Page 127 - April Issue

Autism– what parents in focus: infant

need to know in your child are unusual distress
when routines are changed,
By Ambika Dhall repetitive body movements
or uncommon attachments to
A utism is a developmental objects. It is important to know
disorder that appears that these symptoms vary in
within the first three severity.
years of a child’s life. It affects
The cause
the bio-chemical makeup of
There is no conclusive evidence
the brain and changes the of the exact cause of autism
but there is a lot of research
typical development of social that is going on in this area.
Researchers believe that there
and communication skills. It is is a combination of factors that
could lead to Autism. One of the
important to know that autism is most important factors scientists
are studying is genetics. As an
a spectrum disorder where cases example, identical twins are
much more likely than fraternal
range from low functioning to twins or siblings to have autism.
Also, speech and language
higher functioning children. abnormalities are seen more
frequently in relatives of children
The exact number of children with autism. Other genetic
causes that are being studied
with autism is not known but are chromosomal irregularities
and other neurological problems.
there are various studies that There are several other reasons
why Autism could develop but
have shown an increase in and have problems in verbal and these have not been fully proven
yet like diet, digestive tract
diagnosis of this disorder in nonverbal communication. A few changes, mercury poisoning, and
the body’s inability to properly
the last decade itself. It is also language milestones that have not use vitamins and minerals.

commonly known that autism been reached by the appropriate Autism and vaccines

affects boys three to four times age may be a cause of worry for Many parents are worried that
some vaccines are not safe and
more than girls. parents. Some of these include: that getting their child inoculated
may harm them. The most
Symptoms babbling, gesturing (pointing and controversial of these vaccines
waving) by twelve months, saying has been the Measles, Mumps
and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. In
Most parents of autistic children single words by sixteen months, 1998, British gastroenterologist
Dr Andrew Wakefield suggested
suspect that something is wrong saying two-word spontaneous a possible association between
the MMR immunisation and
by the time their child is eighteen phrases by twenty-four months autism. According to Wakefield,
the interaction between viruses
months old and seek help by (not just echoing) and losing any could have a negative impact on
a child’s immune system; lead
the time the child is about two. language or social skills at any

On the contrary, some children age.

with autism appear to be normal They could also be overly

before the age of one or two sensitive in sight, hearing, touch,

and suddenly regress and may smell, or taste (for example, mother, baby & child April 2011

lose their verbal speech or they may refuse to wear “itchy”

social skills that they had gained clothes and become distressed

previously. Children with autism if they are forced to wear the

characteristically have difficulties clothes or become anxious and

in pretend play, are socially tantrum when they are around a

awkward when compared to other noisy/crowded area). Some of the

typically developing children other symptoms to look out for

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