Autism in Children

Autism causes problems with behaviour, communication an social skills. People with the disorder may have abnormalities inthe way the brain developed that causes the behavioural quirks associated with it. But there are some people who believe it should not classified as a mental disorder, arguing that autistic people are simply at the extreme end of behavioral scale.
An autistic child usually starts exhibiting symtomps before the age of three, althought the parent may only realise this with retrospect. A child with autism can be almost robotic in their behaviour. They will not interact in a normal manner with their parents-for instance, if they fall over they may seek comfort, and they likely to have very poor eye contact. If the autism is quite severe it may seem like they are almost un aware of the world around them. The child migh react in a surprising manner to a seemingly innocent trigger, for instance many children with autism are very sensitive about people touching them. Sometimes they will spend long periods of time repeating certain motions over and over again, such as rocking or even a form of self harm.
The child will lack emphaty with those around them. They cannot comprehend the feelings of other people and have no apparent interest in seeking out company. Their speech development is likely to be poor as a result. Not only will an autistic child play with their peers, they may not even play on their own, or at least not in a manner which most people would define as play. Instead they tend to become rather fixated on specific things, for instance they may become singulary interested in trains, and obsessed with carrying out routins.
Autism is extremly difficult to treat as the condition is so complex and very little is known about its causes, Behavioural therapy can have a degree of success. but it is very dependent on the individual and degree of their autism. Therapy can help them understand the bahaviour and emotions of those around them, so that they can interact ina more normal manner.
Raising a child with autism has its reward, but it can also be a big emotionnal chalengge. There are organisation available who will offer much needed support to the families of autistic children.
by: Leane Williams