An autism diagnosis simply means that there is a part of the brain that interferes with the ability to interact and communicate with others. Symptoms of autism are usually always noticeable before the age of three. There are three main symptoms that are used to determine if a child is autistic: 1. They have no desire to interact with other children or even their parents. 2. There is no interest in the world around them except for focusing on one or two things, usually objects that they may develop unnaturally strong attachments to. 3. Repetitive behavior or in some cases biting themselves or banging their head is the third major symptom. There are other symptoms that lead to the autism diagnosis. They are varied but normally always have some common traits. They may include some or all of the following as well as others: 1. Delayed development, such as talking, walking, and the normal learning that toddlers go through. 2. Extreme sensitivity to being touched and they do not want to cuddle or be hugged like most children. 3. Does not appear to hear you when you are talking to them and does not make eye contact. 4. Easily upset if their regular routine is changed. 5. A tolerance for pain but an aversion to being touched may be displayed. 6. Repetitive behavior is another symptom. This may include arranging their toys in a certain way. There are no medical tests that will allow your doctor to tell you a certain test showed positive for an autism diagnosis. There are however, tests that can tell you if the symptoms which are being displayed are the result of something entirely different than autism. Autism has been shown to be more prevalent in some families than others. The consensus is this affliction could be hereditary, while there are beliefs that autism could be caused by a child’s surroundings. There is also the consideration that autism could be caused by a gene. At this point, doctor’s opinions vary on why one child develops autism and others do not, and at this time there is no concrete scientific evidence to know what causes autism for sure. There are also different levels of autism. The autism diagnosis may be such that the symptoms indicate a mild level of this disease. The person with mild autism may be able to live independently if the diagnosis is made early enough. Often doctors use autism specific screening tests after listening to concerns of parents who feel their child is not developing normally. If preliminary testing shows the presence of autism, a more comprehensive test may be ordered by your doctor. The statistics say that for every 100 children, three to six will be diagnosed with autism. The odds are higher for males, who are four times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than females. The American Academy of Pediatrics believes every child should have a preliminary screening for autism when they have their 18 and 24 month check-ups. This could help in early diagnosis and treatment. The main thing to keep in mind is there are treatments to help control autism. Every child is different and what may work for one will not necessarily work for another. The key is handing the situation if your child is tested and an autism diagnosis is made so that you can plan for their future accordingly.
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