Bijan Lal Dev :
Autism is a complex and lifelong developmental disability. The
condition is the result of a neurological disorder that has an effect on normal brain function, posing great difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in using language
and abstract concepts.
It is a global health crisis that knows no borders. It does not
discriminate based on nationality, religion, ethnicity or social status; although researchers have suggested that there were possibilities of inherited genetic predisposition, environmental factors and the diversity of the population. It is a wide-spectrum disorder, that is, no two people with autism will have exactly the same symptoms. Rather, they will have different combinations of symptoms. Some people will have mild symptoms while others have severe ones.
Why does a baby have autism?
This question has no any clear answer as the contributing biological factors that are entirely unknown. Over the years, experts have found some reasons but have not yet reached a consensus. Researches to find the core reasons to diagnose autism have been continuing everywhere in the world. A study published recently in the Journal
Neuron suggests that failure to limit the number of synapses during childhood and adolescence blocks the different brain areas from
developing specific functions.
Although the cause of autism still remains vague, medical professionals agree that symptoms of autism typically occur before age 3. Early diagnosis of autism is complicated and often evades symptoms. According to the US Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, a person can be diagnosed with autism if he or she has at least six of twelve symptoms that are broken down equally in three categories, namely, social interaction, communication and behaviour. However, the US researchers in their recent study using eye-tracking technology found that children who were identified to have autism at age 3 looked less at people’s eyes when they were babies between 2 and 6 months of age. But, the difference was not apparent at birth. It emerged in the next few months. The researchers also found that babies who showed the steepest decline in looking
at people’s eyes over time
developed severe autism.
Who are more likely to have autism?
On the basis of gender, boys are more likely to have various forms of developmental disabilities than girls. In the US, it is almost 5 times more common among boys, 1 in 42, than among girls, 1 in 189. Older men are more likely than young ones to father a child who develops autism, scientists revealed recently in a study to quantify the effect of random mutations. The age of mothers had no bearing on the risk for these disorders, the study found. It
supports the surging rate of autism across the world as the birth-rate of fathers age 40 and older has increased over the years. And in the US, it has increased by more than 30 percent since 1980. Another study linked grandfather’s age to autism. A child who has siblings with autism has a 20 times greater likelihood of developing it. Women taking folic acid, a B vitamin, before pregnancy are less likely to have children diagnosed with more severe forms of autism, a new study has found.
What are the effects of autism?
It differs from person to person. A person with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) typically prefers to stick to a set of behaviours and resists any changes to daily activities. They usually seem socially clumsy, sometimes offensive in their comments, or out of synch with everyone else, make very little eye contact and outwardly show little empathy. Many children with ASD do not speak at all. Others often repeat words or phrases they hear and have unpredictable learning skills. They often have obsessions.
Is there any remedy for autism?
Unfortunately, there is no cure. Early identification and intervention of autism can make a difference to a child’s development. As it is important to slower down the effects of autism, the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2008 developed an action plan to support the worldwide population of persons with ASD. It recommends the implementation of governmental policies that support persons with ASD and family members who are caring for person with ASD. The Mental Health Gap Action Program of the WHO provides with strategies for remediating the living conditions of all individuals with mental health disorders.
Although the early identification of ASD is the key to reduce its effects, the eye-tracking differences early, the recently invented
methodology to diagnose of autism, can only be detected by experts using the technology, not by parents and paediatricians.
Furthermore, autism therapies have not yet been developed for such young babies. But, there are efforts to adapt intensive behavioural
therapy for use with children as young as 12 months. Genomic research is beginning to discover that people with ASDs probably share genetic traits with individuals with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or clinical expression.
The number of diagnoses of autism has been increased over the years across the world. Sadly,
epidemiological results indicate that ASD affects 1 percent of the global population. Currently, in the United States, about 1 in 68 child has been identified with ASD from two years ago when it was 1 in 88. May be, greater awareness and
ability to identify are the reasons for the rise in the rate of diagnosis. There is no reliable statistics on autistic people in Bangladesh.
People are being aware about autism since 2010 when Saima
Hossain, a renowned child
psychologist and also the daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was made the Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Autism. She is also the Bangladesh representative of Autism Speaks, a US based NGO. Under her leadership, greater awareness, acceptance and understanding of autism have been developing in Bangladesh.
Early identification of autism is the key to reduce the miseries of the autistic people and their families. Social awareness and understanding of autism is important. If we can train the healthcare personnel of community clinics to screen autism among children, we can open a new horizon for autistic children. n
Autism is a complex and lifelong developmental disability. The
condition is the result of a neurological disorder that has an effect on normal brain function, posing great difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in using language
and abstract concepts.
It is a global health crisis that knows no borders. It does not
discriminate based on nationality, religion, ethnicity or social status; although researchers have suggested that there were possibilities of inherited genetic predisposition, environmental factors and the diversity of the population. It is a wide-spectrum disorder, that is, no two people with autism will have exactly the same symptoms. Rather, they will have different combinations of symptoms. Some people will have mild symptoms while others have severe ones.
Why does a baby have autism?
This question has no any clear answer as the contributing biological factors that are entirely unknown. Over the years, experts have found some reasons but have not yet reached a consensus. Researches to find the core reasons to diagnose autism have been continuing everywhere in the world. A study published recently in the Journal
Neuron suggests that failure to limit the number of synapses during childhood and adolescence blocks the different brain areas from
developing specific functions.
Although the cause of autism still remains vague, medical professionals agree that symptoms of autism typically occur before age 3. Early diagnosis of autism is complicated and often evades symptoms. According to the US Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, a person can be diagnosed with autism if he or she has at least six of twelve symptoms that are broken down equally in three categories, namely, social interaction, communication and behaviour. However, the US researchers in their recent study using eye-tracking technology found that children who were identified to have autism at age 3 looked less at people’s eyes when they were babies between 2 and 6 months of age. But, the difference was not apparent at birth. It emerged in the next few months. The researchers also found that babies who showed the steepest decline in looking
at people’s eyes over time
developed severe autism.
Who are more likely to have autism?
On the basis of gender, boys are more likely to have various forms of developmental disabilities than girls. In the US, it is almost 5 times more common among boys, 1 in 42, than among girls, 1 in 189. Older men are more likely than young ones to father a child who develops autism, scientists revealed recently in a study to quantify the effect of random mutations. The age of mothers had no bearing on the risk for these disorders, the study found. It
supports the surging rate of autism across the world as the birth-rate of fathers age 40 and older has increased over the years. And in the US, it has increased by more than 30 percent since 1980. Another study linked grandfather’s age to autism. A child who has siblings with autism has a 20 times greater likelihood of developing it. Women taking folic acid, a B vitamin, before pregnancy are less likely to have children diagnosed with more severe forms of autism, a new study has found.
What are the effects of autism?
It differs from person to person. A person with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) typically prefers to stick to a set of behaviours and resists any changes to daily activities. They usually seem socially clumsy, sometimes offensive in their comments, or out of synch with everyone else, make very little eye contact and outwardly show little empathy. Many children with ASD do not speak at all. Others often repeat words or phrases they hear and have unpredictable learning skills. They often have obsessions.
Is there any remedy for autism?
Unfortunately, there is no cure. Early identification and intervention of autism can make a difference to a child’s development. As it is important to slower down the effects of autism, the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2008 developed an action plan to support the worldwide population of persons with ASD. It recommends the implementation of governmental policies that support persons with ASD and family members who are caring for person with ASD. The Mental Health Gap Action Program of the WHO provides with strategies for remediating the living conditions of all individuals with mental health disorders.
Although the early identification of ASD is the key to reduce its effects, the eye-tracking differences early, the recently invented
methodology to diagnose of autism, can only be detected by experts using the technology, not by parents and paediatricians.
Furthermore, autism therapies have not yet been developed for such young babies. But, there are efforts to adapt intensive behavioural
therapy for use with children as young as 12 months. Genomic research is beginning to discover that people with ASDs probably share genetic traits with individuals with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or clinical expression.
The number of diagnoses of autism has been increased over the years across the world. Sadly,
epidemiological results indicate that ASD affects 1 percent of the global population. Currently, in the United States, about 1 in 68 child has been identified with ASD from two years ago when it was 1 in 88. May be, greater awareness and
ability to identify are the reasons for the rise in the rate of diagnosis. There is no reliable statistics on autistic people in Bangladesh.
People are being aware about autism since 2010 when Saima
Hossain, a renowned child
psychologist and also the daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was made the Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Autism. She is also the Bangladesh representative of Autism Speaks, a US based NGO. Under her leadership, greater awareness, acceptance and understanding of autism have been developing in Bangladesh.
Early identification of autism is the key to reduce the miseries of the autistic people and their families. Social awareness and understanding of autism is important. If we can train the healthcare personnel of community clinics to screen autism among children, we can open a new horizon for autistic children. n
