Autism

Introduction

An American child psychiatrist, Leo Kanner, first described early-childhood autism in 1943. The typical Kanner syndrome occurs in approximately 4 or 5 per 10,000 children, which means about 3000 children of school age with autism, but similar autistic features are also observed in a much larger number of children with different disabilities. The condition usually begins from birth and rarely occurs later than three years old. The primary cause is still unknown. Children with autism behave in strange and puzzling ways, have difficulties in relating to other people, and fail to make sense of the social world.

Main characteristics

A child with autism seems to lack an awareness of other people as being a most important, significant, or interesting part of his or her surroundings. The young child pays more attention to objects than to people, but may be more responsive when older.

A major problem in understanding and using either verbal or non-verbal communication is also a characteristic. Some children do not develop any useful language, or only use certain words or phrases in a rigid sense. There seems to be only a very literal and concrete interest in their environment.

A lack of imagination, flexible though, or ideas means that most children with autism do mot engage in imaginative play, and those that do tend to repeat activities over and over regardless of suggestions by other children or adults.

For some children with autism the may be an over sensitively to certain sounds; fascination with bright lights, water and spinning objects; and an indifference to pain, heat or colds. Abnormal body movements often associated with autism – such as grimacing, arm flapping, jumping, hopping from one foot to another, rocking, and charging in different directions at great speed – are usually made worse by excitability.

In relation to mental handicap, moderate learning difficulties occur in about on-quarter and severe learning difficulties in about one-half of all people with autism. The remainder have a average or above intelligence levels.