Many people have heard about autism. Some of them may even know autistic children or adults. And there are still those who do not understand what this disorder is about, so they judge negatively those who have it or the families of people who face this disease.
Although autism affects about 70 million people worldwide, according to the United Nations (UN), misinformation about this condition continues to attract prejudiced eyes to people who suffer from the disorder. To combat the exclusion of these patients, it is necessary to learn about the disorder.
What is Autism?
Autism is defined as a disorder that compromises a person's psychoneurological development. It affects the ability to speak, communicate and behave, making it difficult to relate to other people, to develop reasoning, to concentrate and to move.
The disorder, which affects the nervous system, does not have a specific cause. Symptoms begin to appear at age three and last until the end of life.
It was not until 1993 that autism entered the International Classification of Diseases of the World Health Organization (WHO). Until 2012 there was no official statement that there is more than one type of autism. Despite this, the disorder is not considered a disease. In 2013, however, after conducting studies on the disorder, the WHO determined that the condition would be renamed autism spectrum disorder.
The naming of the disorder as a spectrum indicates that there are different levels and types of manifestation of autism. The diagnosis must be made, necessarily, by a health professional.
What are the types of autism?
Autism manifests itself in different ways, because not always two autistic people will present the same developmental deficits. To understand the specifics of each one, it is enough to know the most common types of autism.
1) Asperger's Syndrome
The 2017 Netflix series Atypical has an autistic person as the main character. Sam Gardner is a young man who leads a life of work and studies, building friendships that will be essential throughout the series.
People who watch the episodes receive a broader interpretation of what the routine is like and what are the challenges faced by a person who falls into the autistic spectrum I, Asperger Syndrome. In general, those who suffer from this condition have above average intelligence for certain topics and may experience obsession with an object. Speech, however, is not compromised.
Asperger Syndrome is three times more common in males than females. Diagnosis in childhood prevents the child from becoming a depressed or anxious adult.
2) Pervasive developmental disorder
Less well known than other types of autism, pervasive developmental disorder is characterized as an intermediate level between Asperger syndrome and autistic disorder.
This disorder can manifest itself differently in each person, but some symptoms are common in most of them. Repetitive behaviors are not reproduced frequently, difficulties with social interaction are exacerbated, and the ability to speak is lower than that of a person with Asperger's.
This type of disorder can be identified in the first months of life, especially if the child has a syndrome, such as Down syndrome, Angelman syndrome or fetal alcohol syndrome. It is important to note, however, that a child who has a syndrome will not necessarily be autistic, pervasive developmental disorder.
3) Autistic disorder
Released in 1993, the film “Gilbert Grape – A Dreamer's Apprentice” represents the difficulties and prejudices that the family of an autistic person faces. Unlike other types of autism, autistic disorder is a more serious condition that includes symptoms characteristic of the condition.
Leonardo DiCaprio's character in the feature film presents most of the signs that he suffers from autistic disorder: lack of eye contact, repetitive movements (waving hands, for example) and delayed development of communication skills.
The biggest difficulty that people who suffer from this condition or who live with someone who has it is prejudice. Autistic people need different care than the majority of the population, but they are still capable and worthy of having good living conditions. Families, in general, assume the role of protecting this person, despite all the criticism they receive.
4) Childhood degenerative disorder
Among all types of autism presented, degenerative childhood disorder is the least common. It happens when a child who has already gone through stages of development begins to regress, so he becomes unable to recover everything he had already achieved.
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Until the age of four, a child is already able to talk, walk, follow rules, create stories, socialize with other people and perform simple activities. Those who suffer from childhood degenerative disorder, however, between the ages of two and four can begin to lose these abilities. What used to be simple and common becomes difficult.
In this case, you need to consult a health professional to find the best ways to deal with this condition. Any attempt to make the child recover the acquired knowledge can make the relationship with her difficult, pushing her away instead of helping her.
