Autism is defined. Who are autists. Disorders of the intellectual sphere

You can notice the signs of autism in a child in the first years of life. A characteristic feature is the reluctance to make contact, physical or social. As a result, the speech development of the child is inhibited, who simply does not seek to establish connections with the outside world.

The child does not show initiative in communication, avoids eye contact. Autistic people are characterized by echolalia - the repetition of words or phrases, which can mistakenly give the impression of mental retardation. However, in reality, mental retardation is observed only in a third of cases, usually autistic people understand the meaning of what was said.

An autistic child does not seek to find a common language with peers, it seems emotionally cold and detached. Autistic people are distinguished by hypersensitivity to sensory environmental influences: light, sounds, smells, touches. High intensity impacts cause suffering akin to pain in physical injuries.

Autistics and society

Autistic people are rigid and have a hard time adjusting to change. Therefore, they protest against the violation of the usual way, they themselves like to restore order. They live according to a certain routine and demand from their loved ones strict adherence to it.

It is difficult for autistic people to understand the messages of other people, verbal or non-verbal. Therefore, they do not perceive humor, the figurative meaning of words. The meaning of what has been said is taken literally.

In adulthood, the interests of autistics are limited, as a rule, they include one specific area. In this area, they are well versed, they know the smallest details. With other people, they can really talk only about their interests, while not paying attention to their response.

Autistic people do not understand other people's problems and do not seek solace themselves. They prefer to spend time alone, indulging in their favorite work. Because of this, it is very difficult for such people to make friends and maintain long-term relationships.

Patients with autism have impaired forecasting and planning skills, which are responsible for the frontal lobes of the brain. Often they simply cannot foresee the development of events, which can lead to life-threatening actions.

As far as creative talent is concerned, there is a subset of autism called Asperger's Syndrome. People with this syndrome are brilliant in some isolated area. There are a lot of artists, musicians or scientists among autists.

Unusual and strange, gifted child or adult. Among boys, autism occurs several times more often than among girls. There are many causes of the disease, but all of them have not been fully identified. Features of deviations in development can be noticed in the first 1-3 years of a child's life.

Who is this autist?

They immediately attract attention, whether adults or children. What does autism mean - this is a biologically determined disease related to general human development disorders, characterized by a state of "immersion in oneself" and avoiding contact with reality, people. L. Kanner, a child psychiatrist, became interested in such unusual children. Having identified a group of 9 children for himself, the doctor observed them for five years and in 1943 introduced the concept of RDA (early childhood autism).

How to recognize autists?

Each person is unique in its essence, but there are similar traits of character, behavior, addictions in both ordinary people and those suffering from autism. There is a general number of features that are worth paying attention to. Autistic - signs (these disorders are typical for both children and adults):

inability to communicate;
violation of social interaction;
deviant, stereotyped behavior and lack of imagination.

Autistic child - signs

The first manifestations of the unusualness of the baby, attentive parents notice very early, according to some sources, up to 1 year. Who is an autistic child and what features in development and behavior should alert an adult in order to seek medical and psychological help in time? According to statistics, only 20% of children have a mild form of autism, the remaining 80% are severe deviations with concomitant diseases (epilepsy, mental retardation). From a young age, the following symptoms are characteristic:

With age, the manifestations of the disease can be aggravated or smoothed out, it depends on a number of reasons: the severity of the course of the disease, timely drug therapy, training in social skills and unlocking the potential. Who is an adult autistic - it can be recognized already at the first interaction. Autistic - symptoms in an adult:

has serious difficulties in communication, it is difficult to start and maintain a conversation;
lack of empathy (empathy), and understanding of the states of other people;
sensory sensitivity: a simple handshake or touch by a stranger can cause panic in an autistic person;
violation of the emotional sphere;
stereotyped, ritualistic behavior that persists until the end of life.

Why are autists born?

In recent decades, there has been a surge in the birth rate of children with autism, and if 20 years ago it was one child in 1,000, now it is 1 in 150. The numbers are disappointing. The disease occurs in families with different social structures and incomes. Why autistic children are born - the reasons scientists have not yet fully clarified. Doctors name about 400 factors influencing the occurrence of autistic disorders in a child. Most likely:

genetic hereditary anomalies and mutations;
various diseases suffered by a woman during pregnancy (rubella, herpes infection, diabetes mellitus,);
mother's age after 35 years;
imbalance of hormones (in the fetus, testosterone production increases);
poor ecology, mother's contact during pregnancy with pesticides and heavy metals;
vaccination of the child with vaccinations: the hypothesis is not supported by scientific data.

Rituals and obsessions of an autistic child

In families where such unusual children appear, parents have many questions that they need to get answers to in order to understand their child and help develop his potential. Why do autistic people not make eye contact or behave inappropriately emotionally, make strange, ritual-like movements? It seems to adults that the child ignores, avoids contact when he does not make eye contact when communicating. The reasons lie in a special perception: scientists conducted a study, which revealed that autistic people have better peripheral vision and have difficulty in controlling eye movements.

Ritual behavior helps the child reduce anxiety. The world with all its changing diversity is incomprehensible to autistics, and rituals give it stability. If an adult intervenes and disrupts the child's ritual, aggressive behavior and self-aggression may occur. Finding himself in an unusual environment, an autistic person tries to perform his usual stereotypical actions in order to calm down. The rituals and obsessions themselves are diverse, each child has their own unique ones, but there are also similar ones:

twist ropes, objects;
put toys in one row;
walk the same route;
watching the same movie many times;
snap their fingers, shake their heads, walk on tiptoe;
wear only their usual clothes
eating a certain type of food (meager diet);
sniffs objects and people.

How to live with an autist?

It is difficult for parents to accept that their child is not like everyone else. Knowing who an autist is, one can assume that it is difficult for all family members. In order not to feel alone in their trouble, mothers unite in various forums, create alliances and share their small achievements. The disease is not a sentence, a lot can be done to unlock the potential, and sufficient socialization of the child, if he is a shallow autist. How to communicate with autistic people - to begin with, understand and accept that they have a different picture of the world:

understand words literally. Any jokes, sarcasm are inappropriate;
inclined to frankness, honesty. This can be annoying;
do not like to be touched. It is important to respect the child's boundaries;
can not stand loud sounds and screams; calm communication;
it is difficult to understand oral speech, it is possible to communicate through writing, sometimes children begin to write poetry in this way, where their inner world is visible;
there is a limited range of interests where the child is strong, it is important to see this and develop it;
imaginative thinking of the child: instructions, drawings, sequence diagrams - all this helps learning.

How do autists see the world?

They not only do not look into the eyes, but also see things really differently. Childhood autism later transforms into an adult diagnosis and it depends on the parents how much their child can adapt to society, and even become successful. Children with autism hear differently: the human voice may not be distinguished from other sounds. They do not look at the picture or photograph as a whole, but select a tiny fragment and focus all their attention on it: a leaf on a tree, a shoelace, etc.

Self-injury in autistic people

The behavior of an autist often does not fit into the usual norms, has a number of features and deviations. Self-aggression manifests itself in response to resistance to new demands: it starts to beat its head, scream, tear its hair out, runs out onto the roadway. An autistic child does not have a “sense of edge”, a traumatic dangerous experience is poorly fixed. Elimination of the factor due to which self-aggression arose, returning to the familiar environment, pronouncing the situation - allows the child to calm down.

Professions for autists

Autistic people have a narrow range of interests. Attentive parents can notice a child's interest in a certain area and develop it, which can later make him a successful person. What can autistic people work for - given their low social skills - these are professions that do not involve long-term contact with other people:

drawing business;
programming;
repair of computers, household appliances;
veterinary technician, if he loves animals;
various crafts;
Web design;
work in the laboratory;
Accounting;
work with archives.

How long do autists live?

The life expectancy of autistic people depends on the favorable conditions created in the family in which the child lives, then the adult. The degree of disorders and concomitant diseases, such as: epilepsy, profound mental retardation. The reasons for a shorter life expectancy may be accidents, suicides. European countries have investigated this issue. People with autism spectrum disorders live 18 years less on average.

Famous people with autism

Among these mysterious people there are super-gifted or they are also called savants. World lists are constantly updated with new names. A special vision of objects, things and phenomena allows autists to create masterpieces of art, to develop new devices, medicines. Autistic people are getting more and more public attention. Famous autists of the world:

All people are different, and it is impossible to find two absolutely identical personalities. But sometimes there are special boys and girls. They can be distinguished from others at a glance. They are passionate about their own world, shy away from outsiders and are extremely reverent about their things. Sometimes this behavior speaks of a special syndrome - autism. An autist is a person who is not able to form emotional intimacy with others. This term was introduced into psychiatry by Bleuler to denote signs of a psychopathological state of a person. What are the features of this phenomenon?

Why does this happen?

Of course, this is not the norm, but a deviation, however, not very common. Although they say that in girls and women, autism can occur without external manifestations, since the representatives of the weaker sex hide aggression and emotions in themselves. With the help of increased attention and special studies, some changes can be achieved in human development, but it cannot be completely corrected.

It is worth noting that an autist is not a person with mental disabilities. On the contrary, such children may have the beginnings of genius, as they develop internally faster than externally. They can shy away from society in one form or another, refuse to speak, see poorly, but at the same time solve complex problems in their minds, masterfully navigate in space and have a photographic memory. With a mild degree of autism, a person seems almost normal, perhaps a little peculiar. He can become gloomy for no reason, talk to himself in especially exciting moments, sit for hours in one place, looking at one point. But such moments can happen all the time in life.

Here, a severe degree of autism is more difficult to classify as normal, because this is a complete destruction of brain function. Previously, it was believed that an autistic child is a schizophrenic or even a psychopath. Over time, scientists figured out the essence of this deviation and differentiated them by symptoms. To date, making a diagnosis is not difficult, so confusion at this stage can be avoided. There is no answer to the question about specific disorders in the brain activity of an autistic person, because there is no single mechanism. It is not even possible to say with certainty what exactly provokes autism - a group of disorders with certain mutations or a disorder in a specific area of the brain. Many scientists agree that the failure of the work of one part of the brain entails the active work of the opposite, which is why such children show remarkable mathematical or creative abilities.

autistic children

All future parents during pregnancy believe that their child will be the smartest, strongest and most beautiful. Long before birth, they begin to make plans, but no one can predict such a diagnosis for their child.

Autism is a congenital disease, not an acquired one. Its appearance is influenced by many factors both at the stage of fetal development and in the process of its formation. All functional systems of the brain are affected, therefore it is impossible to completely eradicate autism. You can only make some adjustments to the behavior of the individual and adapt it to society. An autist is not an outcast of society, but its victim. The fear of communication does not allow him to comprehend much, but only a stubborn and understanding person can break through his misunderstanding.

The reasons

Work with autistic children is carried out everywhere, starting with the nursery. At this stage, you need to clarify and leave in the past all questions about the causes of the deviation. Often parents look to their past for answers, blame themselves for their alcohol abuse, and come to belated remorse. Well, these factors could influence the diagnosis of the child, but this is not an axiom.

Sometimes absolutely healthy people are the parents of autistic people. Scientists cannot determine the reasons for the appearance of such a phenomenon, although for many years they have been trying to comprehend this mystery. In truth, until recently, the nature of autism was not really studied, so it would not be entirely correct to talk about a long observation period. In general, the phenomenon itself was designated for study only in the 20th century. A range of risk factors that provoke autism has even been identified. In particular, these are disorders at the genetic level, hormonal abnormalities, complications during pregnancy and childbirth, poisoning, failures in chemical and biological processes, and cancerous tumors.

Genetics?

A large percentage of people with such a deviation are characterized by the presence of a certain gene. Scientists believe that in such cases, the neurexin-1 gene plays a significant role. The presence of the gene on the 11th chromosome also remains suspicious. Conflict of parental genes can also result in a deviation. After conception, the genes are blocked in the egg and can negatively affect a woman's health. In the male cell - the spermatozoon - potentially dangerous genes for the child are turned off, which, as a result, can provoke gene changes when shifted to the male side. Scientists have found a link between autism and X-chromosome syndrome. Extensive research has been carried out, but in general, the area of knowledge remains unplowed virgin land. Parents of autistic children are worried about the future of their children, talking about the role of heredity in the appearance of this disorder. Various rumors and stories are given in support of this hypothesis. It is said that the likelihood of developing autism increases if there is one such child in the family. There are also experts with a sharply opposite opinion, who say that there are no families with several autistic people.

If hormones play

Hormones can be the cause of developmental abnormalities. In particular, you can blame the notorious testosterone. Perhaps it is because of him that, according to statistics, boys are more often born with autism. So an increased level of testosterone can be considered a risk factor, since, together with other factors, it can result in brain dysfunction and left hemisphere depression. This can also explain the fact that among autists there are people gifted in one or another area of knowledge, because the hemispheres of the brain begin to work in a compensatory mode, that is, one hemisphere compensates for the slowness of the work of the other. There are risk factors during an adverse birth or difficult pregnancy. For example, a woman who has suffered from infectious diseases or experienced stress during pregnancy should worry about the fate of her baby. Some doctors in such cases recommend terminating the pregnancy for fear of a potential inferiority of the fetus. Rapid labor or birth trauma can also adversely affect the condition of the child. Other possible causes include heavy metal poisoning, radioactive radiation, viruses and vaccines. But here official medicine categorically objects to the danger of vaccinations, although statistics inexorably testifies against them.

From the field of chemistry

Finally, many scientists believe that autism can develop against the background of a deficiency of a special protein - Cdk5. It is responsible for the production of synapses in the body, that is, structures that affect mental abilities. In addition, the level of serotonin in the blood can affect the development of autism. What conclusion can be drawn from this? Yes, the fact that autism involves a number of disorders in the functioning of the human brain. Some of these violations were found experimentally. In particular, it was possible to determine the fact that changes are observed in the amygdala, which is responsible for emotions in the brain. Thus, human behavior changes. Also, through experiments, it was possible to establish the fact that autistic people experience increased brain growth during childhood for no apparent reason.

Symptoms

Parents of young children try at the initial stage to fix the slightest signs of deviation from the norm in their children. And scientists to help them highlight some of the signs and symptoms of autism for children at a conscious age. First of all, this is a violation of social interaction. Does your child interact poorly with peers? Hiding from other babies or refusing to talk to them? An alarm and reason for reflection. But this is by no means an accurate symptom, as the child may be tired, upset or angry. In addition, the child's isolation may indicate some other mental disorders, such as schizophrenia.

What to do?

A person with a similar disease cannot independently build relationships with other people. In especially serious cases, the child does not even trust his parents, shuns them and suspects them of bad intent. If an adult who gave birth to a child suffers from autism, then he may not feel any parental instincts and refuse the baby. But most often, autistic people are very gentle and reverent towards those people who care about them. True, they express their love in a slightly different way than other children. In society, they remain lonely, voluntarily avoiding attention, avoiding communication. An autistic person has no interest in games and entertainment. In some cases, they suffer from a selective memory disorder and therefore do not recognize people.

Communication

Work with autists is carried out with an orientation to their views and positions. From the point of view of such people, they do not leave society, but simply do not fit into it. Therefore, people around cannot understand the meaning of games, they consider boring topics that are interesting to autists. The speech of autistic people is often unnecessarily monotonous and devoid of emotion. Phrases often turn out to be “short”, as autistic people give out specific information without unnecessary additions. For example, an autistic person will express his desire to drink water with one word “drink”. If other people are talking nearby, then the child with a deviation will repeat their sentences and words. For example, an adult says: “Look, what a plane!”, And an autistic boy unconsciously repeats: “Airplane”, without even realizing that he is speaking out loud. This feature is called echolalile. By the way, often the repetition of other people's words is considered a sign of intelligence, but autistic people do not understand the content of their statements. By their behavior they are sensitive people, and tactile and sensory. This suggests that they absolutely cannot stand loud noises, bright lights, noisy crowds, or visual simulations. At a disco or a party, autistic people can experience a severe shock. Painful for a person will be playing with modeling objects, shining candles on a cake, walking barefoot. It is important to remember that it is impossible to predict the behavior of an autistic person and his next step. The most ordinary things for him represent a whole ritual. For example, to take a bath, you need a certain temperature of water, volume, towel and soap of the same brand.

If any characteristic is violated, then the autistic will not adhere to the ritual. In the active state, he can behave nervously, clap his hands, smack his lips or pull his hair, and this behavior is not purposeful and unconscious.

An ordinary child will not be able to play with autists, since they do not tolerate diversity: having chosen one game, they are not distracted, they remain faithful to one toy. Games can be peculiar, for example, all the toys line up against one wall, and then rebuild to the opposite. There is no need to interfere with such a child, otherwise you can achieve a non-standard and unpredictable reaction, including aggression. Autistic people may be addicted to objects with handles. For hours they turn the shutters, open the doors. In specialized kindergartens, classes with autistic children involve the use of constructors. Sometimes children develop a love for small objects and elevate them to the rank of their friends. In such cases, a simple paperclip or a teddy bear replaces a loved one, and if something happens to them, the child will become depressed or even furious. In modern developing groups, the program for autists allows you to use tablets, learn sensory games. The only difference between toys for autistics is their lightness and ergonomics so that they cannot harm the child.

Autism in a child begins to manifest itself before the age of three, and by the age of seven, the developmental lag becomes apparent. This may be a small stature or an equal level of development of both limbs. In such children, both hands are developed to the maximum. Even children with autism are sluggishly interested in the voice of people, do not ask for hands, hide from a direct look, and are not disposed to natural flirting with their parents. But on the other hand, they are not afraid of the dark and are not shy of strangers. It can be said that the child is cold towards others, but he simply hides his emotions too deeply and declares his desires by crying or screaming. Autistic people are afraid of everything new, so new employees rarely appear in special institutions for their development. Educators do not raise their voices, do not wear high heels, so as not to click them. Any stress can develop into a real phobia. A commemorative photo can be considered a real achievement. An autistic person who is not afraid of the camera is likely to have a mild form of the disease. Almost everyone is frightened by the flash, the sound of the camera, or the process of developing the film if a Polaroid is used.

Public appearances

No wonder they say that many autistic people are brilliant in some areas. There are rumors that the philosopher Immanuel Kant suffered from autism. And this was the artist Niko Pirosmanishvili. Perhaps this explains the strange unsociableness and childlike imagery of Hans Christian Andersen's thoughts. But, one way or another, these are pleasant exceptions, but a substantial part of these children do not have the simplest social and everyday skills. As far as we know, autism is not inherited, since close relationships in people with such a diagnosis are not supposed in principle.

There are very informative documentaries and feature films about autists. In particular, I would like to recall the painting "Rain Man". An amazing film with Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise in the lead roles has captivated many generations of viewers. The plot revolves around two brothers who lost their father. One of the brothers (Cruz) is young, charming and hard-hearted. He has a beautiful girlfriend and big debts. The second (Hoffman) suffers from autism. His home is an autistic center, and all his joys in life lie in organizing books, solving problems and eating the same breakfast. A huge inheritance, not quite fairly divided, forces one brother to kidnap the other and take it away with him, demanding a ransom. They have to communicate with each other, which, surprisingly, benefits the autistic. After all, he is also a man, which at first the hero of Tom Cruise could not understand.

Films about autists are philosophical and instructive. They always have a moral and a double truth. With increased attention and loving attitude, an autistic person can be re-educated and accustomed to society. For this, many methods have been developed, the main purpose of which is to develop independence in the baby. If a child has a severe form of the disease, then there is a school for autists, where he will be taught non-verbal communication and primary adaptation skills. The teachers are kind and gentle.

We are constantly working with a psychologist who teaches certain behavioral techniques. In the process of education and socialization of the child, the parents themselves also learn. They learn that autism is a complex neurobiological developmental disorder. In group photos, an autistic person is distinguished by stereotypical behavior: he stands apart, trying to protect himself from other people.

Medical professionals' verdict

Doctors prefer to classify people with autism according to various criteria, and consider the autism spectrum disorder as a general one with a number of features. This autism spectrum can vary in severity, but invariably indicates the presence of a disease. Autistic people in Moscow undergo several tests during treatment and adaptation to determine their level. Among the signs you are looking for may be autistic disorders, which is a classic of autism, or Asperger's syndrome, but there is also atypical autism, in which doctors note profound developmental disorders. With complex treatment, relatives of autists are also checked. According to statistics, they are united by a low level of development and heterogeneity of the reaction to irritation of electromagnetic fields. The earlier the disease is detected, the greater the chance of a successful outcome.

Who is this autist?

How to recognize autists?

inability to communicate;
violation of social interaction;
deviant, stereotyped behavior and lack of imagination.

Autistic child - signs

has serious difficulties in communication, it is difficult to start and maintain a conversation;
lack of empathy (empathy), and understanding of the states of other people;
sensory sensitivity: a simple handshake or touch by a stranger can cause panic in an autistic person;
violation of the emotional sphere;
stereotyped, ritualistic behavior that persists until the end of life.

Why are autists born?

genetic hereditary anomalies and mutations;
various diseases suffered by a woman during pregnancy (rubella, herpes infection, diabetes mellitus, viral infections);
mother's age after 35 years;
imbalance of hormones (in the fetus, testosterone production increases);
poor ecology, mother's contact during pregnancy with pesticides and heavy metals;
vaccination of the child with vaccinations: the hypothesis is not supported by scientific data.

Rituals and obsessions of an autistic child

Ritual behavior helps the child reduce anxiety. The world with all its changing diversity is incomprehensible to autistics, and rituals give it stability. If an adult intervenes and disrupts the ritual in a child, panic attack syndrome, aggressive behavior, self-aggression may occur. Finding himself in an unusual environment, an autistic person tries to perform his usual stereotypical actions in order to calm down. The rituals and obsessions themselves are diverse, each child has their own unique ones, but there are also similar ones:

twist ropes, objects;
put toys in one row;
walk the same route;
watching the same movie many times;
snap their fingers, shake their heads, walk on tiptoe;
wear only their usual clothes
eating a certain type of food (meager diet);
sniffs objects and people.

How to live with an autist?

understand words literally. Any jokes, sarcasm are inappropriate;
inclined to frankness, honesty. This can be annoying;
do not like to be touched. It is important to respect the child's boundaries;
can not stand loud sounds and screams; calm communication;
it is difficult to understand oral speech, it is possible to communicate through writing, sometimes children begin to write poetry in this way, where their inner world is visible;
there is a limited range of interests where the child is strong, it is important to see this and develop it;
imaginative thinking of the child: instructions, drawings, sequence diagrams - all this helps learning.

How do autists see the world?

Self-injury in autistic people

Professions for autists

drawing business;
programming;
repair of computers, household appliances;
veterinary technician, if he loves animals;
various crafts;
Web design;
work in the laboratory;
Accounting;
work with archives.

How long do autists live?

Famous people with autism

Who is an autist? Autistic children: signs

It is impossible to describe all the signs of autism unequivocally, since they are very multifaceted and are formed in each person in direct proportion to the characteristics of his personality and the environment in which he lives.

But we will still try to understand who an autist is, and to determine the main symptoms of this severe and not fully understood disease.

What causes autism

Researchers still do not have a clear answer to the question of exactly what prerequisites can cause the development of autism in a child.

In an attempt to understand who an autist is, today it is only firmly established that this disease is hereditary. But it can also be provoked by measles, rubella or chickenpox transferred by the mother during pregnancy. Viral infections caught already during childbirth can also be dangerous.

All of these problems lead to the fact that the functioning of the frontal parts of the brain is disrupted in a child - namely, they are responsible for the cognitive process. Therefore, one of the main distinguishing features of autism is the loss of interest in the environment and people, which, by the way, entails another sign - fear of any changes and the inability to understand other people's emotions.

Autistic children: signs of the disease

The earliest signs of autism can be detected already in a three-month-old baby, but they still cannot be attributed to obvious manifestations of pathology. Only at the age of 2.5-3 years is a specific difference between the baby and his peers found, which makes it possible to make a diagnosis.

To establish a diagnosis, the doctor asks the parents about the history of the child's development and, according to their story, restores the picture of the disease.

As a rule, parents pay attention to the fact that the baby did not single out the mother among other adults in infancy, did not react to her presence with a smile or joyful cooing.
They complain that the child, having started to sit, could for a long time, for example, sway while sitting in the crib, or rub against something, sometimes even at night instead of sleeping.
It seems very strange to parents and especially the hearing of their child. He can be frightened and cry when he hears the vacuum cleaner turned on, but at the same time he absolutely does not respond to the words addressed to him, even if they are spoken loudly.

Features of the development of speech in an autistic child

The speech of an autist also develops according to a special scenario. So, usually these children begin to speak only after 2 years. Moreover, they do not have a period of speech imitation, when the baby tries to repeat the sounds heard from the parents. He immediately begins to speak in words or even phrases, which, of course, delights his loved ones.

But such speech has a peculiarity - echolalia. That is, the child, often without understanding the meaning, simply repeats exactly what he heard, sometimes even with the same intonation. This is confirmed by the peculiarities of the child's use of personal pronouns. He can talk about himself: “you”, “he”, and about his interlocutor: “I”, since it was in this way that the phrases that he reproduces were constructed.

In addition, speech skills can easily disappear, since an autistic child does not see the relationship between the pronunciation of words and the fulfillment of any of his needs, which means that he does not see the point in the process of speaking itself.

Features of the perception of the world by an autistic child

To understand what autistic means, you need to understand the features of the perception of the world by this person.

Children with autism are jealous of the order that should prevail in the world they are familiar with. Such a child may not pay attention to the fact that his mother has not been at home for a week, but he will immediately notice the disappearance of the old umbrella hanging in the hallway from its place. Moreover, he will react to this especially - the child is lost, does not know what to do next. A change of scenery, no matter how insignificant for us, can throw an autistic person out of balance.

When playing, such a child will arrange objects in a strict order (understandable only to him), and any violation of this process can cause aggression. Also interesting is the predilection of such children for playing not with the whole toy, but only with its separate detail. The autistic child is very interested in small kitchen utensils, by the way, much more than ordinary toys. He can look at these objects for hours, passing them past his eyes and following the movement.

It is difficult for an autistic person to understand what others want from him.

The most embarrassing thing for those around a child with autism is that they can't show empathy for anyone. But the fact is that for an autistic person, the feelings and sensations of another person always remain a mystery, which means that he is not able to do what you expect from him.

To understand who an autist is, you need to learn: his main problem is the inability to comprehend the "rules of the game" of the society in which he finds himself. And this frightens the patient and makes him avoid any contact, because they force him to feel powerless and confused again and again.

Only loneliness and monotony, the repetition of movements help the autist to regain a sense of confidence and predictability of events, and a violation of their usual course can cause hysteria, aggression, and even an epileptic seizure.

Try to test your child

But, as mentioned above, one cannot be completely sure that we have autistic children in front of us. The symptoms of this disease vary from case to case. In medicine, there is still no concept of a “typical autist”, since there are too many variants of this pathology.

To some extent, a test developed for children 1.5 years old in the USA can help in such a situation. It asks you to answer questions about the child's behavior. If more statements apply to him, then the baby is at high risk of being autistic.

The child does not like being picked up or rocked.
He is not interested in other children.
He doesn't like to play with his parents.
The child does not imitate the actions of adults in the game.
Doesn't use index finger to point to things.
Does not bring the subject of interest to the parents.
The child does not look into the eyes of strangers.
If you invite the child to look somewhere, he does not turn his head.
Cannot respond (with a gesture) to a request to show an object.
Cannot build a tower out of cubes.

How is autism diagnosed?

If you suspect that your child is autistic (signs of pathology were listed above), then first of all you should contact your pediatrician.

To make an accurate diagnosis, not one doctor is required, but a commission. It includes a psychologist or psychiatrist, a pediatrician observing a child, a neurologist and other specialists. Often it includes the parents or caregivers of the child, as they can provide information about his development from infancy.

It is very important to distinguish autism from other developmental disorders. If a child under three years of age has problems in at least one of the areas: in communication, in speech, in the ability to reproduce the actions of adults or perform symbolic actions, and repetitive, stereotypical behavior is noticed, then the presence of autism is considered confirmed.

It turns out that there are physiological manifestations of autism.

In medicine, changes were noted not only in behavior, but also in the state of physical health, which distinguish autistic children (you can see photos of such children in the article). But you should not attribute them to all patients with this diagnosis. This is only a certain tendency to the features of the organism listed below.

The child has an excessively sharpened or, conversely, very dull sensory perception (that is, he can either react painfully to any touch, or not notice severe pain).
Presence of seizures.
Weakened immunity.
Violations of the functions of the pancreas.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

If the child is autistic, treatment is possible

Unfortunately, the treatment of autism is a process that has almost no end. The rhythm of life of a person diagnosed with autism, as well as the activities of his relatives, will be devoted to one goal - to rid the patient of those signs of pathology that prevent him from adapting to the outside world and becoming relatively independent from parents or guardians.

It should be noted right away that drug treatment of this disease has no effect. Drug therapy for autistics is carried out only to relieve the accompanying symptoms in order to facilitate the possibility of a psychotherapeutic effect, which is of decisive importance in the fight against autism.

Rules for Parents of Autistics

Psychological treatment, as mentioned above, continues in the family continuously. And its main condition is that all successfully acquired skills must be constantly repeated, otherwise they may be lost as a result of stress or illness.

Clearly understanding who an autist is, his relatives should follow other rules.

Do not punish a child with autism. He is not able to relate your anger to his bad behavior and therefore simply does not understand what made you angry.
Be sure to give the child the opportunity to be alone in the children's room or in the yard during the day. However, at the same time, make sure that he does not harm himself with something.
Often a child with autism cannot use the acquired skills outside of their usual environment. So, having learned to use the toilet at home, he will not be able to do the same in kindergarten or at school. Be sure to show your child where and how he can use his skills.
If your child finds it too difficult to communicate with you in words, think of other ways. For example, with the help of drawings or ready-made pictures.
And, of course, praise your child for every success. This can be done both in words and as a gift in the form of watching your favorite cartoon or treating your favorite treat.

An autist is a person who lives in his own, created only for him alone, world. You should not unceremoniously break in there, as you can cause aggression and a desire to defend yourself.

Try to be predictable and pedantic - these qualities will make you understandable to your child. Follow the schedule exactly.

Try to attract the attention of the child, for which, in an even voice, call him by name several times until he responds. And when playing or studying with him, make sure that the child is not tired of communication.

What is an autist?

A person diagnosed with autism. This name is more often used - RDA (early childhood autism), since this disease manifests itself up to 3 years. In boys, such conditions are observed approximately 4 times more often than in girls. DRA results from a developmental disorder of the brain and is characterized by abnormalities in social interaction and communication, as well as limited, repetitive behavior. More often they say that "a person lives in his own world", "goes into himself"

Elena Shilovskaya

Kapets you have answers here. A person who likes to be alone and does not want to communicate is an introvert. And an autistic person experiences a lot of sensory overload (too bright, too loud, etc.) and it is really difficult for him to communicate, because he often does not understand some unwritten laws of society. For example, he can say it like it is when someone considers it rude or impolite. He understands phrases literally, it is difficult for him to understand hints, some allegorical things. In addition, he may have speech problems. In early childhood may not have a pointing gesture. That is, he knows the names of animals, but does not show them on request. Doesn't make eye contact because it's too hard for him (peripheral vision). Autistic traits in many children develop after DTP vaccination, especially in cases where the child has a congenital latent infection such as cytomegalovirus that is present without symptoms. He is vaccinated and a rollback in development begins. Autistic people are also characterized by the presence of stimming - some non-functional repetitive actions with which he tries to calm himself. For example, rocking, waving the hands, brisk walking back and forth, combing the skin, running in circles. Everyone has their own. An autistic person can and does have an interest in the people around them, but is not often able to establish relationships, contact. Anything to do with social interaction is just hard for him. Not because he doesn’t want to, but because of the peculiarities of the work of the nervous system, because of overloads. Some people have hypersensitive hearing, so they cover their ears and cannot attend mass gatherings. It is hard for them to survive fun festivities and holidays. Children can hide from Santa Claus on a common Christmas tree and pinch their ears. If an autist is highly functional (safe and high intelligence), it is still difficult for him. At the same time, often parents do not formalize the diagnosis officially, and society makes excessive demands on the child. Such a person cannot serve in the army, it is often difficult for him to find a job, he is not resistant to stress. Children need professional help from applied behavior analysts. You can learn more about autism on the Vykhod Foundation website - http://outfund.ru/

Alena Tumaeva

what nonsense!! This is not a disease, this person may have autism, but he can also lead a normal life, it's just that people don't play a very important role for him. He is enchanted by his own fantasies, but does not lose contact with the outside world.

Max Kolosov

Anastasia Zueva

Who is an autist Who is an autist

Lyudmila tymoshenko

Children with autism do not want to make friends. Such children give preference to loneliness, and not to games with peers. Autistic people develop speech slowly, often use gestures instead of words, and do not respond to smiles. Autism is about four times more common among boys. This disease is quite common (5-20 cases per 10,000 children).
In some children, symptoms of autism can be detected as early as infancy. Most often, autism manifests itself by the age of three. Signs of autism can vary depending on the child's developmental level and age.
Behavioral characteristics used to describe autism syndrome:
The development of non-verbal and verbal communication is impaired. Characteristic:
Lack of facial expressions and gestures. Speech may also be absent;
The child never smiles at the interlocutor, does not look into his eyes;
Speech is normal, but the child cannot talk to others;
Speech is abnormal in content and form, that is, the child repeats phrases heard somewhere that do not apply to this situation;
Speech is abnormal phonetically (problems with intonation, rhythm, monotony of speech).
Impaired development of social skills. Characteristic:
Children do not want to communicate and be friends with peers;
Ignoring the feelings and existence of other people (even parents);
They do not share their problems with their loved ones, because they do not see the need for this;
They never imitate either facial expressions or gestures of other people or repeat these actions unconsciously, without connecting them in any way with the situation.
The development of the imagination is impaired, which leads to a limited range of interests. Characteristic:
Unnatural, nervous, aloof behavior;
An autistic child shows tantrums when the environment changes;
Preference is given to solitude, games with oneself;
Lack of imagination and interest in imaginary events;
Craving for a certain object and experiencing an obsessive desire to constantly hold it in his hands;
Feels the requirement to repeat exactly the same actions;
Focuses on one thing.
People with autism are characterized by uneven development, which gives them the opportunity to be talented in some narrow area (music, mathematics). Autism is characterized by a violation of the development of social, mental, speech skills.
Some researchers believe that various birth pathologies, traumatic brain injuries, and infections can become the cause of autism. Another group of scientists refers autism to childhood schizophrenia. There is also an opinion about congenital dysfunction of the brain.
It is likely that innate emotional fragility plays an important role in the development of autism. In such cases, when exposed to any adverse factors, the child is closed from the outside world.
Doctors are not immediately able to identify autism in a child. The reason for this is that such symptoms of autism are observed in the normal development of the child. As a result, the diagnosis is often delayed. Autism is characterized by a diverse manifestation, while a child may have only two or three symptoms, which also makes diagnosis difficult. The main symptom of autism is a violation of the perception of reality.
A child with autism does not want to interact with anyone. It seems that he does not even feel pain. Speech develops slowly. There is an underdevelopment of speech. The child is afraid of everything new, performs monotonous and repetitive movements.

Danil Kolmogorov

Autism is a brain developmental disorder characterized by marked and pervasive deficits in social interaction and communication, as well as limited interests and repetitive activities.

Yaroslav syzchenko

A developmental disorder that is characterized by motor and speech disorders and leads to impaired social interaction is autism. This disease has a strong impact on the early development of the child and on the whole life of a person in the future. There are no medical tests that can diagnose autism. Only by observing the behavior of the child and his communication with others can a diagnosis of autism be made.

Anastasia Zueva

Autism is a mental state characterized by the predominance of a closed inner life and active withdrawal from the outside world, immersion in the world of personal experiences with weakening or loss of contact with reality, loss of interest in reality, lack of desire to communicate with other people, scarcity of emotional manifestations; symptom of a mental disorder

Albina

every 68 child has signs of an autism spectrum disorder, the spectrum is very wide: from an unusual worldview to severe isolation, accompanied by a speech lag (the spectrum is also very wide). unlike Down syndrome, which is diagnosed at the first ultrasound and is almost always determined immediately, is diagnosed by about three years, is not predictable in any way and the causes have not been fully identified. The child avoids looking, does not fully use speech, even if it exists, it is difficult to learn communication skills, has a set of complex fears (loud sounds, unusual conditions). Motives and interests are selective. In general, these are children of a completely different formation, while this is referred to as deviations, but who knows. Without assimilating seemingly elementary knowledge, they definitely have an excellent memory, associative thinking, and intuition. if they have a hearing, then it is perfect, if they have an ability for mathematics, then it is noticeably above average, etc. Denying God is atheism.

Tolyanych

All go to this server in sump
HostName: .:: WHEN LOGIN LEVEL 8 ADMIN! ::.
Address: 149.202.89.141:7701
Players: 58 / 1000
Ping: 123
Mode: Role Play 0.3.7
Language: RUS | U.A.

Thanks

The site provides reference information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. Expert advice is required!

What is autism?

Autism- this is mental disorder, accompanied by a violation of communication with the outside world. Since there are several variants of this disease, the most commonly used term is autism spectrum disorder.
The problem of autism attracts not only scientists and psychiatrists, but also teachers, kindergarten teachers and psychologists. You need to know that the symptoms of autism are characteristic of a number of mental illnesses (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder). However, in this case we are not talking about autism as a diagnosis, but only as a syndrome in the frame of another disease.

autism statistics

According to statistics provided in 2000, the number of patients diagnosed with autism ranged from 5 to 26 per 10,000 children. After 5 years, the rates increased significantly - one case of this disorder accounted for 250 - 300 newborns. In 2008, statistics provide the following data - among 150 children, one suffers from this disease. Over the past decades, the number of patients with autistic disorders has increased 10-fold.

Today, in the United States of America, this pathology is diagnosed in every 88 children. If we compare the situation in America with the one that was in 2000, then the number of autistic people has increased by 78 percent.

There are no reliable data on the prevalence of this disease in the Russian Federation. According to existing information in Russia, one child out of 200,000 children suffers from autism, and it is obvious that this statistic is far from reality. The lack of objective information about patients with this disorder suggests that there is a large percentage of children in whom it is not diagnosed.

Representatives of the World Health Organization declare that autism is a disease, the prevalence of which does not depend on gender, race, social status and material well-being. Despite this, according to existing data in the Russian Federation, about 80 percent of autistic people live in families with a low level of income. This is explained by the fact that the treatment and support of a child with autism requires large financial costs. Also, raising such a family member requires a lot of free time, so most often one of the parents is forced to give up work, which negatively affects the level of income.

Many patients with autistic disorder are brought up in broken families. Large expenditures of money and physical effort, emotional distress and anxiety - all these factors cause a large number of divorces in families where a child with autism is brought up.

Reasons for the development of autism

Research on autism has been carried out since the 18th century, but as a clinical unit, childhood autism was singled out by psychologist Kanner only in 1943. A year later, the Australian psychotherapist Asperger published a scientific paper on the topic of autistic psychopathy in children. Later, in honor of this scientist, a syndrome was named, which refers to autism spectrum disorders.
Both scientists already then determined that the main characteristic of such children was the problems of social adaptation. However, according to Kanner, autism is a birth defect, and according to Asperger, it is constitutional. Researchers have also identified other characteristics of autism, such as obsessive orderliness, unusual interests, isolated behavior, and avoidance of social life.

Despite numerous studies in this area, the exact cause of autism has not yet been clarified. There are many theories that consider the biological, social, immunological and other causes of autism.

Theories for the development of autism are:

biological;
genetic;
post-vaccination;
theory of metabolism;
opioid;
neurochemical.

Biological theory of autism

Biological theory considers autism as a consequence of brain damage. This theory replaced the psychogenic theory (popular in the 1950s), which claimed that autism develops as a result of a mother's cold and hostile attitude towards her child. Numerous studies in the past and present century have confirmed that the brains of children with autism differ both structurally and functionally.

Functional features of the brain
Brain dysfunction is confirmed by electroencephalogram data (a test that records the electrical activity of the brain).

Features of the electrical activity of the brain in autistic children are:

a decrease in the convulsive threshold, and sometimes foci of epileptiform activity in the associative regions of the brain;
intensification of slow-wave forms of activity (mainly theta rhythm), which is a characteristic of the depletion of the cortical system;
increase in the functional activity of the underlying structures;
delayed maturation of the EEG pattern;
weak expression of the alpha rhythm;
the presence of residual organic centers, most often in the right hemisphere.

Structural features of the brain
Structural abnormalities in autistic children were examined using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and PET (positron emission tomography). These studies often reveal asymmetry of the ventricles of the brain, thinning of the corpus callosum, expansion of the subarachnoid space, and sometimes local foci of demyelination (lack of myelin).

Morphofunctional changes in the brain in autism are:

decreased metabolism in the temporal and parietal lobes of the brain;
increased metabolism in the left frontal lobe and left hippocampus (brain structures).

Genetic theory of autism

The theory is based on numerous studies of monozygotic and dizygotic twins, as well as siblings of autistic children. In the first case, studies have shown that concordance (the number of matches) for autism in monozygotic twins is ten times higher than in dizygotic twins. For example, according to Freeman's research, in 1991, monozygotic twins had a 90 percent concordance rate, while dizygotic twins had a 20 percent concordance rate. This means that 90 percent of the time, both identical twins will develop an autism spectrum disorder, and 20 percent of the time, both of the identical twins will have autism.

Close relatives of a child with autism were also subjected to the study. So, the concordance in the brothers and sisters of the patient is from 2 to 3 percent. This means that the sibling of an autistic child is 50 times more likely to develop the disease than other children. All of these studies are supported by another study by Lakson in 1986. It included 122 children with autism spectrum disorder who were subjected to genetic analysis. It turned out that 19 percent of the examined children were carriers of the fragile X chromosome. The fragile (or fragile) X chromosome syndrome is a genetic anomaly in which one of the ends of the chromosome is narrowed. This is due to the expansion of some single nucleotides, which, in turn, leads to a deficiency of the FMR1 protein. Since this protein is necessary for the full development of the nervous system, its deficiency is accompanied by various pathologies of mental development.

The hypothesis that the development of autism is due to a genetic anomaly was also confirmed by a multicenter international study in 2012. It included 400 children with autism spectrum disorder who underwent DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) genotyping. The study revealed a high frequency of mutations and a high degree of gene polymorphism in children. Thus, numerous chromosomal aberrations were found - deletions, duplications and translocations.

Post-vaccination theory of autism

This is a relatively young theory that does not have sufficient evidence. However, the theory is widely held among parents of children with autism. According to this theory, the cause of autism is mercury intoxication, which is part of the preservatives for vaccines. Most "got" polyvalent vaccine against measles, rubella and mumps. In Russia, both domestically produced vaccines (abbreviation KPC) and imported vaccines (Priorix) are used. This vaccine is known to contain a mercury compound called thimerosal. On this occasion, studies have been conducted in Japan, the USA and many other countries on the relationship between the occurrence of autism and thimerosal. In the course of these studies, it turned out that there is no connection between them. However, Japan has abandoned the use of this compound in the manufacture of vaccines. However, this did not lead to a decrease in the incidence rate before the use of thimerosal, and after it ceased to be used - the number of sick children did not decrease.

At the same time, despite the fact that all previous studies deny the relationship between vaccines and autism, parents of sick children note that the first signs of the disease are observed after vaccination. Perhaps the reason for this is the age of the child when the vaccination is given. The MMR vaccine is administered at one year, which coincides with the appearance of the first signs of autism. This suggests that vaccination in this case acts as a stress factor that triggers pathological development.

Theory of metabolism

According to this theory, an autistic type of development is observed in certain metabolic pathologies. Autism syndromes are observed in phenylketonuria, mucopolysaccharidoses, histidinemia (a genetic disease in which the metabolism of the amino acid histidine is impaired) and other diseases. The most common is Rett syndrome, which is characterized by clinical diversity.

The opioid theory of autism

Proponents of this theory believe that autism develops due to an overload of the central nervous system with opioids. These opioids appear in the child's body as a result of incomplete breakdown of gluten and casein. A prerequisite for this is the defeat of the intestinal mucosa. This theory has not yet been confirmed by research. However, there are studies that prove the relationship between autism and a disturbed digestive system.
Part of this theory is supported by the diet given to children with autism. So, autistic children are advised to exclude casein (dairy products) and gluten (cereals) from the diet. The effectiveness of such a diet is debatable - it cannot cure autism, but according to scientists, it can correct certain disorders.

Neurochemical theory of autism

Supporters of the neurochemical theory believe that autism develops due to hyperactivation of the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems of the brain. This hypothesis is confirmed by numerous studies that have proven that autism (and other diseases) is accompanied by hyperfunction of these systems. To eliminate this hyperfunction, drugs that block the dopaminergic system are used. The most famous such drug used in autism is risperidone. This drug is sometimes very effective in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders, which proves the validity of this theory.

Autism Research

The abundance of theories and the lack of a single point of view regarding the causes of autism has become a prerequisite for the continuation of numerous studies in this area.
A study conducted in 2013 by scientists from the University of Guelph (Canada) concluded that there is a vaccine that can control the symptoms of autism. This vaccine is designed against the bacterium Clostridium bolteae. It is known that this microorganism is found in high concentrations in the intestines of autistic children. It is also the cause of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract - diarrhea, constipation. Thus, the presence of a vaccine supports the theory of the relationship between autism and digestive disorders.

Not only does the vaccine relieve symptoms (which affect more than 90 percent of children with autism), the researchers say it can also control the progression of the disease. The vaccine has been tested in the laboratory, and according to Canadian scientists, it stimulates the production of specific antibodies. The same scientists published a report on the impact of various toxins on the intestinal mucosa. Canadian scientists have concluded that the high prevalence of autism in recent decades is due to the effect of bacterial toxins on the gastrointestinal tract. Also, the toxins and metabolites of these bacteria can determine the severity of autism symptoms and control its development.

Another interesting study was carried out jointly by American and Swiss scientists. This study concerns the likelihood of developing autism in both sexes. According to statistics, the number of boys with autism is 4 times higher than the number of girls suffering from this disease. This fact was the basis of the theory of gender injustice in relation to autism. The researchers concluded that the female body has a more reliable defense system against light mutations. Therefore, men are 50 percent more likely to develop intellectual and mental disabilities than women.

Development of autism

The development of autism is different for every child. Even in twins, the course of the disease can be very individual. However, clinicians distinguish several variants of the course of autism spectrum disorders.

Options for the development of autism are:

Malignant development of autism- characterized by the fact that symptoms appear in early childhood. The clinical picture is characterized by rapid and early disintegration of mental functions. The degree of social disintegration increases with age, and some autism spectrum disorders can turn into schizophrenia.
The undulating course of autism- characterized by periodic exacerbations, which are often seasonal. The severity of these exacerbations can be different each time.
Regressive course of autism characterized by a gradual improvement in symptoms. Despite the rapid onset of the disease, the symptoms of autism gradually regress. However, signs of mental dysontogenesis persist.

The prognosis for autism is also very individual. It depends on the age when the disease debuted, the degree of decay of mental functions and other factors.

Factors affecting the course of autism are:

the development of speech up to 6 years is a sign of a favorable course of autism;
visiting special educational institutions is a favorable factor and plays an important role in the adaptation of the child;
mastering a “craft” allows you to realize yourself professionally in the future - according to research, every fifth child with autism is able to master a profession, but does not do it;
visiting speech therapy classes or kindergartens with a speech therapy profile has a positive effect on the further development of the child, because according to statistics, half of adults with autism do not speak.

Autism Symptoms

The clinical picture of autism is very diverse. Basically, it is determined by such parameters as uneven maturation of the mental, emotional-volitional and speech spheres, persistent stereotypes, and lack of response to the appeal. Children with autism differ in their behavior, speech, intelligence, as well as their attitude to the world around them.

The symptoms of autism are:

speech pathology;
features of the development of intelligence;

pathology of behavior;
hyperactive syndrome;
emotional disorders.

Speech in autism

Features of speech development are noted in 70 percent of cases of autism. Often, the lack of speech is the first symptom, about which parents turn to defectologists and speech therapists. The first words appear on average by 12-18 months, and the first phrases (but not sentences) by 20-22 months. However, the appearance of the first words may be delayed up to 3-4 years. Even if the child's vocabulary by the age of 2-3 is normal, the fact that children do not ask questions (which is typical for young children) and do not talk about themselves attracts attention. Children usually sing or mumble something incomprehensible.

Very often, the child stops talking after speech has been formed. Although a child's vocabulary may increase with age, speech is rarely used for communication. Children can conduct dialogues, monologues, declare poems, but do not use words for communication.

Characteristics of speech in autistic children are:

echolalia - repetitions;
whispering or, conversely, loud speech;
metaphorical language;
play on words;
neologisms;
unusual intonation;
permutation of pronouns;
violation of mimic expression;
lack of response to the speech of others.

Echolalia is the repetition of previously spoken words, phrases, sentences. At the same time, children themselves are not able to build sentences. For example, to the question "how old are you", the child answers - "how old are you, how old are you." On the offer “let's go to the store”, the child repeats “let's go to the store”. Also, children with autism do not use the pronoun “I”, rarely address their parents with the words “mom”, “dad”.
In their speech, children often use metaphors, figurative turns, neologisms, which gives a bizarre shade to the child's conversation. Gestures and facial expressions are very rarely used, which makes it difficult to assess the emotional status of the child. A distinctive feature is that, declaring and chanting large texts, children can hardly start a conversation and maintain it in the future. All these features of speech development reflect violations in the communicative spheres.

The core disorder in autism is the problem of understanding addressed speech. Even with preserved intelligence, children hardly react to the speech addressed to them.
In addition to problems with understanding speech and the difficulty in using it, autistic children often have speech defects. It can be dysarthria, dyslalia and other speech development disorders. Children often draw out words, put stress on the last syllables, while maintaining a babbling intonation. Therefore, speech therapy classes are a very important point in the rehabilitation of such children.

Intelligence in autism

The majority of autistic children have features of cognitive activity. That is why one of the problems of autism is its differential diagnosis with mental retardation (MPD).
Studies have shown that the intelligence of autistic children is on average lower than that of children with normal development. At the same time, their IQ is higher than with mental retardation. At the same time, uneven intellectual development is noted. The general baggage of knowledge and the ability to understand some sciences in autistic children is below the norm, while vocabulary and rote memory are developed above the norm. Thinking is characterized by concreteness and photographicity, but its flexibility is limited. Autistic children may show an increased interest in sciences such as botany, astronomy, and zoology. All this suggests that the structure of the intellectual defect in autism differs from the structure in mental retardation.

The ability to abstract is also limited. The decline in school performance is largely due to behavioral anomalies. Children have difficulty concentrating and often exhibit hyperactive behavior. It is especially difficult where spatial concepts and flexibility of thinking are necessary. At the same time, 3-5 percent of children with autism spectrum disorders demonstrate one or two "special skills". It can be exceptional mathematical abilities, recreating complex geometric shapes, virtuoso playing a musical instrument. Also, children may have an exceptional memory for numbers, dates, names. Such children are also called "autistic geniuses." Despite the presence of one or two of these abilities, all other signs of autism persist. First of all, dominated by social isolation, disruption of communication, difficulties in adaptation. An example of such a case is the film "Rain Man", which tells about an already adult autistic genius.

The degree of intellectual delay depends on the type of autism. So, with Asperger's syndrome, intelligence is preserved, which is a favorable factor for social integration. Children in this case are able to finish school and get an education.
However, in more than half of cases, autism is accompanied by a decrease in intelligence. The level of reduction can be different - from a deep to a slight delay. More often (60 percent) there are moderate forms of lag, in 20 percent - mild, in 17 percent - intelligence is normal, and in 3 percent of cases - intelligence is above average.

Behavior in autism

One of the main characteristics of autism is impaired communication behavior. The behavior of autistic children is characterized by isolation, isolation, lack of adaptation skills. Autistic children, refusing to communicate with the outside world, go into their inner fantasy world. They hardly get along in the company of children and generally do not tolerate crowded places.

Characteristics of the behavior of children with autism are:

autoaggression and heteroaggression;
commitment to constancy;
stereotypes - motor, sensory, vocal;
rituals.

Auto-aggression in behavior
As a rule, the behavior is dominated by elements of auto-aggression - that is, aggression against oneself. The child shows such behavior when something does not suit him. This may be the appearance of a new child in the environment, a change of toys, a change in the atmosphere of the place. At the same time, the aggressive behavior of an autistic child is directed at himself - he can hit himself, bite, hit his cheeks. Auto-aggression can also turn into hetero-aggression, in which aggressive behavior is directed at others. Such destructive behavior is a kind of protection against possible changes in the habitual way of life.

The greatest difficulty in raising an autistic child is going to a public place. Even if the child does not show any signs of autistic behavior at home, then “going out to people” is a stress factor that provokes inappropriate behavior. At the same time, children can perform inappropriate actions - throw themselves on the floor, beat and bite themselves, squeal. It is extremely rare (almost exceptional cases) for autistic children to respond calmly to change. Therefore, before going to a new place, parents are advised to familiarize their child with the upcoming route. Any change of scenery should be carried out in stages. This, first of all, concerns integration into a kindergarten or school. First, the child must familiarize himself with the route, then with the place where he will spend time. Adaptation in the kindergarten is carried out starting from two hours a day, gradually increasing the hours.

Rituals in the behavior of autistic children
This commitment to constancy applies not only to the environment, but also to other aspects - food, clothing, play. Changing meals can be stressful. So, if a child is used to eating porridge for breakfast, then an omelet served suddenly can provoke an attack of aggression. Eating, putting on things, playing and any other activity is often accompanied by peculiar rituals. The ritual may consist in a certain order of serving dishes, washing hands, getting up from the table. Rituals can be completely incomprehensible and inexplicable. For example, touch the stove before sitting at the table, jump before going to bed, go to the porch of the store while walking, and so on.

Stereotypes in the behavior of autistic children
The behavior of autistic children, regardless of the form of the disease, is stereotyped. There are motor stereotypes in the form of swaying, circling around its axis, jumping, nodding, finger movements. Most autistic people are characterized by athetosis-like movements of the fingers in the form of fingering, flexion and extension, folding. No less characteristic are such movements as shaking, bouncing starting from the fingertips, walking on tiptoe. Most motor stereotypes resolve with age and are rarely seen in adolescents. Voice stereotypes are manifested in the repetition of words in response to a question (echolalia), in the declaration of poems. There is a stereotypical account.

Hyperactivity syndrome in autism

Hyperactivity syndrome is observed in 60 - 70 percent of cases. It is characterized by increased activity, constant movement, restlessness. All this may be accompanied by psychopathic phenomena, such as disinhibition, excitability, screams. If you try to stop the child or take something away from him, then this leads to protest reactions. During such reactions, children fall to the floor, scream, fight, hit themselves. Hyperactivity syndrome is almost always accompanied by attention deficit, which causes certain difficulties in behavior correction. Children are disinhibited, cannot stand or sit in one place, are unable to concentrate on anything. With severe hyperactive behavior, drug treatment is recommended.

Emotional disorders in autism

From the first years of life, children have emotional disorders. They are characterized by an inability to identify their own emotions and understand others. Autistic children cannot empathize or enjoy something, and they also have difficulty showing their own feelings. Even if a child learns the name of emotions from pictures, he is not able to subsequently apply his knowledge in life.

The lack of an emotional response is largely due to the social isolation of the child. Since it is impossible to experience emotional experience in life, it is impossible for a child to further comprehend these emotions.
Disorders of the emotional sphere are also expressed in the lack of perception of the surrounding world. So, it is difficult for a child to imagine his room, even knowing by heart all the objects that are in it. Having no idea about his own room, the child also cannot imagine the inner world of another person.

Features of the development of children with autism

Features of a one-year-old child often manifest themselves in a delay in the development of crawling, sitting, standing, and first steps. When the child begins to take the first steps, parents note some features - the child often freezes, walks or runs on tiptoe with arms outstretched ("butterfly"). The gait is distinguished by a certain woodenness (the legs do not seem to bend), impulsiveness and impulsiveness. Often children are clumsy and baggy, however, gracefulness can also be observed.

The assimilation of gestures is also delayed - there is practically no pointing gesture, difficulties in greeting-farewell, affirmation-denial. The facial expressions of children with autism are distinguished by inactivity and poverty. Often there are serious faces, with traced features (“the face of a prince” according to Kanner).

Disability in autism

With a disease such as autism, a disability group is required. It must be understood that disability involves not only cash payments, but also assistance in the rehabilitation of the child. Rehabilitation includes placement in a specialized preschool, such as a speech therapy garden, and other benefits for children with autism.

Benefits for children with autism with a disability include:

free visits to specialized educational institutions;
registration in a speech therapy garden or in a speech therapy group;
tax deductions for medical treatment;
benefits for sanatorium treatment;
the opportunity to study according to an individual program;
assistance in psychological, social and professional rehabilitation.

In order to apply for disability, it is necessary to be examined by a psychiatrist, a psychologist, and most often inpatient treatment is required (to lie down in a hospital). You can also be observed in a day hospital (come only for consultations), if there are any in the city. In addition to inpatient observation, it is necessary to undergo an examination with a speech therapist, neuropathologist, ophthalmologist, otorhinolaryngologist, as well as pass a general urine test and a blood test. The results of consultations of specialists and the results of analyzes are recorded in a special medical form. If a child attends a kindergarten or school, a characteristic is also needed. After that, the district psychiatrist who observes the child sends the mother and baby to the medical commission. On the day of passing the commission, it is necessary to have a characteristic for the child, a card with all the specialists, analyzes and diagnosis, parents' passports, a birth certificate of the child.

Types of autism

When determining the type of autism, modern psychiatrists in their practice are most often guided by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD).
According to the international classification of diseases of the tenth revision, children's autism, Rett's syndrome, Asperger's syndrome and others are distinguished. However, the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Illness (DSM) currently considers only one clinical entity, autism spectrum disorder. Thus, the question of variants of autism depends on what classification the specialist uses. Western countries and the US use the DSM, so there is no longer a diagnosis of Asperger's or Rett's syndrome in those countries. In Russia and some countries of the post-Soviet space, the ICD is more often used.

The main types of autism, which are indicated in the International Classification of Diseases, include:

early childhood autism;
atypical autism;
Rett syndrome;
Asperger's Syndrome.

Other types of autism, which are quite rare, belong to the heading "other types of autistic disorders".

early childhood autism

Early childhood autism is a type of autism in which mental and behavioral disorders begin to appear from the first days of a child's life. Instead of the term "early infantile autism", in medicine they also use "Kanner's syndrome". Out of ten thousand babies and young children, this type of autism occurs in 10 to 15 babies. Boys suffer from Kanner's syndrome 3 to 4 times more often than girls.

Signs of early childhood autism can begin to appear from the first days of a baby's life. In such children, mothers note a violation of the reaction to auditory stimuli and inhibition of the reaction to various visual contacts. In the first years of life, children have difficulty understanding speech. They also have a delay in the development of speech. By the age of five, a child with early childhood autism has difficulty with social relationships and persistent behavioral problems.

The main manifestations of early childhood autism are:

autism itself;
the presence of fears and phobias;
lack of a stable sense of self-preservation;
stereotypes;
special speech;
impaired cognitive and intellectual abilities;
special game;
features of motor functions.

Autism
Autism, as such, is primarily characterized by impaired eye contact. The child does not fix his gaze on the face of anyone and constantly avoids looking into the eyes. He seems to be looking past or through the person. Sound or visual stimuli are not able to cause the child to revive. A smile rarely appears on the face, and even the laughter of adults or other children is unable to cause it. Another pronounced feature of autism is a special attitude towards parents. The need for a mother is practically not manifested in any way. Delayed children do not recognize their mother, so when she appears, they do not begin to smile or move towards. There is also a weak reaction to her departure.

The appearance of a new person can cause pronounced negative emotions - anxiety, fear, aggression. Communication with other children is very difficult and is accompanied by negative impulsive actions (resistance, flight). But sometimes the child just completely ignores anyone who is near him. Reaction and response to verbal appeal is also absent or severely inhibited. The child may not even respond to his own name.

Presence of fears and phobias
In more than 80 percent of cases, early childhood autism is accompanied by the presence of various fears and phobias.

The main types of fears and phobias in early childhood autism

Types of fears	The main objects and situations that cause fear
*Overvalued fears* *(associated with the reassessment of the significance and danger of certain objects and phenomena)*	loneliness; height; stairs; strangers; darkness; animals.
*Fears associated with auditory (auditory) stimuli*	household items - vacuum cleaner, hair dryer, electric shaver; noise of water in pipes and toilet; elevator hum; sounds of cars and motorcycles.
*Fear associated with visual stimuli*	bright light; flashing lights; abrupt change of frame on the TV; shiny objects; fireworks; the bright clothes of the surrounding people.
*Fears associated with tactile stimuli*	water; rain; snow; fur things.
*delusional fears*	own shadow; objects of a certain color or shape; any holes in the walls ventilation, sockets); certain people, sometimes even parents.

Lack of a strong sense of self-preservation
In some cases of early childhood autism, the sense of self-preservation is impaired. In 20 percent of sick children there is no "sense of edge". Toddlers sometimes dangerously hang over the side of strollers or climb over the walls of the arena and crib. Often, children can spontaneously run out onto the road, jump from a height, or go into the water to a dangerous depth. Also, many do not have a negative experience of burns, cuts and bruises. Older children are deprived of defensive aggression and are not able to stand up for themselves when they are offended by their peers.

stereotypes
In early childhood autism, more than 65 percent of patients develop various stereotypes - frequent repetitions of certain movements and manipulations.

Stereotypes of early childhood autism

Types of stereotypes	Examples
*Motor*	rocking in a wheelchair; monotonous movements of the limbs or head; long jump; stubborn swinging on a swing.
*Speech*	frequent repetition of a certain sound or word; constant counting of items; involuntary repetition of heard words or sounds.
*Behavioral*	choice of the same food; ritualism in the choice of clothes; unchanging itinerary.
*Touch*	turns on and off the light; pours small items mosaic, sand, sugar); rustling candy wrappers; sniffs the same objects; licks certain objects.

Special speech
In early childhood autism, the development and mastery of speech is delayed. Toddlers start to pronounce the first words late. Their speech is unintelligible and not addressed to a specific person. The child has difficulty understanding or ignoring verbal instructions. Gradually, the speech is filled with unusual words, commenting phrases, neologisms. The features of speech also include frequent monologues, dialogues with oneself and constant echolalia (automatic repetition of words, phrases, quotes).

Impaired cognitive and intellectual abilities
In early childhood autism, cognitive and intellectual abilities lag behind or accelerate in development. Approximately 15 percent of patients develop these abilities within the normal range.

Violation of cognitive and intellectual abilities

Special game
Some children with early autism completely ignore toys, and there is no play at all. For others, the game is limited to simple manipulations of the same type with the same toy. Often foreign objects that are not related to toys are involved in the game. At the same time, the functional properties of these objects are not used in any way. Games usually take place in a secluded place in solitude.

Features of motor functions
More than half of patients with early childhood autism have hyperexcitability (increased motor activity). Various external stimuli can provoke pronounced motor activity - the child begins to stomp his feet, wave his arms, fight back. Awakening is often accompanied by crying, screaming, or erratic movements. In 40 percent of sick children, opposite manifestations are observed. Reduced muscle tone is accompanied by low mobility. Babies suck sluggishly. Children react poorly to physical discomfort (cold, moisture, hunger). External stimuli are not able to cause adequate reactions.

atypical autism

Atypical autism is a special form of autism in which clinical manifestations may be hidden for many years or be mild. With this disease, not all the main symptoms of autism are detected, which complicates the diagnosis at an early stage.
The clinical picture of atypical autism is represented by a variety of symptoms that can manifest themselves in different patients in different combinations. The whole set of symptoms can be divided into five main groups.

Typical groups of symptoms of atypical autism are:

speech disorders;
signs of emotional insufficiency;
signs of social maladaptation and failure;
thought disorder;
irritability.

Speech disorders
People with atypical autism have difficulty learning a language. They have difficulty understanding the speech of other people, taking everything literally. Due to the small vocabulary that does not correspond to age, the expression of one's own thoughts and ideas is complicated. Studying new words and phrases, the patient forgets the information mastered in the past. Patients with atypical autism do not understand the emotions and feelings of others, so they lack the ability to empathize and worry about their loved ones.

Signs of emotional insufficiency
Another important sign of atypical autism is the inability to express one's emotions. Even when the patient has inner experiences, he is not able to explain and express what he feels. It may seem to others that he is simply indifferent and unemotional.

Signs of social maladaptation and insolvency
In each individual case, the signs of social maladaptation and insolvency have a different degree of severity and their own special character.

The main signs of social maladaptation and insolvency include:

a tendency to loneliness;
avoiding any contact;
lack of communication;
Difficulties in establishing contact with strangers;
inability to make friends;
Difficulty making eye contact with an opponent.

thought disorder
People with atypical autism have limited thinking. It is difficult for them to accept any innovations and changes. A change of scenery, a failure in the established routine of the day, or the appearance of new people causes confusion and panic. Attachment can be observed in relation to clothes, food, certain smells and colors.

Irritability
In atypical autism, the nervous system is more sensitive to various external stimuli. From bright light or loud music, the patient becomes nervous, irritable and even aggressive.

Rett syndrome

Rett syndrome refers to a special form of autism, in which severe neuropsychiatric disorders appear against the background of progressive degenerative changes in the central nervous system. The cause of Rett syndrome is a mutation of one of the genes on the sex X chromosome. This explains the fact that only girls are affected. Almost all male fetuses that have one X chromosome in the genome die in the womb.

The first signs of the disease begin to appear 6 to 18 months after the birth of the child. Until this time, the growth and development of the baby does not differ from the norm. Psychoneurological disorders develop through four stages of the disease.

Rett syndrome stages

stages	Child's age	Manifestations
I	*6 – 18 months*	the growth of individual parts of the body slows down - hands, feet, head; diffuse hypotension appears ( muscle weakness); decreased interest in games; the ability to communicate with the child is limited; some motor stereotypes appear - swaying, rhythmic bending of the fingers.
II	*1 – 4 years*	frequent bouts of anxiety; sleep disturbance with screams upon awakening; acquired skills are lost; speech difficulties appear; there are more motor stereotypes; walking is difficult due to loss of balance; there are seizures with convulsions and convulsions.
*III*	*3 – 10 years*	The progression of the disease is stopped. The main symptom is mental retardation. During this period, it becomes possible to establish emotional contact with the child.
IV	*from 5 years*	body mobility is lost due to muscle atrophy; scoliosis occurs rachiocampsis); speech is disturbed - words are used incorrectly, echolalia appears; mental retardation worsens, but emotional attachment and communication persists.

Due to severe motor disorders and pronounced neuropsychiatric changes, Rett syndrome is the most severe form of autism that cannot be corrected.

Asperger's Syndrome

Asperger's Syndrome is another type of autism that is a common developmental disorder in a child. Among patients, 80 percent are boys. There are 7 cases of this syndrome per one thousand children. Symptoms of the disease begin to appear from 2 to 3 years, but the final diagnosis is most often made at 7 to 16 years.
Among the manifestations of Asperger's syndrome, there are three main characteristics of a violation of the psychophysiological state of the child.

The main characteristics of Asperger's Syndrome are:

violations of a social nature;
features of intellectual development;
violations of sensory (sensitivity) and motor skills.

Social Disorders
Violations of a social nature are caused by deviations in non-verbal behavior. Because of their peculiar gestures, facial expressions, and mannerisms, children with Asperger's Syndrome are unable to connect with other children or adults. They cannot empathize with others and are unable to express their feelings. In kindergarten, such children do not make friends, keep apart, do not participate in common games. For this reason, they are considered to be self-centered and callous personalities. Social difficulties also arise due to intolerance to other people's touch and eye-to-eye eye contact.

When interacting with peers, children with Asperger's tend to impose their own rules, not accepting other people's ideas and not willing to compromise. In response to this, those around them no longer want to come into contact with such children, aggravating their social isolation. This leads to depression, suicidal tendencies and various types of addiction during adolescence.

Features of intellectual development
Asperger's Syndrome is characterized by relatively intact intelligence. It is not characterized by gross developmental delays. Children with Asperger's Syndrome are able to graduate from educational institutions.

The features of the intellectual development of children with Asperger's syndrome include:

normal or above average intelligence;
excellent memory;
lack of abstract thinking;
precocious speech.

In Asperger's Syndrome, IQ is usually normal or even higher. But sick children have difficulties with abstract thinking and understanding information. Many children have a phenomenal memory and broad knowledge in the area of interest to them. But often they are not able to use this information in the right situations. Despite this, children with Asperger's become very successful in areas such as history, philosophy, and geography. They are completely devoted to their work, becoming fanatical and obsessing over the smallest details. Such children are constantly in their own world of thoughts and fantasies.

Another feature of intellectual development in Asperger's syndrome is rapid speech development. By the age of 5 - 6, the child's speech is already well developed and grammatically correct. The pace of speech is slow or fast. The child speaks in a monotone and with an unnatural timbre of voice, using a lot of speech patterns in a bookish style. The story about the subject of interest can be long and very detailed, regardless of the reaction of the interlocutor. But children with Asperger's syndrome cannot support a conversation on any topic outside their area of interest.

Motor and sensory disorders
Sensory impairment in Asperger's syndrome includes increased sensitivity to sounds, visual stimuli, and tactile stimuli. Children avoid other people's touches, loud street sounds, bright lights. They have obsessive fears of the elements (snow, wind, rain).

The main motor disorders in children with Asperger's syndrome include:

lack of coordination;
clumsy gait;
difficulty in tying shoelaces and fastening buttons;
sloppy handwriting;
movement stereotypes.

Excessive sensitivity is also manifested in pedantry and stereotyped behavior. Any changes in the established daily routine or habitual business cause anxiety and panic.

autism syndrome

Autism can also manifest itself as a syndrome in the structure of a disease such as schizophrenia. Autism syndrome is characterized by isolated behavior, isolation from society, apathy. Autism and schizophrenia are often referred to as the same disease. This is because, despite the fact that both diseases have their own characteristics, socially they share certain similarities. Also, a couple of decades ago, autism was hidden under the diagnosis of childhood schizophrenia.
Today it is known that there are clear differences between schizophrenia and autism.

Autism in schizophrenia

A characteristic of schizophrenic autism is the specific disintegration (disintegration) of both the psyche and behavior. Studies have shown that symptoms of autism can mask the onset of schizophrenia for a long time. For many years, autism can completely determine the clinical picture of schizophrenia. This course of the disease can continue until the first psychosis, which, in turn, will already be accompanied by auditory hallucinations and delusions.

Autism in schizophrenia is primarily manifested in the behavioral characteristics of the patient. This is expressed in the difficulties of adaptation, in isolation, in staying "in one's own world". In children, autism can manifest itself as a syndrome of "oversociality". Parents note that the child has always been quiet, obedient, never disturbed the parents. Often such children are considered "exemplary". At the same time, they practically do not react to comments. Their exemplary behavior is not amenable to change, children do not show flexibility. They are closed and completely absorbed in the experiences of their own world. They rarely manage to be interested in something, to involve them in some kind of game. According to Kretschmer, such exemplarity is an autistic barrier from the outside world.

Differences between autism and schizophrenia

Both pathologies are characterized by impaired communication with the outside world, behavioral disorders. Both in autism and schizophrenia, stereotypes, speech disorders in the form of echolalia, and ambivalence (duality) are observed.

A key criterion in schizophrenia is impaired thinking and perception. The former appear as discontinuity and inconsistency, the latter as hallucinations and delusions.

Basic symptoms in schizophrenia and autism

Schizophrenia	Autism
Thinking disorders - broken, incoherent and incoherent thinking.	Impaired communication - not using speech, inability to play with others.
Disorders of the emotional sphere - in the form of depressive episodes and bouts of euphoria.	The desire for isolation - lack of interest in the outside world, aggressive behavior towards change.
Perceptual disturbances - hallucinations ( auditory and rarely visual), nonsense.	stereotypical behavior.
Intelligence is usually preserved.	Delayed speech and intellectual development.

Autism in adults

The symptoms of autism do not decrease with age, and the quality of life of a person with this disease depends on the level of his skills. Difficulties with social adaptation and other characteristic signs of this disease provoke great difficulties in all aspects of the adult life of an autistic person.

Personal life
Relationships with the opposite sex is an area that causes great difficulties for autistic people. Romantic courtship is unusual for autistic people, as they do not see the point in them. Kissing is perceived by them as useless movements, and hugs as an attempt to limit movement. At the same time, they may experience sexual desire, but most often they are left alone with their feelings, since they are not mutual.
In the absence of friends, a lot of information about romantic relationships is taken from films by autistic adults. Men, after watching pornographic films, try to put into practice such knowledge, which scares and repels their partners. Women with autistic disorders are more informed through serials and, due to their naivety, often become victims of sexual violence.

According to statistics, people with autism spectrum disorders are much less likely than others to create full-fledged families. It should be noted that in recent years, the ability of an autistic adult to arrange his personal life has increased significantly. With the development of the Internet, various specialized forums began to appear, where a person diagnosed with autism can find a mate with a similar disorder. Information technology, which makes it possible to establish contact by correspondence, contributes to the fact that many autistic people get to know and develop friendships or personal relationships with their own kind.

Professional activity
The development of computer technology has significantly increased the opportunities for professional self-realization of autistic people. One solution that is gaining popularity is remote work. In many patients with this disease, the level of intelligence allows them to cope with tasks of a high degree of complexity. The absence of the need to leave the comfort zone and interact live with work colleagues allows adult autists not only to work, but also to develop professionally.

If skills or circumstances do not allow remote work via the Internet, then standard forms of activity (work in an office, shop, factory) cause great difficulties for an autistic person. Most often, their professional successes are much lower than their real abilities. Such people achieve the greatest success in those areas where increased attention to detail is needed.

Living conditions
Depending on the form of the disease, some adults with autism can lead an independent life in their own apartment or house. If in childhood the patient underwent appropriate corrective therapy, then as an adult he can cope with everyday tasks without outside help. But most often, autistic adults need support, which they receive from their relatives, close people, medical or social workers. Depending on the form of the disease, an autistic person may receive financial assistance, information about which should be obtained from the appropriate authority.

In many economically developed countries, there are houses for autistic people, where special conditions have been created for their comfortable living. In most cases, such houses are not only housing, but also a place of work. For example, in Luxembourg, residents of such houses make postcards and souvenirs, grow vegetables.

Social communities
Many autistic adults are of the opinion that autism is not a disease but a unique life concept and therefore does not require treatment. To protect their rights and improve the quality of life, autistic people unite in various social groups. In 1996, an online community was formed called IJAS (Independent Living on the Autistic Spectrum). The main goal of the organization was to provide emotional support and practical help to adults with autism. Participants shared stories and life advice, and for many, this information was very valuable. Today there are a large number of similar communities on the Internet.

Before use, you should consult with a specialist.