Your First Steps to Understanding Autism

The world of Autism is an ugly, hopeless world for parents and children. When signs of Autism appear, families are thrust into a whirlwind of emotions. From anger to extreme frustration, to self-blame and hopelessness… parents of an Autistic child immediately leave their normal, happy life behind, for a long journey through what seems like hell.

The instant reaction from parents in this situation is that their child could not have Autism. Thinking there’s no history of it in their family, they lead a healthy life, and their child deserves to live a happy life like the other children in their neighborhood.

But the facts show, that Autism can appear in any family, no matter how many healthy kids you have, no matter what the family health history looks like.

The real causes of Autism are still not fully understood, though recent advances in research and testing, including approaches from the “alternative” schools of medicine, show new paths that may have an effect on children’s behavioral and spectrum disorders.

Common symptoms that lead parents and doctors to believe a child is affected by ASD include being seemingly “disconnected” from others in social situations, and even when interacting with their own families.

Many children possibly affected with Autism find it difficult to communicate in a way we would consider normal. Including not understanding simple hand gestures, not understanding conversations and difficulty speaking to others. They often also have problems reading and writing, and understanding the meaning of words.

Then there are the behavioral signs with their communication that something is wrong, like speaking with no emotion, going the other direction and speaking with a noticeable dramatic element, or using temper tantrums to communicate what they want or don’t want.

There are also physically apparent signs believed to be connected with ASD behavior, like rocking or spinning, getting upset when they see certain things or hear certain sounds, difficulty going from one activity to another, and having a single-focus on certain foods or certain topics.

Parents need to be especially careful when having children with these symptoms diagnosed by medical professionals. Careful that their child is not automatically diagnosed with Autism, without considering other forms of evaluation.

While most medical professionals agree that the deep causes of ASD are related to neurological factors, there is disagreement about what is really the root cause of the neurological problems. Some believe infections that affect the brain are a possible cause. While others take into consideration the stress and trauma of pregnancy and delivery to be a major contributing factor.

A smart position for a parent to take, who is just beginning the journey of trying to help their child who may be affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder, is to look in more than one direction.

This means consulting professionals in different areas of practice, and seeing what their success rate is in improving the lives of affected children. Look at the treatments being suggested and delivered, and the effects the treatments themselves are having in the wellness process.