DILI, april 1, 2023 (TATOLI)- World Health Organization (WHO) revealed autism is caused by two factors genetics and infection during the pregnancy period.
The Country Director of WHO, Arvind Mathur said the Main cause of Autism focused on two factors a child’s genetics and also lack of treatment infection for a child during the pregnancy period.
“We call the government through the minister of health to invest in pregnant women by providing proper control during the anti-natal period. It is as a preventive measure to ensure the child will not affect by autism,’’ The Country Director of WHO, Arvind Mathur told TATOLI Agency in Hotel Novo Tourism, Friday.
He added this Autism also caused the development of disability which is resulting in different spectrums and different diseases, where there is be description, for social interaction or repetitive behavior.
Mr. Mathur explained Autism is highly variable the work spectrum refers to how autism is experienced differently by different people. Autism is considered a spectrum because it’s different for every autistic person- some autistic people might need more support than others to live the lives they want to lead.
“It is required to the government of Timor-Leste through the Minister of Health to more investing on Anti maternal health care to ensure the healthy development of child’s brains during the pregnancy period,’’ he said
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. Some people with ASD have a known difference, such as a genetic condition. Other causes are not yet known.
Scientists believe multiple causes of ASD act together to change the most common ways people develop. We still have much to learn about these causes and how they impact people with ASD.
People with ASD may behave, communicate, interact, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. There is often nothing about how they look that sets them apart from other people.
The abilities of people with ASD can vary significantly. For example, some people with ASD may have advanced conversation skills whereas others may be nonverbal. Some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others can work and live with little to no support.
ASD begins before the age of 3 years and can last throughout a person’s life, although symptoms may improve over time. Some children show ASD symptoms within the first 12 months of life. In others, symptoms may not show up until 24 months of age or later. Some children with ASD gain new skills and meet developmental milestones until around 18 to 24 months of age, and then they stop gaining new skills or lose the skills they once had.
As children with ASD become adolescents and young adults, they may have difficulties developing and maintaining friendships, communicating with peers and adults, or understanding what behaviors are expected in school or on the job. They may come to the attention of healthcare providers because they also have conditions such as anxiety, depression, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, which occur more often in people with ASD than in people without ASD.
Signs and Symptoms People with ASD often have problems with social communication and interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests. People with ASD may also have different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention. These characteristics can make life very challenging. It is important to note that some people without ASD might also have some of these symptoms.
Symptoms of ASD typically become evident during early childhood, between ages 12 and 24 months. However, symptoms may also appear earlier or later.
Early symptoms may include a marked delay in language or social development.
The DSM-5 divides symptoms of ASD into two categories:
- problems with communication and social interaction
- restricted or repetitive patterns of behavior or activities
The signed person that experienced autism, will have the symptoms in both of these categories.
Diagnosis
Diagnosing ASD can be difficult since there is no medical test, like a blood test, to diagnose the disorder. Doctors look at the child’s behavior and development to make a diagnosis. ASD can sometimes be detected at 18 months of age or younger. By age 2, a diagnosis by an experienced professional can be considered reliable.1 However, many children do not receive a final diagnosis until they are much older. Some people are not diagnosed until they are adolescents or adults. This delay means that people with ASD might not get the early help they need.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ASD is diagnosed more often in boys than in girls. A study of 8-year-olds in 11 locations throughout the United States found a 4.3-to-1, boy-to-girl ratio Trusted Source in 2016. About 1 in 54 of the study participants had ASD.
There are indications that instances of autism are on the rise. Some attribute this increase to environmental factors. However, experts debate whether there’s an actual increase in cases or just more frequent diagnoses. Compare autism rates in different U.S. states.
Problems with communication and social interaction
ASD can involve a range of issues with communication, many of which appear before age 5.
Here’s a general timeline of what this might look like:
- From birth: trouble maintaining eye contact
- By 9 months: not responding to their name
- By 9 months: not displaying facial expressions reflective of their emotions (like surprise or anger)
- By 12 months: not engaging in basic interactive games, like peek-a-boo or pat-a-cake
- By 12 months: not using (or only using a few) hand gestures, like hand-waving
- By 15 months: not sharing their interests with others (by showing someone a favorite toy, for example)
- By 18 months: not pointing or looking where others point
- By 24 months: not noticing when others appear sad or hurt
- By 30 months: not engaging in “pretend play,” like caring for a baby doll or playing with figurines
- By 60 months of age: not playing turn-taking games, like duck-duck-goose
Additionally, autistic children might have trouble expressing their feelings or understanding those of others starting at 36 months.
As they age, they might have difficulty talking or very limited speaking skills. Other autistic children might develop language skills at an uneven pace. If there’s a particular topic that’s very interesting to them, for example, they might develop a very strong vocabulary for talking about that one topic. But they might have difficulty communicating about other things.
As autistic children begin talking, they might also talk in an unusual tone that can range from high-pitched and “sing-songy” to robotic or flat.
They might also show signs of hyperlexia, which involves reading beyond what’s expected of their age. Children on the autism spectrum might learn to read earlier than their neurotypical peers, sometimes as early as age 2. But they tend to not comprehend what they’re reading.
While hyperlexia does not always accompany autism, research suggests nearly 84 percent of children with hyperlexia are on the spectrum.
As they interact with others, autistic children might have difficulty sharing their emotions and interests with others or find it hard to maintain back-and-forth conversations. Nonverbal communication, like maintaining eye contact or body language, might also remain difficult. These challenges with communication can persist throughout adulthood.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Nelia B.
