Answering Your Autism Questions

There are many things that parents eagerly look forward to when they find out they are having a baby. Many expectant parents also begin panicking at the thought that something may be wrong with their child. In a perfect world there would be no children that are ill or have been diagnosed with a devastating condition.

But this is not a perfect world and every day there are children and parents dealing with conditions that forever change their lives. Autism is one of these conditions that some parents must learn to deal with.

Nothing is quite the same after the diagnosis comes in from the doctor. An entire world changes just at the diagnosis, but there is hope for both the parents and the child. In this article we will discuss what autism is and what can be expected after a diagnosis has been made.

What is autism?

Autism is a brain disorder that causes children to use repetitive and restrictive behavior. It is usually diagnosed before the child is three years of age and it can mean a life of difficulty for both the parents and the child. Most parents realize something is different about their child during the first two years of life.

There may be a harsh reaction to normal stimuli that causes the parents to take a deeper look at their child's behavior. When a diagnosis is made then treatment can begin with the parents working closely with the physician to help the child learn to cope with autism. It is not an easy journey for any party that is involved.

How is autism treated?

Autism is treated by a combination of different methods. Many autistic individuals are given medication such as psychoactive drugs or anticonvulsants. These drugs are usually prescribed for those that suffer from depression or other mental disorders that require medication.

Therapy seems to be the best way for autistic individuals to learn to cope with their condition. The therapy consists of teaching the child how to perform self-care, decrease the symptoms that are presented in autistic behavior and also how to acquire job or social skills. There is no one set treatment method used to treat autistic individuals rather it is a combination of physical, occupational and psychological therapies that are used to help improve the person's quality of life.

How do doctors screen for autism?

As mentioned above screening for autism starts with the parents. They are the ones that usually notice that something is "different" about their child. Perhaps it is that the child is not speaking when others his or her age have an extensive quality. It may be a lack of physical interaction when other toddlers are clinging to their parents.

Doctors will look at all of these characteristics and perform tests of their own to determine whether or not the child has autism or has an autistic related disorder such as Aperger syndrome. There are many disorders that have autistic like qualities but are not technically autism. There are cases of autistic children that have unusual skills such as memorization.

Is autism curable?

Unfortunately autism is not curable. Researchers are not even certain why some children develop autism and some do not. There is thought that it is genetic on a certain level. But for now a combination of physical, occupational and psychological therapy seems to help most autistic cases.

Many physicians will put the autistic individual on certain medications to relieve symptoms of depression or aggressive behavior. The one thing about the therapy that is for sure is that it is very expensive. Most insurances do not cover the full treatment plan and parents must pay for some treatments out of pocket or have help from foundations.