Autism – breaking the silence

One in every 150 children has autism, an illness that affects numerous families from various ethnic and social backgrounds worldwide.

World renowned South African golfer, Ernie Els, announced years ago that his son suffers from the disorder, and admitted that it is not easy for a family to face the challenges of this syndrome.

Els believes that it is better to be informed and prepared, as autism appears to be on the increase. He has done a great deal to raise money for and create awareness of the disorder, using his profile to encourage more people to get involved. “It is several years since our son Ben was diagnosed with autism. We suspected for a few years that something was not quite right. There’s a process that every kid goes through — crawl at nine months, walk at 12 months, and then talking, and so on. With Ben, we started thinking: “Why is he not crawling? Why is he not walking? Why is he not looking me in the eye?” We soon discovered he was quite severely touched by autism. We established the Els for Autism Foundation in 2009, with the goal of funding an Autism Centre of Excellence – the first of its kind in the world. Autism hits families hard, and I’ll be fighting for the rest of my life to try and help others in the same situation. I hope you’ll share an interest and join me in this fight,” says Els (www.ernieels.com).

Autism South Africa (ASA) (www.aut2know.co.za) explains that autism is a lifelong, complex condition that occurs as a result of a disorder in the brain’s growth, structure and development. Autism is believed to stem from a genetic predisposition triggered by environmental factors, and affects 4 to 5 times more boys than girls. Researchers are looking for a genetic commonality in autistic individuals, believing that the identification of susceptibility genes will provide new insight into the basis of autism. Some scientists believe that the recent increase in autism is the result of something in the environment that children are exposed to before or after birth, generating deep concern over the potential involvement of toxins and infectious agents in our environment.

Most researchers believe that the defect may lie within the neural circuitry. A critical link may be the increasingly replicated finding of abnormal growth and function of the frontal lobe, responsible for complex social, emotional, cognitive and language abilities. Another study indicates that advanced maternal age and paternal age are both risk factors for having a child with an autism spectrum disorder. Despite the many theories, the exact reason for the increase in autism still remains unknown.

Autism manifests in many ways and, as a result, the condition is now more often referred to as ‘Autism Spectrum Disorders’ (ASD). ASD includes Kanner/Classic autism (76% of people with autism), where the sufferer displays intellectual impairment, and Asperger’s syndrome (24% of people with autism), which does not include intellectual impairment, and where sufferers display a ‘normal’ or, more often, above average intellectual ability.

ASA reports that spectrum disorders are typified by the triad of impairments: Affected social skills, language development, and behaviour. 40% of people with Kanner/Classic autism never speak or fully understand verbal communication. People with Asperger’s syndrome with seemingly fluent speech will have areas of their communicative abilities adversely affected, such as an extreme difficulty in ‘reading’ non-verbal communication such as facial expressions. Autism alters the area of the brain that enables a person to understand another person’s emotions and feelings, and thus a person with autism cannot fully understand the complexity of the thoughts of people around them and the resulting social interactions. A person with autism usually becomes trapped by rigid thought patterns and behaviours, and does not cope well with transition.

Often, children with autism are healthy, with no apparent medical reason for their symptoms; trained professionals make the diagnosis through clinical observation. Diagnosis may be difficult, as the condition varies widely in terms of symptoms and severity. A child with autism may be experienced as normal for the first few months of life before symptoms are recognised, usually before the age of three. Some people with autism demonstrate significantly challenging behaviours and learning difficulties, and may need specialist support and care.

Most parents of children with autism suspect that something is wrong by the time the child is 18 months old. Some children appear normal before age 1 or 2, and then suddenly regress and lose language or social skills they had previously gained. The most important thing you can do is to be aware of the early signs of autism and understand the typical developmental milestones your child should reach at different ages. Milestones enable parents and physicians to monitor a baby’s learning, behaviour and development.

If you think your child may have Autistic Spectrum Disorder, consult a specialist who will be able to diagnose it correctly. Family members may need professional counselling to help them deal with the anxiety, guilt, inadequacy or anger they often feel on hearing the diagnosis.

Autism is a developmental condition, therefore early intervention is crucial. There are no commonly accepted standards for the treatment of autism, but many therapies and interventions have been developed. Treatment may include educational and behavioural therapy, drug therapy, speech and occupational therapy and dietary intervention. The treatment’s success depends on the severity of symptoms. People with autism can and do improve with appropriate treatment.

The information and other content provided in this article are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment. If you or any other person has a medical concern, you should consult with your health care provider or seek other professional medical treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.