Child Autism
In a child, autism is normally detected by the age of 30 months and always by the time the child is 3 years old. Most children and, especially, infants are very gregarious and social and want contact, both physical and emotional, to feel comfortable and develop normally.They will smile, laugh, play 'peek-a-boo'and love to cuddle. In a child, autism causes the child to withdraw into its own world, performs repetitive routines, has problems communicating with others and has almost no interest in others and lacks social awareness.
Child Autism
Autism, which forms a part of the Pervasive Developmental Disorders , involves delay in many areas of development of the child. Autism, in a pre-school child manifests itself as withdrawal, aloofness and failure to respond to other.The child will not make eye-contact and may engage in behaviour like hand-flapping or an obsessive desire for order.
A child with autism, sometimes, does not speak at all but if it does, it does so in rhyme, or repeats whatever the other says or uses a peculiar language all its own.
In a child, autism may be mild or severe but some children are bright and are able to perform well in school but do experience some problems adjusting to the school routine. Most of these children may be able to live independent lives in adulthood and some prove to be art or music prodigies. However, mental retardation is quite commonly found in a child with autism.
A child with autism requires a detailed evaluation and a special educational and behavioral program to help it lead an almost normal life. Sometime, medication may have to be resorted to.
Though there is no sure cure for autism, specialized treatment, and maybe, medication, provided early in life, can be very beneficial to the child. Autism has been known to have regressed if addressed early on.
A study of 1200 autistic members belonging to 743 families by Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, has found that a mutated gene may be responsible. This gene has been found to be involved in brain development, the immune system and the gastro-intestinal system and, it is possible that there may be damage to all three in cases of child autism.