Autism

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects social interaction, communication skills, and behavior. The name of this disease comes from the Latin word autos - “self” (autism - self-absorption).

Autism is not so rare: according to statistics, from 3-4 to 10-15 cases per 10,000 children, and boys are more likely to suffer from autism than girls. The concept of “autism” was first introduced by E. Bleier in 1920 as a symptom of severe disturbances in interaction with reality in adult patients with schizophrenia. Early childhood autism was described by Leo Kanner (1943, Kanner syndrome) and later by Hans Asperger (1949). Then one of the definitions of autism sounded like “disconnection of a person from the outside world.”

The main problem of autism is a person’s lack of understanding and perception of the events happening around him. Children with autism, starting from the first months of life, differ in certain developmental features. First of all, such a child early avoids all types of interaction with adults: he does not cling to his mother when she takes him in her arms, does not stretch out his arms and reach for her, as a healthy baby does, does not look into the eyes, avoiding direct gaze. He often has dominant peripheral vision (looking out of the corner of his eye); he may also not respond to sounds or to his name, which often makes one suspect that these children have hearing impairments, which in reality do not exist.

A characteristic feature of mental development in autism is the inconsistency and ambiguity of the manifestations of its disorder. An autistic child can be highly intelligent and mentally retarded, he can be gifted in some area (music, mathematics), but at the same time lack the simplest everyday and social skills.

It has been proven that most cases of autism are hereditary, but the exact mechanisms of inheritance are still unknown. The only thing that can be said is that most likely it is not autism itself that is inherited, but the prerequisites for its development. Whether they will be realized or not largely depends on external circumstances, which, rather, are not the cause, but the conditions for the development of autism. That is why the appearance of autism is often said to be a multifactorial nature of this disorder, where heredity is combined with the influence of various environmental factors.

Such factors may include various pathologies of pregnancy and childbirth, infections, exposure to toxic substances, stress, as well as a lack of social contacts and stimulation in early childhood.

Although autism is a chronic disorder, there are a number of methods and approaches that can help children and adults with autism adapt to their environment and improve their quality of life. Such methods include behavioral therapy, social skills training, speech therapy, the use of alternative communication systems, physical exercises, etc. It is important to note that each case of autism is unique, and the approach to its treatment should be individual and based on a comprehensive analysis of symptoms and needs patient.

**Autism** is a condition in which a person loses the ability to perceive the world around them in an everyday context and to live with people. This is a special syndrome characterized by behavioral defects and thought disorders. It can be of different types and often requires complex treatment. In our article we will look at the manifestations of the most common type of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) - childhood autism.

**Childhood autism** is a special disorder of mental development, which, in essence, is **autism**.

Autism, a childhood form of disorder characterized by loss of interest in the child's normal age group, social adaptation, communication and general level of development of children. The child cannot concentrate on one activity and it becomes difficult to distract him. He develops his own language, incomprehensible to others, which most often consists of facial expressions and gestures. With autism, there is no correct understanding of the bodily effects on a person. Even irritants such as water, wind, food smell or touch seem unpleasant or dangerous. These children have a high level of nervous system sensitivity. This disorder is caused by mental characteristics, but more often this incompatibility occurs at the time of birth. If for some reason autistic aspects are not eliminated before the age of seven, then the pathology is accompanied by a decrease in intelligence and the approach of behavior in the child that can lead to a threat to the life and health of even surrounding relatives.

The reason for contacting a doctor should be any deviations in the child’s behavior: 1) refusal to eat or care for oneself; 2) excessive activity or desire for monotonous actions or rituals 3) poor adaptation to the outside world (the baby has a limited number of interests). 4) poor socialization, no verbal connections; 5) difficulty speaking or its absence. 6) unusual eye contact; 7) “tunnel” vision; 8) eye tracking; 9) fear of touch; 10) increased sensitivity to sounds;

A child suffering from autism is capable of **speaking** if parents encourage this in every possible way, encouraging words and replacing words with actions that ensure the development of the child. In addition, you need to talk to the child yourself: ask questions, talk and answer them. The speech of outings differs from the speech of healthy children: the speech is verbose, stereotypical, provides little information, is inexpressive, and monotonous. Monologues are more common in children with reduced intelligence. This requires appropriate correction; it is necessary to rearrange the parents’ statements and teach them how to communicate with the child. Parents, by developing speech skills, oral speech perception and vocabulary enrichment, promote the child’s speech development and stimulate him to communicate with peers. You need to know that the best way to communicate is through role-playing games: the child acts according to his role, indicating his feelings, choosing methods of communication. Parents also teach him the ability to adapt to his interlocutor and express emotions. When correcting passivity, forcing you to engage in dialogue and carry out actions aimed at self-esteem, you should remember the development of motor functions and adaptation.