Autism

Autism is a condition which mainly affects the development of the brain. The word Autism has a Greek origin and translates to “self”, this is because people suffering from autism are usually withdrawn to themselves and have a problem with social interactions. 

Autism belongs to a group of illnesses named ASD or Autism Spectrum Disorders, another type of disorder which comes under ASD is Asperger syndrome which is less severe than autism. In the United States or United Kingdom, one out of every hundred children suffers from autism. 

Kids suffering from Autism tend to avoid making eye contact with everyone around them, because Autism majorly affects the social interactions a person makes. Kids with Autism also tend to hyper concentrate on any one field that interests them, that is, they will have as much as information they can get on any field that interests them and that is of utmost importance for them. In this article, we will discuss their behaviour in detail in the further sections. 

Autism Definition for Kids

Autism is considered a mental disorder which is majorly due to problems and differences in the brain. Any person suffering from the disorder is born with it. 

Autism Symptoms

• The initial symptoms of autism start showing at the age of three. 

• People suffering from autism have difficulties in having social interactions and communications. 

• Kids with autism find it hard to play with the other kids and maintain eye contact with other people, even with their own parents, whereas older people with autism find it hard to converse with others. 

• Autistic people have a tendency to withdraw into themselves and they prefer repetitive patterns rather than branching out and trying new things thus they tend to stick to the same routine every day. This is why they also tend to divert all their focus onto a very few certain tasks. 

• They tend to get upset if ever their routine breaks or if something changes or out of the ordinary happens, they also are very sensitive towards touches, sights, sounds, an etc. 

Autistic Kids

Autism is usually a disorder which affects children; that is, it is present since the birth of the child. Symptoms of the disorder start showing at around the age of 3.

Signs of Autism 

It is interesting to know that autism affects boys more than girls; it is seen in boys three to four times more than in girls. The reason behind that is not known yet. 

Kids suffering from autism tend not to make friends in school and avoid eye contact even with their parents. Difficulty in social interaction is one of the major symptoms of autism. 

Children suffering from autism learn to talk a little later than normal kids; that is, language development is also delayed in those suffering from autism. In severe cases, some children may not learn how to speak. 

Autistic Hobbies

People suffering from autism tend to have an intense and highly focused interest, even though they may have a relatively short attention span but they tend to invest themselves entirely in the task at hand.

Some of the hobbies that they enjoy doing and are beneficial for them are:

• Art

• Photography

• Music

• Gardening

• Playing card or board games

• Learning about things like dinosaurs 

• Hyperfocusing on some certain cartoon characters

How to Prevent Autism?

Till date there is no known prevention or cure for autism. The kids suffering from autism can go to therapists who help them improve their social and communication skills and to help them boost their confidence and give them a positive mindset.

Therapy for Autistic Children

Sometimes doctors can also prescribe some medication to control over aggressiveness and negative behaviour of the child suffering from autism.

Another well-known and interesting treatment majorly used in schools is the squeeze machine. This method was invented by Temple Grandin, who herself was suffering from autism. The machine gently squeezes the children during panic attacks and helps them calm down and feel safe.

Sample Questions

State whether the statements mentioned below are true or not:

1. Autism majorly affects the brain.

Ans: True

2.It is an inborn disorder in children.

Ans: True

3. Autistic people don’t like sticking to a routine. 

Ans: False, Autistic people tend to stick to a single routine. They may get upset if their routine is broken. 

Learn by Doing

Complete the statements that follow by filling in the blanks:

1. Autistic people have problems with ___________ and _______.

Ans: social interaction, communication.

2. Autism affects ________.

Ans: Brain

3.________ is the only treatment offered to autistic people. 

Ans: Therapy

Summary

Autism is a mental disorder which affects the brain; autistic people are usually born with the disorder and have difficulties in social interactions and communication. They like repetitive patterns and thus stick to the same routine. Developing hobbies related to art, music, photography, etc., serve beneficial to them and keeps them engaged. There is no cure or prevention known for autism, but therapy can be useful in developing confidence and social skills.