Ok, so you got the diagnoses: Your child, your little Johnny, your little Sally, little Sandile, little Thandi is AUTISTIC. But what does it mean? What do we do? How are things going to change?
Questions…
So Many Questions….
There is so much out there that you don’t know where to start.
What is Autism?
Autism is a different neurotype that includes differences in communication and reactions to sensory stimuli. Current statistics state that globally 1 in 68 children is diagnosed with Autism, 1 in 42(i) boys and 1 in 189-210 girls(i). In South African government hospitals, 10 new diagnoses are made every week and the Western Cape Department of Health estimates annual growth of 10-17%.
Due to recent changes to the DMS-5 (diagnostic manuals)professionals like paediatricians, psychiatrists, psychologists and speech pathologists use the Diagnostic and statistical manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition, Text revision), or DSM-5-TR, produced by the American Psychiatric Association(i), Autism is now part of the Pervasive Developmental Disorders classification. This includes PervasiveDevelopmental Disorder-not otherwise specifiedindividuals with difficulties in the areas of social interaction, communication, and/or stereotyped behaviour patterns or interests(i), Childhood disintegrative disordera rare pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) that involves regression of developmental ability in language, social function and motor skills(i) and Asperger Syndrome. However, due to continual research,Asperger SyndromeHigh Function Autism or Autism level 1Tooltip content(i)may also soon be removed from the Spectrum list and become a condition on its own. Another condition with similar traits is Landau-Kleffner syndromeLandau-Kleffner syndrome is acquired aphasia secondary to an epileptic disturbance affecting a cortical area involved in verbal processingTooltip content(i), Sensory processing disorder/ sensory integration dysfunctionA condition that exists when multisensory integration is not adequately processed in order to provide appropriate responses to the demands of the environmentTooltip content(i), Rett Syndromean X-linked neurodevelopmental condition characterised by loss of spoken language and hand use with the development of distinctive hand stereotypiesTooltip content(i),Fragile X Syndromean inherited condition that presents with typical behavioural, developmental and physical problemsTooltip content(i), Williams Syndrome(i)and Prader-Willi SyndromeThe classical features of this disorder include an obsession with food which is often associated with impulsive eating, compact body build, underdeveloped sexual characteristics, and poor muscle toneTooltip content(i). There is also a condition called PANS/PANDA(i) caused by the Strep virus that causes similar behaviours as those normally prescribed to people on the Spectrum.
Also, read here(i) and here(i) for more views on what Autism is.
Possible Causes
Research is ongoing and no single person or group has made definitive breakthroughs in what causes autism, what treatment is best and what therapy works best. Many believe that it could possibly be a combination of EpigeneticsThe study of how your behaviours and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work. Unlike genetic changes, epigenetic changes are reversible and do not change your DNA sequence, but they can change how your body reads a DNA sequenceTooltip content(i), Diathesis- Stress Theorythe theory that mental and physical disorders develop from a genetic or biological predisposition for that illness (diathesis) combined with stressful conditions that play a precipitating or facilitating role. Also called the diathesis-stress hypothesisTooltip content(i), Auto-immune DysfunctionAn autoimmune disease is a result of the immune system accidentally attacking your body instead of protecting itTooltip content(i)and Environmental factors(i).
Video from NutritionFacts.org, Dr Michael Greger – Autism Playlist
Areas of Influence
Autistic people are affected in 3 ways: Language, Social and Behaviour. It is also important to add areas of Senses and Health.
In my opinion, it works something like this: If your Senses (Sensory) are overstimulated it affects the way you behave, and the way you behave affects your Social interaction and your Social interaction with your Language. And lastly your Health. Most people on the Spectrum also have co-morbiditiesComorbidity occurs when a person has more than one disease or condition at the same time. Conditions described as comorbidities are often chronic or long-term conditionsTooltip content(i) like Epilepsy, Bi-Polar Mood Disorder, Schizophrenia, Dyslexia, Depression, Anxiety, Compromised Immune systems, Muscular disorders, being blind or deaf, sleep problems, ADHD, Down Syndrome and Dyspraxia, to name but a few.
