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What is autism? What are some common signs of autism? What are the symptoms of autism? How is autism diagnosed? What causes autism? What role does inheritance play? What is autism? Autism (sometimes called “classical autism”) is the most common condition in a group of developmental disorders known as the autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Autism is characterized by impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and unusual, repetitive, or severely limited activities and interests. Autistic disorder is the most commonly known type of ASD, but there are others, including pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger syndrome. These three conditions all have some of the same symptoms, but they differ in terms of when the symptoms start, how fast they appear, how severe they are, and their exact nature. These three conditions, along with Rett syndrome and childhood disintegrative disorder, make up the broad diagnosis category of pervasive developmental disorders. Date: June27, 2006 Content source: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities Experts estimate that three to six children out of every 1,000 will have autism. Males are four times more likely to have autism than females. What are some common signs of autism? There are three distinctive behaviors that characterize autism. Autistic children have difficulties with social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors or narrow, obsessive interests. These behaviors can range in impact from mild to disabling. The hallmark feature of autism is impaired social interaction. Parents are usually the first to notice symptoms of autism in their child. As early as infancy, a baby with autism may be unresponsive to people or focus intently on one item to the exclusion of others for long periods of time. A child with autism may appear to develop normally and then withdraw and become indifferent to social engagement. Children with autism may fail to respond to their name and often avoid eye contact with other people. They have difficulty interpreting what others are thinking or feeling because they can’t understand social cues, such as tone of voice or facial expressions, and don’t watch other people’s faces for clues about appropriate behavior. They often lack empathy and engage in repetitive movements such as rocking and twirling, or in self-abusive behavior such as biting or head-banging. They also tend to start speaking later than other children and may refer to themselves by name instead of “I” or “me.” Children with autism don’t know how to play interactively with other children. Some speak in a sing-song voice about a narrow range of favorite topics, with little regard for the interests of the person to whom they are speaking. Many children with autism have a reduced sensitivity to pain, but are abnormally sensitive to sound, touch, or other sensory stimulation. These unusual reactions may contribute to behavioral symptoms such as a resistance to being cuddled or hugged. Children with autism appear to have a higher than normal risk for certain co-existing conditions, including fragile X syndrome (which causes mental retardation), tuberous sclerosis (in which tumors grow on the brain), epileptic seizures, Tourette syndrome, learning disabilities, and attention deficit disorder. For reasons that are still unclear, about 20 to 30 percent of children with autism develop epilepsy by the time they reach adulthood. While people with schizophrenia may show some autistic-like behavior, their symptoms usually do not appear until the late teens or early adulthood. Most people with schizophrenia also have hallucinations and delusions, which are not found in autism. What are the symptoms of autism? As the name “autism spectrum disorder” implies, ASDs cover a wide range of behaviors and abilities. People who have ASDs, like all people, differ greatly in the way they act and what they can do. No two people with ASDs will have the same symptoms. A symptom might be mild in one person and severe in another person. Types of problems and behaviors a child or adult with an ASD might have include the following: - Social skills: People with ASDs might not interact with others the way most people do, or they might not be interested in other people at all. People with ASD might not make eye contact and may just want to be alone. They might have trouble understanding other people’s feelings or talking about their own feelings. Children with ASD might not like to be held or cuddled, or might cuddle only when they want to. Some people with ASD might not seem to notice when other people try to talk to them. Others might be very interested in people, but not know how to talk, play, or relate to them. - Speech, language, and communication: About 40% of children with ASD do not talk at all. Others have echolalia, which is when they repeat back something that was said to them. The repeated words might be said right away or at a later time. For example, if you ask someone with ASD, “Do you want some juice?” he or she will repeat “Do you want some juice?” instead of answering your question. Or a person might repeat a television ad heard sometime in the past. People with ASD might not understand gestures such as waving goodbye. They might say “I” when they mean “you”, or vice versa. Their voices might sound flat and it might seem like they cannot control how loudly or softly they talk. People with ASD might stand too close to the people they are talking to, or might stick with one topic of conversation for too long. Some people with ASD can speak well and know a lot of words, but have a hard time listening to what other people say. They might talk a lot about something they really like, rather than have a back-and-forth conversation with someone. - Repeated behaviors and routines: People with ASD might repeat actions over and over again. They might want to have routines where things stay the same so they know what to expect. They might have trouble if family routines change. For example, if a child is used to washing his or her face before dressing for bed, he or she might become very upset if asked to change the order and dress first and then wash. Children with ASD develop differently from other children. Children without ASD develop at about the same rate in areas of development such as motor, language, cognitive, and social skills. Children with ASD develop at different rates in different areas of growth. They might have large delays in language, social, and cognitive skills, while their motor skills might be about the same as other children their age. They might be very good at things like putting puzzles together or solving computer problems, but not very good at some things most people think are easy, like talking or making friends. Children with ASD might also learn a hard skill before they learn an easy one. For example, a child might be able to read long words, but not be able to tell you what sound a “b” makes. A child might also learn a skill and then lose it. For example, a child may be able to say many words, but later stop talking altogether. Sources: Mauk JE, Reber M, Batshaw ML. Autism and other pervasive developmental disorders (4th edition). In: ML Batshaw, editor. Children with disabilities. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes; 1997. Powers MD. What is autism? In: MD Powers, editor. Children with autism: a parents’ guide, 2nd edition. Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House; 2000. How is autism diagnosed? Autism diagnosis varies widely in its severity and symptoms and may go unrecognized, especially in mildly affected children or when it is masked by more debilitating handicaps. Doctors rely on a core group of behaviors to alert them to the possibility of a diagnosis of autism. These behaviors are: - impaired ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others - absence or impairment of imaginative and social play - stereotyped, repetitive, or unusual use of language - restricted patterns of interest that are abnormal in intensity or focus - preoccupation with certain objects or subjects - inflexible adherence to specific routines or rituals Doctors will often use a questionnaire or other screening instrument to gather information about a child’s development and behavior. Some screening instruments rely solely on parent observations; others rely on a combination of parent and doctor observations. If screening instruments indicate the possibility of autism, doctors will ask for a more comprehensive evaluation. Since autism is a complex disorder, a comprehensive evaluation requires a multidisciplinary team including a psychologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, speech therapist, and other professionals who diagnose children with ASD. The team members will conduct a thorough neurological assessment and in-depth cognitive and language testing. Because hearing problems can cause behaviors that could be mistaken for autism, children with delayed speech development should also have their hearing tested. After a thorough evaluation, the team usually meets with parents to explain the results of the evaluation and present the diagnosis. Children with some symptoms of autism, but not enough to be diagnosed with classical autism, are often diagnosed with PDD-NOS. Children with autistic behaviors but well-developed language skills are often diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. Children who develop normally and then suddenly deteriorate between the ages of 3 to 10 years and show marked autistic behaviors may be diagnosed with childhood disintegrative disorder. Girls with autistic symptoms may be suffering from Rett syndrome, a sex-linked genetic disorder characterized by social withdrawal, regressed language skills, and hand wringing. Click here, for more information on Autism Treatment. What causes autism? We have learned a lot about the symptoms of ASDs and have improved efforts to track the disorders, but we still don’t know a lot about the cause of Autism. Scientists think that both genes and the environment play a role, and there might be many causes that lead to ASDs. Family studies have been most helpful in understanding how genes contribute to autism. Studies have shown that among identical twins, if one child has autism, then the other will be affected about 75% of the time. In non-identical twins, if one child has autism, then the other has it about 3% of the time. Also, parents who have a child with an ASD have a 2%–8% chance of having a second child who is also affected. For most people with ASDs, the cause is not known. But ASDs tend to occur more often than expected among people who have certain other medical conditions, including Fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, congenital rubella syndrome, and untreated phenylketonuria (PKU). Some harmful drugs taken during pregnancy also have been linked with a higher risk of autism, specifically, the prescription drug thalidomide. CDC’s Centers for Autism and Developmental Disabilities Surveillance and Epidemiology (CADDRE) are working together on a large, population-based study to better understand the possible risk factors for and causes of autism. Called the Study to Explore Early Development (SEED), this project will help answer the many questions needed to find the causes of autism and—if possible—come up with strategies to prevent this complex disorder. Sources: Boyle C, Van Naarden Braun K, Yeargin-Allsopp M. The Prevalence and the Genetic Epidemiology of Developmental Disabilities. In: Genetics of Developmental Disabilities. Merlin Butler and John Meany eds. Muhle R, Trentacoste V, Rapin I. The Genetics of Autism. Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention What role does inheritance play? Recent studies strongly suggest that some people have a genetic predisposition to autism. In families with one autistic child, the risk of having a second child with the disorder is approximately five percent, or one in 20. This is greater than the risk for the general population. Researchers are looking for clues about which genes contribute to this increased susceptibility. In some cases, parents and other relatives of an autistic child show mild impairments in social and communicative skills or engage in repetitive behaviors. Evidence also suggests that some emotional disorders, such as manic depression, occur more frequently than average in the families of people with autism. Do symptoms of autism change over time? For many children, autism symptoms improve with treatment and with age. Some children with autism grow up to lead normal or near-normal lives. Children whose language skills regress early in life, usually before the age of 3, appear to be at risk of developing epilepsy or seizure-like brain activity. During adolescence, some children with autism may become depressed or experience behavioral problems. Parents of these children should be ready to adjust treatment for their child as needed. For more information go to the Beginner’s Guide to Autism and Additional Resources.
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misterija autizma Posted 31 January 2006 - 22:25 Iako se nerijetko ističe genijalnost autistične djece, zbog problema u ponašanju drži ih se za društvo teško prihvatljivim osobama Pojam autizam laici nerijetko koriste kako bi opisali osobu slijepu za društvena zbivanja. I doista, autizam se smatra vidom razumske sljepoće, a djeca s autizmom opisuju se kao djeca koja žive pod staklenim zvonom, simbolom njihove otuđenosti od socijalne okoline. Nerijetko se ističe njihova genijalnost u pamćenju i baratanju brojkama i podacima, prostornoj orijentaciji, glazbi i likovnom izrazu, ali zbog problema u ponašanju drži ih se za društvo teško prihvatljivim osobama. Ni roditelji nisu pošteđeni nerazumijevanja, od nepravedna etiketiranja da su elitisti koji ne žele da im dijete dobije dijagnozu mentalne retardacije i psihoze, pa sve do sumnje u njihov odnos prema djetetu, premda je teorija o "hladnoj majci" kao povodu za pojavu autizma prije nekoliko desetljeća znanstveno opovrgnuta. Te su predrasude i zablude prije svega rezultat neznanja. Posljednjih je desetljeća učinjen golem napredak u shvaćanju autizma i kreiranju metoda rehabilitacijske pomoći. Izbjegnuta je riječ o liječenju autizma jer nijedan vid liječenja lijekovima i psihoterapijom nije znanstveno opravdao svoju djelotvornost, a kako je riječ o vrlo složenim neurorazvojnim poremećajima s raznolikom uzročnom pozadinom, zasad je nerealno očekivati čudotvoran lijek od kojeg će takva djeca "ozdraviti". Nužno je to otvoreno reći roditeljima koji godinama tragaju za načinom izlječenja, gubeći dragocjeno vrijeme za ranu intervenciju, novac, vlastito zdravlje, a katkad i obiteljsku cjelovitost. U nas se ta bolest dijagnosticira vrlo rijetko, većinom u djece s težom kliničkom slikom i relativno kasno. U pojedinim zemljama rizična djeca za autizam prepoznaju se u dobi od šest mjeseci do godine dana života i odmah uključuju u rani tretman, a dijagnoza se postavlja već oko godinu i pol starosti djeteta. Koliko je osoba s autizmom u nas dijagnosticirano, teško je pouzdano reći. Okvirna je procjena između 10 i 15 posto od pretpostavljenih 6000 do 8000 osoba s autizmom u Hrvatskoj. Recentna praćenja učestalosti govore o alarmantnom povećanju broja novorođene djece s autizmom u pojedinim dijelovima svijeta. Disharmonija razvojnih područja Pod pojmom autizam podrazumijeva se niz sličnih, ali i različitih kliničkih slika s prevladavajućim simptomima poremećaja socijalne interakcije i komunikacije, jezika, govora i mašte, senzornih odgovora, ponavljajućih stereotipnih radnji i posebnih vještina, i to u različitom intenzitetu - od slabih do naglašenih simptoma. Intelektualno funkcioniranje nije dijagnostički kriterij, ali je kriterij očitosti simptoma u ranom djetinjstvu, obično nakon kraćeg razdoblja naizgled normalna razvoja. Opće je obilježje tih poremećaja disharmoničan razvoj s kvalitativnim i kvantitativnim odstupanjima na pojedinim razvojnim područjima. Kako je te poremećaje opisala psihijatrija, nerijetko ih se pogrešno drži psihijatrijskom domenom. Istina je da su zbog neurološke osjetljivosti, ograničenja u razumijevanju svijeta, komunikacijskih teškoća i teškoća u formiranju ličnosti izuzetno podložni razvoju emocionalnih poremećaja, poremećaja u ponašanju, a katkad i duševnih bolesti. Njih treba razlikovati od osnovnog poremećaja te poduzeti odgovarajuće mjere prevencije za očuvanje mentalnog zdravlja tih osoba. U poremećaje iz autističnog spektra ili pervazivne razvojne poremećaje (PDD) trenutačno ubrajamo autistični poremećaj (Kannerov sy.), Asperger sindrom, Rett sindrom, dezintegrativni poremećaj u djetinjstvu (Hellerova psihoza) i atipični autizam ili neodređeni pervazivni razvojni poremećaj. Autistični poremećaj najpoznatiji je predstavnik tih poremećaja, premda se Aspergerov sindrom i neodređeni PDD češće pojavljuju. Osobe s autističnim poremećajem imaju znatnih teškoće u verbalnoj i neverbalnoj komunikaciji, 50 posto njih nema funkcionalnu komunikaciju, a 70-80 posto ima i prilično sniženo intelektualno funkcioniranje. Može se još reći da su bolje u neverbalnim vještinama negoli u verbalnim. Na planu socijalnog funkcioniranja postoji raznolikost od osamljivanja i socijalne pasivnosti do osebujnoga, ali aktivnoga odnosa i rigidnoga socijalnog ponašanja. Osobe s Aspergerovim sindromom naizgled nemaju znatnih teškoća u komunikaciji i nemaju bitno sniženo intelektualno funkcioniranje, ali su za razliku od onih s autističnim poremećajem slabije u neverbalnim vještinama. Aspergerov sindrom i autistični poremećaj četiri do pet puta češće pogađaju dječake. Trećina njih ima epilepsiju sa specifičnom dobnom pojavnošću u pubertetu ili ranoj adolescenciji. Kod Rett sindroma napadi počinju već u ranom djetinjstvu, a regresivni je stadij između prve i četvrte godine života. Javlja se isključivo kod djevojčica, a očituje se i znatnim motoričkim propadanjem te specifičnim gubljenjem usvojenih vještina šake. Dezintegrativni poremećaj u djetinjstvu karakterizira regresivni stadij prije desete godine života, najmanje na dva područja razvoja. Iznimno je mnogo terapijskih postupaka i edukacijskih strategija koje se danas primjenjuju u tretmanu tih osoba, a najučinkovitijima su se pokazali sveobuhvatni programi rehabilitacijskih strategija poznati kao TEACCH strategije razvijene u Sjevernoj Karolini (tretman i edukacija djece i osoba s autizmom i srodnim komunikacijskim poremećajima) i Daily life terapy (Japan). Zahvaljujući tim programima 95 posto osoba s autizmom ostaje živjeti u zajednici, a sve je više onih koji se realno zapošljavaju i vode relativno neovisan život uz podršku specijaliziranih službi. No, kako bi im se pomoglo da ostvare primjerenu kvalitetu života, najprije moraju biti prepoznati. Što može biti znak za uzbunu? Većinom se autizam pojavljuje već u prvim mjesecima života, a rjeđe između druge i treće godine. Takvo dijete ne mari za okolinu, vidi, ali mu je pogled prazan, čuje, ali je ravnodušno prema zvukovima. Kad ga se uzme u naručje, ono ne reagira, ostaje ukočeno ili pak mlohavo, poput krpene lutke. Ne smiješi se, osim samome sebi, tepa, ali ne odgovara na majčine riječi. Autističnom su djetetu poremećeni i hranjenje i san. Katkad takvo dijete uopće ne spava. Pojedinačno ti poremećaji nisu karakteristični za autizam, ali nekoliko njih zajedno znak su za uzbunu. Autistično dijete teško komunicira i ima govorne smetnje. Neka djeca uopće ne govore. Da bi izrazilo što želi, takvo dijete viče i ljuti se, postaje agresivno prema drugima, ali i prema sebi: grize samo sebe i tuče se po glavi. Govor kojim se takvo dijete služi nije jezik komunikacije. Što mu je govor razvijeniji, to su veći izgledi za njegov napredak. Poremećeno komuniciranje prate i poremećaji karaktera. Takva su djeca razdražljiva, teško se usredotočuju, čini se kao da su gluha, ali ipak čuju, npr. šuštanje lišća ili papira, ptičji pjev... Kako pomoći djetetu - čovjeku s autizmom? Poticanje normalna razvoja, samostalnosti i socijalizacije, uz slabljenje negativnih oblika ponašanja (agresije, stereotipije, autoagresije) glavni su ciljevi liječenja, odgoja i obrazovanja, dakle, ukupne rehabilitacije osoba s autizmom. U liječenju autističnog poremećaja primjenjuju se različiti postupci. Stručnjaci se slažu s tim da je najbolji onaj tretman koji je prilagođen određenome djetetu. Većina ustanova za autizam u Europi i SAD-u primjenjuje posebne programe rehabilitacije djece i odraslih osoba s autizmom, koji uključuju edukativno-specijalno-pedagoške pristupe, uz povremenu primjenu različitih oblika psihoterapije za djecu i roditelje. Što se prije prepozna autistični poremećaj i dijete se uključi u odgovarajuću stručnu rehabilitaciju, to su šanse veće. Roditeljima djeteta s autizmom prijeko je potrebno mnogo snage i upornosti da spoznaju kako njihovo dijete nije poput druge djece, da ono živi u svom svijetu, da se ne razvija. Često se obitelj izolira od društvene okoline, koja ne prihvaća autistično dijete. Autistično dijete traži brigu i pomoć gotovo 24 sata na dan, uz stalno otklanjanje kriznih stanja. Rješenje nije u zatvaranju u vlastitu obitelj. Bez stručnog rada u odgovarajućim uvjetima ne može se pomoći ni osobi s autizmom ni njezinoj obitelji. Udruga za autizam Hrvatske Dvorničićeva 6, Zagreb e-mail: u.autizam@zg.htnet.hr Posted 31 January 2006 - 22:49 Environmental factors such as stress cause autism. Autism is the result of bad parenting. Autism is a mental illness caused by psychological factors such as early-life trauma. The facts: While no single specific cause of autism is known, current research links autism to biological or neurological differences in the brain. Some studies of individuals with autism have shown abnormalities in several regions of the brain, including the cerebellum, amygdala, and hippocampus. Theories of causes There is no known single cause for autism, but it is generally accepted by the medical community that it is caused by abnormalities in brain structure or function. Brain scans show differences in the shape and structure of the brain in autistic versus non-autistic children. Researchers are investigating a number of theories, including the link between heredity, genetics and medical problems. While no one gene has been identified as causing autism, in many families there appears to be a pattern of autism or related disabilities, further supporting a genetic basis to the disorder. Researchers are searching for irregular segments of genetic code that autistic children may have inherited. It also appears that some children are born with a higher susceptibility to autism, but researchers have not yet identified a single "trigger" that causes autism to develop. Researchers are also investigating the possibility that, under certain conditions, a cluster of unstable genes may interfere with brain development, resulting in autism. Still other researchers are investigating problems during pregnancy or delivery, as well as environmental factors such as viral infections, metabolic imbalances, and exposure to environmental chemicals. Autism tends to occur more frequently than expected among individuals who have certain medical conditions, including Fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, congenital rubella syndrome, and untreated phenylketonuria (PKU). Some harmful substances ingested during pregnancy have also been associated with an increased risk of autism. Early in 2002, The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) prepared a review of hazardous chemical exposures and autism and found no compelling evidence for an association. However, there was very limited research and more needs to be done to rule out chemicals. The question regarding a relationship between vaccines and autism continues to be debated. In 2001, an investigation by a committee of the Institute of Medicine concluded that the "evidence favors rejection of a causal relationship.... between MMR vaccines and autistic spectrum disorders (ASD)." The committee however, acknowledged that "they could not rule out" the possibility that the MMR vaccine could contribute to ASD in a small number of children. While other researchers agree the data does not support a link between the MMR and autism, they also agree more research is clearly needed. Whatever the cause, it is clear that children with autism and PDD are born with the disorder or born with the potential to develop it. Bad parenting does not cause it. It is not a mental illness. Children with autism are not unruly kids who choose not to behave. Furthermore, no known psychological factors in the development of a child have been shown to cause autism. Posted 31 January 2006 - 23:00 Autism is one of five disorders that falls under the umbrella of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD), a category of neurological disorders characterized by “severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development.” The five disorders under PDD are: Autistic Disorder Asperger's Disorder Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD) Rett's Disorder PDD-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) Each of these disorders has specific diagnostic criteria which been outlined in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR). Prevalence of Autism Autism is the most common of the Pervasive Developmental Disorders, affecting an estimated 1 in 166 births (Centers for Disease Control Prevention, 2004). Roughly translated, this means as many as 1.5 million Americans today are believed to have some form of autism. And this number is on the rise. Based on statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and other governmental agencies, autism is growing at a startling rate of 10-17 percent per year. At this rate, the ASA estimates that the prevalence of autism could reach 4 million Americans in the next decade. Autism knows no racial, ethnic, social boundaries, family income, lifestyle, or educational levels and can affect any family, and any child. And although the overall incidence of autism is consistent around the globe, it is four times more prevalent in boys than in girls. Autism Society of America Posted 01 February 2006 - 01:05 As mentioned previously, autism is a spectrum disorder, and although it is defined by a certain set of behaviors, children and adults with autism can exhibit any combination of these behaviors in any degree of severity. Two children, both with the same diagnosis, can act completely different from one another and have varying capabilities. You may hear different terms used to describe children within this spectrum, such as autistic-like, autistic tendencies, autism spectrum, high-functioning or low-functioning autism, more-abled or less-abled; but more important than the term used to describe autism is understanding that whatever the diagnosis, children with autism can learn and function normally and show improvement with appropriate treatment and education. Every person with autism is an individual, and like all individuals, has a unique personality and combination of characteristics. Some individuals mildly affected may exhibit only slight delays in language and greater challenges with social interactions. They may have difficulty initiating and/or maintaining a conversation. Their communication is often described as talking at others instead of to them. (For example, monologue on a favorite subject that continues despite attempts by others to interject comments). People with autism also process and respond to information in unique ways. In some cases, aggressive and/or self-injurious behavior may be present. Persons with autism may also exhibit some of the following traits: - Insistence on sameness; resistance to change - Difficulty in expressing needs, using gestures or pointing instead of words - Repeating words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language - Laughing (and/or crying) for no apparent reason showing distress for reasons not apparent to others - Preference to being alone; aloof manner - Tantrums - Difficulty in mixing with others - Not wanting to cuddle or be cuddled - Little or no eye contact - Unresponsive to normal teaching methods - Sustained odd play - Spinning objects - Obsessive attachment to objects - Apparent over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain - No real fears of danger - Noticeable physical over-activity or extreme under-activity - Uneven gross/fine motor skills - Non responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf, although hearing tests in normal range. For most of us, the integration of our senses helps us to understand what we are experiencing. For example, our sense of touch, smell and taste work together in the experience of eating a ripe peach: the feel of the peach's skin, its sweet smell, and the juices running down your face. For children with autism, sensory integration problems are common, which may throw their senses off they may be over or under active. The fuzz on the peach may actually be experienced as painful and the smell may make the child gag. Some children with autism are particularly sensitive to sound, finding even the most ordinary daily noises painful. Many professionals feel that some of the typical autism behaviors, like the ones listed above, are actually a result of sensory integration difficulties. There are also many myths and misconceptions about autism. Contrary to popular belief, many autistic children do make eye contact; it just may be less often or different from a non-autistic child. Many children with autism can develop good functional language and others can develop some type of communication skills, such as sign language or use of pictures. Children do not "outgrow" autism but symptoms may lessen as the child develops and receives treatment. One of the most devastating myths about autistic children is that they cannot show affection. While sensory stimulation is processed differently in some children, they can and do give affection. However, it may require patience on the parents' part to accept and give love in the child's terms. Posted 03 February 2006 - 14:59 Posted 03 February 2006 - 16:58 Iz svega ovoga nekako zaključujem da se autizam najbolje leči ljubavlju Posted 12 February 2006 - 22:05 Što je autizam? Autizam je biološki poremećaj mozga koji oštećuje komunikaciju i društvene vještine. Obuhvaća široki spektar poremećaja koji se kreću od blagih do teških stupnjeva. Autisti se opisuju kao osobe koje su "u svom svijetu". Mnogi autisti koji dobro funkcioniraju opisuju dva svijeta: "svoj svijet" i "vanjski svijet". Mnogi autisti svoja iskustva opisuju kao "razmišljanje u slikama". Ozbiljne osjetne promjene prate autizam, a neki misle da su one izvor autizma te se moraju razumjeti kako bi se shvatio poremećaj. Šira definicija Autizam se danas definira kao organski razvojni defekt mozga koji se očituje nemogućnošću razvoja jezika komunikacije i ostalih oblika društvene komunikacije. Javlja se u 2-5 djece na 10 000 rođenih i 1.5 puta je češći u muškaraca. Jedna je od teorija koja objašnjava autizam tzv. "teorija misli" koja podrazumijeva poremećaj sposobnosti procjene misli drugih ljudi. Normalna djeca ovu sposobnost stječu nakon 4. godine. Neka autistična djeca pokazuju iznimne motorne, matematičke i druge vještine. Često su opsesivno okupirana objektima u kretanju, svjetlošću, tekućom vodom ili rotirajućim objektima. Kod većine autistične djece poremećaj se prepozna kasnije u djetinjstvu, a težina ovisi najviše o kvocijentu inteligencije. Neka djeca postupno nauče govoriti i mogu pokazati izuzetnu nadarenost za matematiku ili umjetnost. Oko 30% autistične djece dobije epilepsiju. Sa starenjem sve osobine autizma postaju izraženije. Značajno poboljšanje se može očekivati u 1 od 20 djece. Uzrok autizma je nepoznat, a najvjerojatnije rezultat niza čimbenika. Autizam je obilježen slijedećim osobitostima: Odsutnost ili odgoda uporabe jezika i govora: - ponavljanje riječi (eholalija) umjesto normalne verbalne komunikacije - dodirivanje rukom i vođenje umjesto verbalnog zahtjeva - izostanak verbalne komunikacije Teškoće povezane s ostalom djecom i odraslima: - izostanak kontakta očima (kad je osoba direktno ispred autističnog djeteta, ono gleda u bilo kojem pravcu, osim u osobu koja je ispred njega) - očita distanciranost - nedostatak zanimanja za ostalu djecu i ono što ostala djeca rade - izostanak odgovora na verbalne zahtjeve - bez odgovora kad se zove imenom - izbjegavanje fizičkog kontakta (čak i s roditeljima, braćom i sestrama) - ravnodušnost prema drugim osobama koje pate ili boluju Čudna ponašanja: - zabavljanje sa samim sobom, okretanje, prevrtanje, pljeskanje dlanovima itd. - neprimjereno smijanje ili ispadi bez vidljivog razloga - neprimjerena povezanost za stvari - opsesivno-kompulzivno ponašanje, npr. poredavanje stvari - ponavljane čudne igre koje traju dug period vremena, npr. slaganje kocaka jedne na drugu pola sata - inzistiranje na rutini i ne-mijenjanju ničega u okolini. Teško doživljavaju prekid rutinskog rasporeda i promjene - moguće nanošenje ozljeda samom sebi ili agresivno ponašanje prema ostalima Promjene osjeta - hipo (smanjena) ili hiper (povečana) aktivnost 5 osjetila - abnormalni odgovori na osjete - manjak odgovora na bol ili pretjerano reagiranje na nešto što izgleda nebitno, kao npr. zatvaranje vrata Osjetni poremećaji Da bi se potpuno razumio autizam, potrebno je detaljno poznavanje promjena osjetila s kojima se autisti suočavaju. Za tipičnu i normalnu osobu, normalno funkcioniranje naših pet osjeta uzimamo kao zdravo za gotovo: 1. vid 2. sluh 3. opip 4. okus 5. miris Neki primjeri utjecaja oštećenog osjetnog sustava: Šetnja kroz susjedstvo Tipičnoj osobi nije problem šetati niz ulicu s prijateljem, razgovarati, čuti zvukove susjedstva u pozadini, mirisati rascvjetale proljetne cvjetove i možda žvakati žvaku, sve u isto vrijeme. Za autističnu osobu, s poremećajem osjetnog sustava, ovo tipično iskustvo može biti potpuno preplavljujuće. Autist može biti posve nesvjestan zvukova iz susjedstva, ako npr. prodornog zavijanja sirene hitne pomoći ili može biti posve obuzet mirisom latica u cvatu. Sunce koje sja kroz krošnju stabla može biti takvo intenzivno iskustvo koje blokira sve ostale funkcije autista pa se on/ona ne može koncentrirati na hodanje niz ulicu. Ova nemogućnost miješanja osjeta duboko pogađa sposobnost djelovanja, reagiranja i ponašanja na "normalan" način. Neke činjenice o autizmu - autizam je treći nasljedni razvojni poremećaj po učestalosti, nakon mentalne retardacije i cerebralne paralize - autizam je češći poremećaj nego multipla skleroza, cistična fibroza ili tumori dječje dobi - za istraživanje autizma izdvaja se svega 5% sredstava u odnosu na druge bolesti slične pojavnosti i učestalosti Dodatne činjenice - mnoga djeca autisti napreduju enormno dobro te se nakon nekog vremena ne razlikuju od vršnjaka - bihevioralne terapije, pravilna prehrana, nadomjesno davanje vitamina i minerala te medicinske intervencije su neki od tretmana koji se s uspjehom koriste - neke od navedenih intervencija smatraju se eksperimentalnim i ne podupire ih medicinska zajednica - autizam je stanje čije je liječenje izostavljeno s popisa bolesti nekih osiguravajućih društava u inozemstvu Pristupi liječenju poremećaja organskih sustava Dok većina srednjestrujaških smatra slijedeće informacije najmanje upitnima, me postoji alternativa za liječenje bioloških problema koji postoje u velike većine autistične djece. Često se kao jedina pomoć nude antidepresivi. Iako oni mogu dovesti do olakšanja, ne pomažu u rješavanju temeljnog fiziološkog problema koji može postojati. Kod većine autista postoje nepravilnosti u 4 velika organska sustava: živčani, imunološki, endokrini i probavni sustav. Prvi je korak testiranje, testiranje i opet testiranje. Neki od preporučenih testova uključuju, ali nisu ograničeni na: alergija na hranu, organske kiseline, aminokiseline, određivanje nivoa serotonina, imunološka testiranja (uključujući razinu antitijela), funkcija jetre, štitne žlijezde, prisustvo teških metala u organizmu, neurološki testovi kao što su: MR, EEG, CT. Testiranja probavnog sustava, kao što su endoskopske pretrage, mogu se također ordinirati kos autističnog djeteta s probavnim simptomima. Sve ovo se čini poprilično opsežno, a i skupo za zdravstveni sustav. Najbolji je pristup jedna po jedna pretraga. Potrebno je rješavati problem po problem i svakom problemu prići posebno. Nutricijske intervencije kroz nadomjestak minerala i vitamina čini značajni dio liječenja autizma. Mnogi pristupi će pozitivno utjecati na ponašanje. Osnovna je postavka da će djeca, što se bolje osjećaju, bolje učiti. Nadomjestak vitamina i minerala bit će osnovica za poboljšanje zdravlja što će potaknuti većinu bihevioralnih/govornih/okupacijskih vježbi. Dijetalna ograničenja - hrana bez glutena (brašno, riža, zob i ječam) i kazeina (mlijeko) Jedan od pristupa liječenju autizma je i prehrana bez glutena i kazeina. Kazein i glutein su slični proteini koji kod neke autistične djece mogu negativno utjecati na moždane funkcije te uzrokovati pojavu kožnih i probavnih simptoma. Prije početka ovakvog načina prehrane potrebno je posavjetovati se s pedijatrom ili obiteljskim liječnikom. Posted 14 February 2006 - 15:40 E postadoh rejnmen od tolko sitnog fonta :TROLL: pa kad koristiš explorer... kod vatrene lisice samo udriš' kontrol ++++ i voila !!! :TROLOFF: Posted 09 January 2007 - 17:21 U novosadski Centar za autizam svakoga dana dolazi 42 dece od tri do 18 godina, ali se ne zna tačan broj dece sa autizmom kod nas, pa ni u svetu. Autizam češće imaju dečaci nego devojčice, odnos je deset prema jedan, a od 10.000 rođene dece u svetu jedno je autistično. Defektolog porodični terapeut u Centru Miško Šekularac kaže da je svaka osoba koja ima autizam drugačija. - Autizam nije bolest nego stanje. Jedna od najčešćih zabluda je da osobe sa autizmom nemaju emocije ili da su hladni, a već prvi kontakt sa ovom decom to demantuje. Pored toga, često se misli i da se radi o mentalno retadiranim ljudima. Mentalne retardacije može da bude, ali uglavnom se javlja kao posledica ophođenja drugih ljudi prema njima. Deca koja imaju autizam mogu i treba da uče, a važno je ko će ih učiti i koliko će naučiti. Oni u nekim oblastima mogu da budu i bolji od dece koja imaju prosečnu inteligenciju i mogu da se školuju - kaže Šekularac i objašnjava da osobe sa autizmom komuniciraju teže od ostalih ljudi. Autizam podrazumeva sveobhuvatni razvojni poremećaj. Šekularac navodi da postoji 25 simptoma na takozvanoj ček listi i ako osoba ima 17 simptoma, postoji sumnja na autizam. Ovo stanje može da se primeti već kod beba. Simptom koji može da ukaže na autizam je nereagovanje na okolinu i socijalno okruženje, kašnjenje sa govorom, stereotipno ponašanje koje može da karakteriše ponavljanje reči ili mahanje rukama “leptiranje”, nemanje adekvatne reakcije na čulne nadražaje, odbijanje hrane ili vode. Sumnju može da izazove kada osobe pristaju da jedu samo hranu određene temperature, koriste uvek istu posudu, uvek prstima vrte jedan predmet i za njega su vezani. Sve te radnje i reakcije mogu da traju i satima. Šekularac kaže da postoji nekoliko faza u odnosu sa roditeljima. U početku, terapeuti uče od roditelja kako bi što bolje upoznali dete. Potom roditelji uče od terapeuta novi pristup detetu, a teško je prihvatiti da se do prvih rezultata ne dolazi brzo. U sledećoj fazi se rađa partnerski odnos između roditelja i terapeuta, kada jedni druge podržavaju i pomažu u trenucima krize. Neophodan novi prostor Centar za autizam postoji kao izdvojeno odeljenje Škole za osnovno i srednje obrazovanje “Milan Petrović” i nalazi se u Temerinskoj ulici 61. Na svega 132 kvadratna metra svakodnevno boravi 42 dece i 13 terapeuta i tehničkog osoblja. Zgrada je dotrajala i zidovi pucaju, a u jednoj prostoriji koju više ne koriste i deo plafona je odvaljen. Tamaš kaže da će verovatno ostati i bez ovog prostora, jer je kuća predviđena za rušenje. Stoga će, pored brige o deci koja imaju autizam, zaposleni morati da se potrude i da pronađu novi prostor za rad Centra. - U Centru imamo servis za ranu intervenciju u koji dolaze deca do treće godine, potom servis za obrazovanje i vaspitanje koji obuhvata predškolski, osnovnoškolski uzrast i iskustvenu nastavu za onu decu koja ne mogu da pohađaju nastavu. Oni uče životne stvari, od oblačenja i hranjenja, kako bi jednog dana mogli da žive što samostalnije. Servis za roditelje podrazumeva individualni i grupni rad i porodičnu terapiju - navodi Šekularac. Defektolog logoped i rukovodilac Centra za autizam Daniela Tamaš kaže da su 1999. godine, kada su počeli da rade, imali nekoliko dece od šest do osam godina koja su i dalje u Centru. Sa ovom decom može svude da se ode, oni mogu da rade, ali imaju teškoća u komunikaciji i njima se prilagođavaju programi rada. Roditelji ne prihvataju, deca trpe Daniela Tamaš kaže da je autizam nedovoljno istražena oblast i teško se razlikuje od nekih sličnih stanja. Pored toga, ovakve osobe se retko sreću u okruženju. Oni žive povučeno, ne zna se ni koliko ih ima. - Najmanje 10 roditelja autistične dece ne dovodi ih u Centar. Neki od njih jednostavno ne žele da prihvate kako njihovo dete ima autizam. Ima i dece koja idu u redovne vrtiće, osamljuju se, stoje u ćošku, ne pričaju i ne komuniciraju, ali roditelji odbijaju bilo kakav razgovor sa psihologom. Dobro sarađujemo sa Predškolskom ustanovom i držali smo predavanja vaspitačima, a sarađujemo i sa pedijatrima - navodi Šekularac. - Jedna grupa dece ide u drugi, odnosno treći razred u školi “Milan Petrović”. Oni ne rade po programu za mentalnu retardiranu decu, već je njima prilagođen program nastave. Pored toga, ima i šestoro dece koja pohađaju redovnu školu. Oni su u Centru imali intenzivne tretmane, radili su sa različitim terapeutima, po različitim pristupima, a i roditelji su sa njima puno radili - priča Tamaš. Šekularac tvrdi da svako dete koje ima autizam i koje počne tretmane u Centru do treće godine ima šansu da ide u redovnu školu. Objašnjava da se radi o strukturi i usvajanju određenih navika i procedura koje se obavljaju uvek istim redom. - U Centru se radi po multimodalnom sistemu koji smo mi napravili i jedini u istočnoj Evropi radimo na taj način. Autizam je stanje koje je promenjivo i može da varira i popravlja se do neprepoznatljivih simptoma i novih funkcionalnosti - navodi Šekularac. Petrović Posted 09 January 2007 - 18:50 Edited by Dunadan, 09 January 2007 - 18:52. Posted 09 January 2007 - 19:24 cesci je kod decaka 3-4 puta, nego kod devojcica, sklonost ka autizmu ima heritabilnost u sirem znacenju do 90% klik+klik. empirijski rizik pojave autizma kod siblinga autisticnog detata je 100x veca nego u populaciji. problem je i sa dijagnostifikovanjem, jer je zapravo siroka kategorija (i po DSMIV, od aspregerovog sindroma, retovog sindroma...) sto se tice fizioloskih korelata bihejvioralnih simptoma (treca godina je gornja granica manifestacije prilikom dijagnoze), ima disfunkcija u funkcionisanju nervnog, digestivnog i endokrinog sistema (i imuno-). jedna prijateljica mi je pricala sta kod autista desava u mozgu, ali da me ubijes ne mogu da se setim detalja sad, a zena (lekarka) je pisala neki rad o tome, pa cu bas da joj trazim clanak. ako se dobro secam, rekla je da se prilikom rokinga kod autisticne dece desava 'nesto' kao kod nekih zavisnika. ali ovo je poluinformacija, posto sam je sakato zapamtila, mada nije nelogicno. edit: odgovorila na pitanje, na koje je vec odgovoreno, pa obrisala visak iz posta Edited by kingmaker, 09 January 2007 - 19:32. Posted 09 January 2007 - 20:18 i druga klik+klik. empirijski rizik pojave autizma kod siblinga autisticnog detata je 100x veca nego u populaciji. recenica su do odredjenog stepena kontadiktorne... sto se tice fizioloskih korelata bihejvioralnih simptoma (treca godina je gornja granica manifestacije prilikom dijagnoze), ima disfunkcija u funkcionisanju nervnog, digestivnog i endokrinog sistema (i imuno-). jedna prijateljica mi je pricala sta kod autista desava u mozgu, ali da me ubijes ne mogu da se setim detalja sad, a zena (lekarka) je pisala neki rad o tome, pa cu bas da joj trazim clanak. ako se dobro secam, rekla je da se prilikom rokinga kod autisticne dece desava 'nesto' kao kod nekih zavisnika. ali ovo je poluinformacija, posto sam je sakato zapamtila, mada nije nelogicno. edit: odgovorila na pitanje, na koje je vec odgovoreno, pa obrisala visak iz posta Posted 09 January 2007 - 20:48 da li postoji neki centar za okupljanje, grupa za podrsku ili nesto slicno, autista koji su zavrsili redovno skolovanje? Posted 09 January 2007 - 21:29 Čitala sam ponešto u štampi o njima i obično se žale da su prebukirani ili nešto slično. Malo sam guglala i našla sam: ovo Dnevni boravak za autizam [ Deca sa Posebnim Pot. Diljska 12, Beograd Web Sajt: _ Nemam pojma ništa o njima. Posted 09 January 2007 - 21:48 da li postoji neki centar za okupljanje, grupa za podrsku ili nesto slicno, autista koji su zavrsili redovno skolovanje? Na Karaburmi postoji dnevni boravak za autisticnu decu. Bivsa poznanica mog druga tamo radi i po njenim recima uslovi nisu losi, samo mi je urezano njeno pesimisticko vidjenje buducnosti ove dece :-(