Causes of Autism

Autism is one of the most common conditions of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which encompasses several developmental disabilities like Asperger's syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). The symptoms of autism are observed before the age of three and may last throughout the life of an individual. Since there can be many symptoms of autism, it is referred to as autism spectrum disorder. It is estimated that more than three out of every thousand children have the risk of suffering from autism. Boys are at a higher risk than girls. Let's take a look at the causes, early symptoms and treatment of autism.

Causes of Autism

The exact cause of autism is not known; medical researches claim that autism may be caused due to genetic, cognitive, neural developmental and environmental factors. These factors, in combination, may affect development of the brain of an individual, resulting in a number of behaviors. It is not a single gene that causes autism. In fact, several genes are directly or indirectly responsible in causing autism. Some genes may increase the sensitivity of the child towards the disease, whereas some may directly affect the neural development. Though genetic factors are a major cause for autism, the gene mutations responsible for causing autism are not detected in parental genome.

Some doctors are of the opinion that autism is caused due to differences in the neurotransmitters or brain chemicals. A person's upbringing or social circumstances have nothing to do with the development of autism. Environmental factors that are believed to exacerbate autism include certain food habits, immune system, prenatal stress, pesticides, heavy metals, drugs and other diseases. One of the major controversies regarding autism is whether there is a link between autism and childhood vaccines, particularly those that contain traces of mercury (a heavy metal). As per clinical studies, there is no relation between autism and vaccines.

Symptoms and Treatment of Autism

The early symptoms of autism vary from one individual to another. Almost all symptoms involve three behavioral characteristics, namely, social interaction, communication and repetitive behaviors. However, the main feature of autism is lack of social interest. Children suffering from autism avoid eye contact while talking and are unresponsive to others. They may experience sensory sensitivity, learning disability, indulge into self abusive behaviors, inability to communicate with others and remain focused on one item for prolonged hours.

Children with autism prefer to be secluded from others and face difficulty in interpreting others thoughts. As per the severity, autism signs may range from mild to disability. It is obvious that parents are the first to observe autism symptoms in their children. Majority of the cases are noticed at the age of 18 months, whereas some are observed at 24 months. In case a child does not show signs of babbling or gesturing by one year, parents should get their children examined immediately. Otherwise a delay in diagnosis may worsen the symptoms.

Autism is diagnosed based on the symptoms or behaviors of the child. A child is confirmed as autistic if he/she exhibits prominent symptoms, viz., qualitative impairment in social interaction, social communication, social imagination and restricted or repetitive behavior. As of now, there is no cure for autism. Medications may be prescribed based on the symptoms of the child. Basically, treatment of autism is aimed to help the patient in communication and social interaction.