What is Autism?

The word Autism is originated from ‘autos’, a Greek word means ‘self’ which is related to people with autism spectrum who is often referred as people who live in their own world. Autism is a disability that affects the ability of a person to comprehend with the world and relate with others for a long term throughout their life.

Autism usually appears during the first three years of life where the function of the brain is affected by a neurological disorder and caused a complex developmental disability to a person. The percentage of having Autism is four more times prevalent in boys than girls. Autism can affect anyone with different race, ethnic, family income, lifestyle and education as nothing can appears as boundaries. 1 out of 68 new-borns are estimated to suffer from Autism and its associated behaviours.

The symptoms in the children can usually be seen by the parents between the ages of two and six. Either being too sensitive or insensitive at all to pain, no fear of danger, avoid eye contact, difficult to express what they want or need, having the same routine and difficult to interact with others are the most often symptoms found to be associated with Autism.

Autism usually affects the normal development of the brain where it is the area for social interaction and communication skills. Social interactions, verbal and non-verbal communication and activities for leisure and play are hard for children and adults with Autism. It is hard for them to relate to the outside of the world and communicate with others because of this disorder. They may be aggressive or/and perform self-injuries in some of the cases. Repeated body movement, for example flapping or rocking, attachment to certain objects and uncommon responses to people and resist to change their routines may also show in them. A person with Autism can possibly experience sensitivities of five senses include sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell.

Some of the children with autism do no speak at all but most of them still develop speech although it is delayed, limited or inappropriate as they usually repeat their words, mimic sentences or phrases from other people that they observed. Although there is still no cure for autism yet, there is a lot of different medications that are prescribed to people with Autism to reduce the symptoms and better manage of them.

Source: http://www.nasom.org.my/autism/