What Is Autism

What is autism? Autism is a disorder of the brain that interferes with communication. Many parts of the brain are involved in communication. In a person with autism, these parts do not work together. The person with autism has problems with both communication and relating to others.

When determining what is autism one must know the symptoms that are commonly seen with this disorder. Symptoms, in most cases, appear before a child turns three. The child is slow in talking and doesn’t  act like others of his age. Some children start to talk and then, with no explanation, stop. Many believe the child is deaf, but hearing tests come back normal. It can sometimes be difficult to recognize the signs of autism in toddlers.

 

Many exhibit repetitive behaviors, such as rocking back and forth, or become upset if a routine is not followed. Symptoms and their severity vary greatly from child to child though. Often parents will notice that their child never makes eye contact and prefers to play by himself.

Looking further into what is autism, you will find that other symptoms may alert you to the presence of this disorder.

Often parents and caregivers will notice the a child’s response to sensory experiences is outside the norm. The child may not develop properly in one or more areas. Some do start to develop normally and then suddenly a change will be noted. At other times, the child will develop normally for a certain period of time. This same child may then appear to level off and stop forward progress to the point where a problem becomes apparent.

Some children with autism have below-average intelligence. Teenagers tend to have a lot of anxiety and often suffer from depression. This is especially true if their intelligence is average or above average. Some teenagers who suffer from autism are diagnosed with a seizure disorder.

For some children, Aspergers syndrome may be diagnosed rather than autism. Those with Aspergers syndrome tend to retain their early language skills, but have other developmental delays such as in their motor skills.

When asking what is autism, the more you know, the better you will be able to help your child live life to the fullest. Help is available and the sooner the disorder is diagnosed, the more effective the treatment will be. Now is the time to stop asking what is autism and discover all the symptoms so that you will be able to recognize it in your children if it ever happens.