There are many things that parents eagerly look forward to when they find out they are having a baby. Many expectant parents also begin panicking at the thought that something may be wrong with their child. In a perfect world there would be no children that are ill or have been diagnosed with a devastating condition.

But this is not a perfect world and every day there are children and parents dealing with conditions that forever change their lives. Autism is one of these conditions that some parents must learn to deal with. Nothing is quite the same after the diagnosis comes in from the doctor. An entire world changes just at the diagnosis, but there is hope for both the parents and the child. In this article we will discuss what autism is and what can be expected after a diagnosis has been made.

What is autism?

Autism is a brain disorder that causes children to use repetitive and restrictive behavior. It is usually diagnosed before the child is three years of age and it can mean a life of difficulty for both the parents and the child. Most parents realize something is different about their child during the first two years of life. There may be a harsh reaction to normal stimuli that causes the parents to take a deeper look at their child's behavior. When a diagnosis is made then treatment can begin with the parents working closely with the physician to help the child learn to cope with autism. It is not an easy journey for any party that is involved.

What causes autism?

Many parents have the believe that autism is linked to vaccinations but nothing scientific has been proven yet. There is thought that autism may be linked to certain genetic conditions. No one is positive on what exactly causes one child to be autistic while another with the same circumstances is not. It is known that more cases have been diagnosed since the 90's but that is in part due to more awareness of this disorder and more physicians diagnosing the child with the appropriate condition.

How is autism diagnosed?

The diagnosis begins at home with the parents noticing a lack of certain growth characteristics. These behaviors include a lack of babbling by twelve months of age, no gesturing by twelve months and any time there is a loss of any social skills or language. A clinical test is then performed on the child. The diagnosis comes from a set of symptoms that the child will be compared against. If there are at least six symptoms present the doctors will usually make the diagnosis of autism. One of the major symptoms of autism is a restricted and repetitive behavior such as stacking or self harm. Other signs are that the child is not reciprocal in social or emotional aspects. Physicians must be careful when diagnosing a child with autism because there are other conditions that often mimic some of the signs of being autistic.

What are the classifications of autism?

The classifications of autism range from mild cognitive behavior into more life threatening disorders. Usually the autistic diagnosis based on characteristics is given later in life after a more in depth study has been performed. The classifications are based on how well the child is able to function within society. Some autistic children have no speech or motor skills that they can control while others can function within society on almost normal levels but still display different social interactions with others. A diagnosis of autism does not necessarily mean that the child will forever be incapacitated. There are many autistic individuals who have gone on to be a success and a part of a growing autistic community.

What are the characteristics of autism?

There is no one characteristic that defines an autistic child. Rather there are a series of symptoms that lead to the diagnosis. The physician must look at the child's social development. Is the child developing the way he or she should and are they able to communicate effectively? One of the signs that many physicians and researchers are studying is the link between mental retardation and aggressive behavior in children that have autism. Studies have shown that many autistic children with brain damage or a mental condition are more likely to respond aggressively or suddenly have an outburst. Most autistic children and adults do not develop enough speech patterns to be able to communicate effectively. Researchers believe that this could be part of the aggressive pattern displayed by some autistic patients. One of the biggest characteristics of an autistic individual is through repetitive actions. This may involve compulsive behavior to stack things or it could be through self-injury.

How is autism treated?

Autism is treated by a combination of different methods. Many autistic individuals are given medication such as psychoactive drugs or anticonvulsants. These drugs are usually prescribed for those that suffer from depression or other mental disorders that require medication. Therapy seems to be the best way for autistic individuals to learn to cope with their condition. The therapy consists of teaching the child how to perform self-care, decrease the symptoms that are presented in autistic behavior and also how to acquire job or social skills. There is no one set treatment method used to treat autistic individuals rather it is a combination of physical, occupational and psychological therapies that are used to help improve the person's quality of life.

How do doctors screen for autism?

As mentioned above screening for autism starts with the parents. They are the ones that usually notice that something is "different" about their child. Perhaps it is that the child is not speaking when others his or her age have an extensive quality. It may be a lack of physical interaction when other toddlers are clinging to their parents. Doctors will look at all of these characteristics and perform tests of their own to determine whether or not the child has autism or has an autistic related disorder such as Aperger syndrome. There are many disorders that have autistic like qualities but are not technically autism. There are cases of autistic children that have unusual skills such as memorization.

Is autism curable?

Unfortunately autism is not curable. Researchers are not even certain why some children develop autism and some do not. There is thought that it is genetic on a certain level. But for now a combination of physical, occupational and psychological therapy seems to help most autistic cases. Many physicians will put the autistic individual on certain medications to relieve symptoms of depression or aggressive behavior. The one thing about the therapy that is for sure is that it is very expensive. Most insurances do not cover the full treatment plan and parents must pay for some treatments out of pocket or have help from foundations.

What is repetitive behavior?

Repetitive behavior is exactly as it sounds. It is behavior that repeats itself. Autistic individuals are rated on a Repetitive Behavior Scale that is made up of six categories. These categories range from the stereotypical behavior to that of self injury. The autistic individual cannot control these behaviors. They may be as harmless as continuously stacking objects or it could be restrictive behavior that causes the autistic individual to focus only on one thing for great amounts of time. Self injury is perhaps one of the worst patterns that an autistic individual can develop. This is where they cannot help but hurt themselves through banging their head to biting themselves.

What are some risk factors for infants to develop autism?

More than risk factors there are several disorders that are associated with autism. These could be genetic disorders, mental retardation, epilepsy or physical anomalies. Males have been shown to have a higher risk of autism than girls do but that does not mean that girls are immune to being autistic. Parents must continuously monitor and care for their autistic child to protect them from themselves. The children often do not comprehend dangers and are more likely to harm themselves without realizing it.

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