THE TRUTH BEHIND AUTISM: CAUSES AND SYMPTOMS

In world where diseases and disorders abound, autism disorder found its unique way to getting considerable media attention for its pervasive nature and for the same reason that it concerns our children where the disorder stealthily lurks.

Undoubtedly, autism became a widespread concern for most parents and the rest of the community since current statistics shows prevalence of the said condition and their ever-increasing numbers is enough to alarm many psychologists and the medical world.

Despite of the many advances in technology, scientists are particularly perplexed about the nature and causes of the syndrome and many of the psychological and medical remedies so far are patterned on the symptoms manifesting by the individual.

Numerous theories abound inasmuch as autism behavior is concerned but a lot of them fails to address the many issues plaguing this condition including the treatment, causes and symptoms and various actions outwardly performed by the patient.

In most cases, the medications suggested either lacks medicinal or pharmaceutical basis and are superficially generalizing the entire population of people suffering from the disease.

This article focuses on the many causes scientists speculate to where the disease must have originated and the unique treatment particularly tailored to each individual suffering from this socially incapacitating illness.

Autism: Definition, Myths and Facts

The purpose of this discussion is to separate the facts from the unconfirmed reports currently polluting the community.

While most of the figures presented here are true and accurate, due to the dynamic nature of the disease, we encourage you to provide comments which you think, are lacking or are misinterpreted.

Autism Society of America defines Autism as "a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills."

Most people think that autism is a psychological disease but current research shows that this disease manifests a wide range biological, specifically, neurological root with overt psychological and psychosocial abnormality.

Individuals suffering from this disease are self-absorbed (preoccupied with oneself), echolalic (tendency to repeat words said by others) and are detached from the society, showing no interest or whatever on the happenings in their environment, and possess a variety of language dysfunctions.

In a survey conducted by Centers for Disease Control Prevention in 2004, records show that 1 out of 166 individuals are born with this condition and 1 to every 1.5 million Americans suffers from this malady.

Annual prevalence growth rate ranges from 10 to 17% (U.S. Department of Education) and because of this, autism ranks as the fastest-growing development disability.

The disease affects people of all races and gender. It has been found to be prevalent among boys in a 4:1 ratio; perfectly showing more tendencies among boys developing such disease.

Given all the overwhelming figures, what is clear about autism is that it is TREATABLE. The negative neurological repercussions are either lessened or cured if early detection was made and proper educational treatment is applied.

Autistic children do establish eye contact with less frequency and many develops comprehensible language ability. They may outgrow the disease but it may lessen as they are enrolled in a sensible and appropriate educational treatment program.

Causes

Autism is part of a larger "umbrella" of related developmental and neurological disorder called Pervasive Development Disorder, although disagreement prevails as to the inclusion of autism under this diagnostic label.

While it is important to identify autism under a large group of similar disorder, it should be emphasized that educational treatment should be tailored in accordance to the severity and characteristic symptoms displayed by the child affected by such disorder.

Various theories were proposed to fit to the origin and causes of this disease but many of them do not offer clear explanation on the behaviors demonstrated by each patient.

But one thing that medical professions agree about is that the transparent structural and functional defects of their neurological features attributes to the development of the disorder.

Some researches are also focusing on biological agents that may cause the disease to materialize as in the case of viral brain infection and exposure to hazardous chemicals although none have properly established a clear path that links autism to these causes.

In 2002, The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) dismissed earlier assumptions suggesting a direct association of autism to chemical exposure saying that extensive research is needed to confirm such theory.

A paper published by Dr Michael J. Dougherty stipulates a strong connection between genetics and environmental influence on the progression of the disorder. Giving genetic disorder phenylketonuria as an example, he stated that inherited autism when left untreated results in a more pronounced condition.

A number of candidate genes, genes more probably causing the disease, were currently identified and extensively studied to find clues as to how the disease develops and among them are chromosome 2, 7, 13, 15, 16 and 17.

The same applies with vaccines, given its intravenous application, were also seen as valid candidate for causing autism. Extensive research and examination of literatures and various autistic studies among several research subjects are indeed required.