.jpg)
The seventh annual World
Autism Awareness Day is April 2, 2014.
What
is autism all about?
If your child has autism, it
is not because you are a bad parent.
Experts believe that autism presents
itself in the first 3 years. The condition is the result of a neurological
disorder that has an effect on normal brain function, affecting communication
and social interaction skills. The exact cause of autism is not known though
recent research indicates that it could be a combination of genetic and
environmental factors.
It causes impairment or disturbance in three main areas
Social skills, communicative (verbal as well as non-verbal) skills and in their
repetitive and restricted behaviours.
You cannot
always tell that someone has autism just by looking at them. Because of this
autism is sometimes called a hidden disability.
Autism lasts for all of a
person's life. But they can still do a lot of things and learn a lot of skills.
Myth: Autistic people are low on emotional quotient.
But that is incorrect.
Some
people with autism find these things difficult
- · They find it difficult to tell people what they need, and how they feel.
- · They find it difficult to meet other people and to make new friends.
- · They find it difficult to understand what other people think, and how they feel.
Not everyone with autism will find these things difficult. This is because
everyone with autism is different.
How
do people with autism behave
- · They may not speak. But they may use things like pictures or sign language to communicate.
- · They may not understand what other people say. They may copy what other people say.
- · They may not take part in games or activities with other people. They may like to play the same game or do the same thing every day. They may only talk about their favourite subject.
- · They may find co-ordination difficult. This means that they may find it difficult to do things like use scissors, use knives and forks, or ride a bike.
- · They may have learning disabilities.
BUT...
- · They may be very interested in one thing and know a lot about it.
- · They may be good at remembering information.
- · They may do well at school, college and work.
- · They may be very good at something. For example, they may be very good at maths, art or music.
- · They can be good at learning how to do something when they see someone else doing it.
- · They may be good at concentrating on one activity.
Difference
between autism and mental retardation
When a person has Mental Retardation
there is a more or less even impairment in skills in all areas of development.
Therefore, if an M.R. child of 8 years has a mental age of 5 then all his
skills would be roughly around 5 years (i.e. motor, communication, social,
self-help, cognition etc.). In Autism, there is an uneven skill development- in
fact this is the hallmark of autism. In some areas the child may show
age-appropriate skills; in some the skills may be below the developmental
level; and then again there are people with Autism who possess exceptional
skills i.e. beyond their age level.
Prevalence
of Autism
Data released from the CDC
this year (2014) placed the prevalence of autism in the U.S. at approximately 1
in 68 children. The number is up markedly from two years ago when it was 1 in
88, and seven years ago when it was 1 in 150. But the thing to keep in mind is
that these are simply rates at which kids are being identified – so the data
may not indicate that autism prevalence has actually jumped that much.
No exact data are available from
India to provide an India-specific estimate of the prevalence. But approximately in India is 1 in 88 based on February 2014 data (updated: The Hindu dt: 03.04.14/ pg:2, Chennai edition) (figure may vary
as many cases are not diagnosed) and currently 10 million people are suffering
in India. The government only recognized the disorder in 2001, till 1980s,
there were reports that Autism didn't exist in India. While
the disorder is not rare, most people with autism in India have not been
diagnosed and -- more critically -- do not receive the services they need. This
problem occurs in many countries, but is especially true in India where there
is a tremendous lack of awareness and misunderstanding about autism among the
medical professionals, who may either misdiagnose or under diagnose the
condition. It is also because of parents who do not accept their kids who have
autism.
Treatment
The only consistently
effective treatment for autism is a structured training program; therefore, a
combination of a good school and parent training is the best known treatment. Autistic
children can make significant progress if the intervention is appropriate and
consistent.
It is time for us to stop
our ignorance. Let us accept children with autism, understand and love.
Source:
1.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Autism-is-not-a-disease/articleshow/19333810.cms
No comments:
Post a Comment