Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a type of developmental disability that affects an individual’s behaviour, communication and social skills. The behaviour and thought patterns of people with autism develop in a different way to most of the population. Many people with autism have a particular love of routine and order, and some find it distressing when these routines are disturbed.
Often, someone with autism may have some degree of communication difficulty affecting social interactions. This may be expressive — they may have problems with speaking, non-verbal communication, eye contact or making themselves understood. Or it may be receptive — finding it difficult to understand other people, in particular reading emotions, subtext, or indirect communication.
(See also: Nothing but Pride for her Two Sons with Autism)
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
We describe autism as a spectrum disorder because there are multiple and varied traits of autism, and within each there is a range of severity. Individuals with autism usually share some common traits or signs, but the effects on different people vary widely.
For some, autism can be profoundly disabling and they have to rely on others for many aspects of daily life. Others may function in a completely independent way and live an entirely ‘normal’ life, perhaps with some adjustments for some subtle autistic traits.
People with autism are sometimes described as neurodivergent. This means that they experience the world in a different but equally valuable and acceptable way compared to a more ‘normal’ or neurotypical person’s experience.
Types of Autism
People used to talk about different types of autism. However, within each type, there was a wide range in how much an individual’s condition affected them. There was also a lot of crossover of symptoms across the different types. Hence classifying autism in this way wasn’t always very useful.
(See also: Autism: Beyond Awareness to Real Hope for this Doctor’s Son)
Autism is now referred to as autism spectrum disorder due to the wide range of effects it has on people. It’s important to remember that no two people have the same experience or expression of autism. Hence when talking about an individual’s autism, it’s more helpful to talk about their individual traits.
That said, some people do still refer to different types of autism. They may find that broad classifications help with general understanding of the wide-ranging effects of the condition. They could refer to:
Asperger’s Syndrome
This is a type of autism in which the person may need some adjustments in their everyday life but does not necessarily need particular help to function. People with Asperger’s may be able to work and function well, but are likely to have social communication challenges. Asperger’s syndrome is associated with focused interests. People with Asperger’s may be particularly knowledgeable about specific things, sometimes to the exclusion of other interests.
Pervasive Developmental Disorder
This describes autism in which the affected individual needs to have more significant adjustments to function in the world. People with pervasive development disorder (PDD) are slow to develop socialisation and communication skills. They may never meet expected childhood interactive development.
(See also: 5 Ways to Help Children with Autism Read Better)
Autistic Disorder
This now refers to autism on the severe end of the spectrum, where the person needs substantial support. People described as having autistic disorder would likely have limited verbal and non-verbal communication skills. They would often experience distress in situations which would not affect most people.
With more understanding and recognition of the range of traits of autism now, autism is more often categorised by the amount of support or adjustment needed for the individual to live a full and satisfying life within a world designed for neurotypical people.
Signs and Symptoms of Autism
There are lots of symptoms or traits associated with autism and everyone experiences autism differently. Some common signs among people with autism include issues with:
- Social communication and interaction such as finding it difficult to know what others are feeling without being directly told; behaving in a way that most people would not consider appropriate; misunderstanding metaphors and taking figurative expressions literally.
- Anxiety about changes in routine or unpredictable social situations.
- Excessive focus on single subjects, sometimes to the exclusion of other aspects of life.
- Sensitivity to specific triggers such as sound, light, or touch — people with autism may have intense reactions to stressors which seem innocuous to others. They may sometimes feel actual pain at certain sounds or lights.
Sometimes, the traits of autism are summed up as a person having ‘restrictive, repetitive behaviours, activities, and interests’. The extent of these can be extremely varied — from having an obsessive interest in sone thing to compulsive hand or head movements. This may also include distress at being unable to continue these compulsive behaviours.
When individuals with autism experience something unexpected or out of their routine, they may become extremely distressed and inconsolable. Parents and caregivers of individuals with autism sometimes refer to these episodes as a meltdown. Not only children experience such meltdowns, though many people with autism develop good coping strategies over the years.
(See also: Are You a Caregiver for Your Child? – Please Read This (+ True Life Stories))
What Causes Autism?
While there is no clear single cause for autism, some factors — both genetic and environmental — are associated with a predisposition to autism. Having a close relative who has autism makes a person more likely to have the condition. Exposure to certain chemicals while in the womb may also have an impact.
If an identical twin has autism, there is a 36 per cent chance that their twin sibling — who shares 100 per cent of their DNA and the same conditions in the womb — have the condition as well. The rate of concordance for non-identical twins — sharing 50 per cent of their DNA and the same conditions in the womb — is around 3 per cent.
It’s important to note that vaccines do not cause autism, and in fact, save many lives every year. One small study suggested a link, leading to media and public attention over the potential risks of vaccination. The results of the study were repeatedly and conclusively overturned and the doctor behind the claims was struck off the medical register. Nonetheless, the study is still touted in opposition to vaccination programmes, but there is absolutely no evidence that vaccines cause autism. In fact, there is extensive evidence that they do not cause autism. In addition, the suggestion that autism is worse than the deadly illnesses that vaccinations protect us against is offensive and harmful.
Diagnosing Autism
The diagnosis of autism mainly happens through assessment of the traits and symptoms of the individual. These traits can appear vastly different in different individuals and at different stages of a person’s life.
Being diagnosed early in childhood means that people with autism can have early interventions and support. This allows them to reach their potential throughout the important early stages of education and beyond.
Behavioural evaluation is a major part of the assessment for autism spectrum disorder. This includes observation and conversation both with the person in question and with their close family. Teachers and care workers’ reports may also be useful supporting evidence of autism traits and concerns.
Autism may be considered as a diagnosis when a child doesn’t meet some of the usual expected developmental milestones. All children are different, but there are some broad similarities in almost all children’s development. Most infants begin to make deliberate eye contact by around six months. Next, they begin to ‘babble’ and repeat sounds, and later learn to play with other children. In other words, they generally develop their social and communication skills in line with what is usual for their age.
Children with autism often don’t follow the same pattern of social development as children without autism. They may also never meet certain milestones. For example, some people with autism never become comfortable with eye contact, and some never communicate verbally.
(See also: Childhood Development: Is My Child Meeting Milestones at the Right Time?)
The diagnosis of autism is more common than ever before. This is probably because there is more awareness and understanding of the condition. It is more common in boys than girls, by a ratio of around four to one. This is probably in part because of the genetic element of autism, but may also be because boys and girls tend to manifest autism differently.
Some signs which could indicate autism in children could also be the result of another condition, so an assessment for autism might include investigations to rule out other conditions. For example, a young child who does not respond to their parent’s voice or who does not make eye contact should be assessed for hearing loss or problems with their eyesight.
Treatment for Autism
There is no ‘cure’ for autism, and in fact, campaigners dispute the idea that neurodivergence is something that should be cured. Rather, they suggest that it is a natural diversity that society should embrace.
However, for people with any degree of autism to live in a society created by, and for, neurotypical people, there are challenges to overcome and adaptations to be made. Occupational therapy may help individuals with autism improve everyday skills and become more independent in day-to-day life. Speech therapy can help improve verbal, nonverbal, and social communication.
The social skills which most people learn throughout their lives may never come naturally to people with autism. However, recognition and assessment of needs and differences on an individual basis can help create management strategies.
For children and young people with autism, we can incorporate behavioural strategies into their learning and play. This can help them learn to interact or provide situational coping strategies. A team which includes a partnership between healthcare professionals, families, educators and — most importantly — the person in question are the best people to create an individualised learning and development plan.
(See also: 6 First-rate Enrichment Programmes for Special Needs Children in Singapore)
There are a range of techniques to help people with autism learn to live independently in a world which they may not always understand:
Behaviour and Communication Approaches
People with autism can benefit from some forms of cognitive behavioural therapy. These programmes teach techniques to manage certain traits of autism which may cause challenges in their everyday lives.
These kinds of approaches can include interventions designed to teach life skills, social, and communication skills. These can help prepare them for work or school. Speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, and specialist educators may be involved with these kinds of interventions.
(See also: Helping Children with Special Needs through Dance/Movement Therapy
Medication
Autism itself cannot be cured or treated with medication, but medication can be helpful in managing some of the symptoms of ASD. Some people — both children and adults —with severe expressions of autism may show frustration and distress through aggressive or self-harming behaviour. This can cause intense stress for themselves and the people around them.
Specialists are an essential resource for individuals whose expressions of autism cause harm or are difficult to manage. Specialists can use behavioural therapy techniques or prescribe medications to help with such challenging behaviours. Medication can also help with anxiety or certain compulsive behaviours which are difficult to manage, alongside other forms of therapy.
As autism is a lifelong condition, any good treatment plan should include long-term goals and ways of monitoring progress and ongoing need.
Resources Available for Individuals with Autism in Singapore
Autism is fairly common, affecting around one per cent of the population of Singapore. The growing awareness and understanding of autism have resulted in more and earlier diagnoses, better support, and a greater number of professional interventions available.
Peer support groups are available and specialist healthcare professionals are working hard to destigmatise and clarify autism information for everyone. Besides real-life programmes and support centres, there is a huge amount of information and support available online as well.
Many children with autism go through the mainstream school system with no problems or only reasonable adjustments. For those with more significant special educational needs, there are dedicated schools to provide extra care and support. Every child diagnosed with ASD in Singapore should have an individualised intervention plan. This enables parents and caregivers to access support and help the child reach their full potential.
The Autism Association (Singapore) supports people with autism and enable them to live full and meaningful lives. They offer schools and centres for children and adults to access professional and peer support, as well as programmes to enhance and encourage life skills. The Enabling Guide also has a useful page of further resources for people living with autism in Singapore.
(See also: Resources for Families of Children with Special Needs in Singapore)
Living with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Conditions that affect the way people interact and communicate are historically poorly understood and often carry stigma. People whose behaviour seems unusual or difficult for most people to understand may find it harder to socialise and interact. Autism also means having a unique way of experiencing the world, and sometimes our world just isn’t designed for people who aren’t neurotypical.
However, there is great worth in diversity, and some autistic traits are valuable and admirable. People with autism are often deeply focused, analytical, methodical, with distinctive imaginations and less preconceived judgement of others.
Medical language has changed over recent years to try to be more inclusive and less objectifying. This change can be quite subtle, but for autism, it has meant a change from talking about ‘an autistic person’ (i.e. a person defined by their condition) to ‘a person with autism’ (i.e. someone who has a condition but is not primarily defined by it).
Education and media have also begun to recognise a need to represent the diversity within a population. This means including people with disabilities, communication disorders, and neurodiversity. Recognising the spectrum of autistic traits means that people with autism are now — hopefully — being accepted simply as people who experience and interact differently with the world.
(See also: An Open Letter from a Parent of a Child with Autism)
Some people with autism may find social interactions difficult. Certain social settings can cause anxiety, particularly being in noisy places or around unpredictable people. Or when they are simply out of a routine or comfort zone. This doesn’t mean that they don’t want to socialise or have friends; loneliness in autism is very common. Socialising may take some extra planning or adjustments, but just because someone gets anxious over meeting people doesn’t mean they don’t want or need human interaction.
The huge variety in the effects that autism may have on a person means there’s no one right way to be or live when you have autism. Some people may struggle with certain activities or interactions and may need assistance from formal or informal carers. The ‘spectrum’ part of autism spectrum disorder — the sheer range of traits and extent of effects — means that there is no broad answer to the challenges of autism. However, there is support available, and many aids and techniques to help people with autism overcome any challenge.
This article first appeared on Homage, an award-winning personal care solution that provides on-demand holistic home and community-based caregiving and medical services to seniors and adults, allowing them to age and recover with grace, control, and dignity.
Featured image: Vanessa Bucceri on Unsplash
