation. These unusual reactions may contribute to behavioral symptoms such as a resistance to being cuddled or hugged. They might have frequent behavioral outbursts, tantrums once situation does not go the way they want.

Diagnosis

Figuring out if a kid has autism can be difficult. A parent is usually the first to suspect that something is wrong. Maybe the kid is old enough to speak but doesn't seem to be interested in people, or behaves in other unusual ways. But autism isn't the only problem that can cause these kinds of symptoms. For example, kids who have hearing problems might have trouble speaking, too.
Usually, the results of lab tests and other medical tests are normal in kids with autism, but doctors may do them to make sure the kid doesn't have other problems. These medical tests can include blood and urine tests, a hearing exam, an EEG (a test to measure brain waves), and an MRI (a picture that shows the structure of the brain). Intelligence (IQ) tests also might be done.
Often, specialists work together as a team to figure out what is wrong. The team might include a pediatrician, a pediatric neurologist, a pediatric developmentalist, a child psychiatrist, a child psychologist, speech and language therapists, and others. The team members study how the child plays, learns, communicates, and behaves. The team listens carefully to what parents have noticed, too. Using the information they've gathered, doctors can decide whether a child has autism or another problem.

Treatment

There is no definite treatment or cure for autism. However, there is a wide range of treatments and therapies designed to remedy certain symptoms and bring about substantial improvement. An ideal treatment differs from individuals, different treatment is offered to coordinate and target on core symptoms of autism. Treatments range from medications, special diets, and training sessions to other various therapies.
>>Educational/behavioral interventions: There are highly structured and intensive skill-oriented training sessions to help children develop social and language skills. There is also family counseling for the parents and siblings of children with autism which helps families cope with the particular challenges of living with an autistic child.

>>Medications: Doctors often prescribe an antidepressant medication to handle symptoms of anxiety, depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Anti-psychotic medications are used to treat severe behavioral problems. The medications help to control the impulsivity and hyperactivity.

>>Other therapies: There are a number of controversial therapies or interventions available for autistic children, but few, if any, are supported by scientific studies, hence it should be use with caution.