World Autism Day 2023

What emotions would you have if you discovered that your child has a disease or condition that cannot be treated? Or don’t have a clear explanation for how it impacted your child? You will be devastated. Due to the lack of frequent and open discussion, people may become more anxious. In fact, understanding the true difficulties and challenges faced by those with autism spectrum disorder requires awareness of these issues. Every year on April 2nd, World Autism Day is observed in an effort to increase awareness and educate the public. Let’s look more closely at World Autism day.

What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental condition marked by persistent, continuing problems with social communication, specific interests, and repetitive behaviour. Despite the fact that autism is thought to be a lifelong condition, each autistic individual has varying degrees of difficulty. Variations in the brain cause autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a developmental disability. Some ASD patients have distinguishing characteristics, like a genetic condition. However, there are some unknown factors that still exist. Several underlying causes of ASD are believed to interact to change how people generally grow. We still don’t fully understand these elements’ effects on people with ASD.

People with ASD may act, engage, communicate, and learn in ways that are different from most other individuals. Most of the time, their appearance does not set them apart from others. ASD sufferers may be highly talented in many different areas. For instance, while some people with ASD are nonverbal, others might be better at speech. While some people with ASD need a lot of help, others may be able to work and function independently.

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The Theme of World Autism Day 2023

History of World Autism Day 

The term “autism” made its first historical occurrence in 1911 when psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler used it to characterise a particular group of symptoms that were formerly thought to be straightforward signs of schizophrenia, such as severe social detachment.

In that order, paediatrician Dr Leo Kanner published his article “Autistic Disturbances of Affective Contact” in 1943, describing autism as a social and emotional disorder, and Hans Asperger published his “Autism Psychopathology Article” in 1944, describing autism as a disorder of children with normal intelligence who struggle with social and communication skills. These articles made a significant contribution to the research that helped to distinguish autism from schizophrenia as a separate condition in 1980.

Early Interventions: Signs and Symptoms

The symptoms of ASD typically appear before the age of three and can last the rest of a person’s life, however, occasionally they get worse as people age. Some children can develop ASD symptoms as early as their first year of life. Some people may not start showing symptoms until they are 24 months or older. Parents, carers, or paediatricians can identify the earliest signs of this illness in children before they become one year old. Yet, symptoms typically begin to surface more frequently by the time a child is 2 or 3 years old. The functional impairment associated with autism may be slight and undetectable when a child initially enrols in school.. But, once in a peer group, the deficiencies may become more obvious. Up until the age of 18 to 24 months, some ASD infants and toddlers acquire new skills and meet developmental goals before stopping or losing the capabilities they had before.

Teenagers and young adults with ASD may find it difficult to develop and maintain friendships, interact with adults and peers, or understand what constitutes appropriate behaviour on the job or at school. If they also have conditions like anxiety, depression, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, which affect people with ASD more commonly than those without ASD, medical practitioners might recognise them.

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Lack of Social Communication

Repetitive Actions and Confined Interests

Treatment and Diagnosis

Since there is no medical test, such as a blood test, to diagnose ASD, doing so can be challenging. To determine a diagnosis, doctors consider the child’s behaviour and developmental stage. ASD can occasionally be identified in children as young as 18 months. A valid diagnosis made by a qualified expert can be assumed by the age of two. Nevertheless, a lot of kids don’t get a definitive diagnosis until they’re considerably older. Some patients don’t receive a diagnosis until they are teenagers or adults. People with ASD may not receive the early assistance they require as a result of this delay. The goal of current ASD therapy is to lessen symptoms that affect everyday life and quality of life. Because ASD has a distinct impact on each individual, each person with ASD has various strengths, problems, and treatment needs. 1 As a result, treatment programmes frequently involve several specialists and are tailored to the person.

Therapies may be offered in a variety of settings, including those related to education, health, the community, or the home. To make sure that treatment goals and progress are meeting expectations, it is crucial that professionals communicate with one another, the person with ASD, and their family. 

Individuals with Autism Can Lead Full Lives

How to Celebrate World Autism Day?

Tips for Parents and Caregivers

FAQs

There is a spectrum of autism which means that each individual with autism is unique. Some autistic people require little to no assistance. Some people could require daily assistance from a parent or carer. Moreover, some autistic people exhibit average to above-average intelligence.

Some autistic persons struggle academically. This implies that individuals can struggle to care for themselves and require assistance with daily tasks. The main goal should be to increase awareness and improve the world by giving those with this condition equal opportunity. Follow Leverage Edu for more interesting and informative articles.