BEHAVIOURAL ASPECTS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

   INTRODUCTION

The word “autism” is derived from Greek word AUTO means SELF. In 1911, Swiss psychiatrist, EUGENE BLEULER first used this word. Autistic disorder is a impairments in social interaction, communication, and imaginative play. It also includes stereotyped behaviors, interests and activities. Autism affects socialization and the sensory system. Autism can impact cognitive skills where brain is wired differently. Autism is defined by the presence of abnormal and or impaired development that is manifest before the age of 3 years, characterized by abnormalities of social development, communication and restricted behavior and interest. It is a type of spectrum disorder that ranges from low functioning to high functioning.

MEANING OF AUTISM

              Autism is a complex neurological condition that includes impairments in social interaction and developmental language and communication skills combined with rigid, repetitive behaviors. Restricted and repetitive behaviors vary greatly across the autism spectrum. They can include 

• Repetitive body movements ( ex :- rocking, flapping, spinning, running back and forth )
• Repetitive motions with objects ( ex :- spinning wheels, shaking sticks, flipping levers )  

ASD can often be detected by the age of 3 years. And parents usually the first to notice the unusual behaviors. In some cases , the baby seemed ‘different’ from birth, unresponsive to people or focusing intently on one item for long periods of time. The risk  is 3-4 times higher in males than females. Autism affects one in every 110 children. While autism is highly heritable, researchers suspect both environmental and genetic factors as causes. In rare cases, autism is strongly associated with agents that cause birth defects. The American psychiatric associations’ Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-IV) includes 5 types of disorder under the term “ Pervasive developmental disorder ”

1. Autistic disorder
2. Rett’s disorder
3. Childhood disintegration disorder 
4. Asperger’s disorder
5. Pervasive development disorder not otherwise specified.

Autism is said to be increasing; however it is not entirely clear whether the increase is related to changes in how it is diagnosed or whether it is a true increase in the incidence of the disease.

SCREENING OF ASD AND SCREENING INSTRUMENTS FOR ASD 

Autism spectrum disorder children look like, they have poor eye contact, does not seem to know how to play with toys, excessively lines up toys or other objects. Attached to one particular toy or object and lack of smiling. A well-child checkup should include a developmental screening test, with specific ASD screening at 18 and 24 months as recommended by the Americans academy of pediatrics. Screening for ASD is not the same as diagnosing ASD. Some of the screening instruments are 

• Checklist of autism in toddlers (CHAT)
• Modified checklist for autism in toddlers (M-CHAT)
• Screening tool for autism in two-year-olds (STAT)
• Social communication questionnaire (SCQ)
• Communication and symbolic behavior scales (CSBS)
• Autism spectrum screening questionnaire (ASSQ)

Some helpful resources on ASD screening include the center for disease control and prevention’s general developmental screening tools and ASD specific screening tools .

BEHAVIOURAL ASPECTS OF ASD

The behavior of children with autism spectrum disorder often causes parents and families the most stress. All children can behave in ways that parents find difficult or challenging to manage. But children with autism spectrum disorder(ASD) are more likely to do so children with ASD might :- 

• Refuse or ignore requests
• Behave in socially in appropriate ways, like taking their clothes off in public
• Be aggressive or have tantrums 
•  Engage in self- stimulatory behavior, like rocking or hand-fricking
• Have trouble understanding what’s happening around them-for example, what other people are saying or communicating non-verbally
• Don’t have effective ways of communicating their own wants and needs, which leads to frustration
• Are very anxious

Autism child’s difficult behavior might also have specific triggers, like the following :-

Routines and rituals :-

Children with ASD often like predictable environments, and they can get very upset if their familiar routines are broken. For examples, your child might be upset if you change the route you usually takes home from school.

Transitions :-

Child might not understand it’s time to move on from one activity to another. Or like typically developing children , she just might not want to.

Sensory sensitivities :-

Child has sensory sensitivities he might like feeling or touching particular surfaces or objects. He might get upset if he isn’t allowed to.

Sensory overload :-

Child might get upset if too much is happening around her, or if she finds a particular noise overwhelming,or it’s too bright for her.

Unrealistic expectations :-

Like all children ,your child ASD , can get frustrated if he’s doesn’t have the skills for , like getting dressed by himself.

Tiredness :-

Children with ASD can have sleep problems. If your child isn’t getting enough good – quality sleep, this can cause difficult daytime behavior.

Discomfort :-

This could include things like the feeling of clothes against skin, a prickly label, wet pants, a bump or pain. Check with your GP if you suspect there could be a medical condition causing your child’s behavior.

Other conditions :-

Child might have other conditions as well as ASD, like epilepsy, mood disorder or ADHD. These can all cause difficult behavior. A medical assessment will help you to identify and manage these conditions.

CONCLUSION

Finally, concluding about the behavioral ascepts of ASD includes the discussion of both behavioral and communication approaches, because they are so closely connected. In practice, behavioral and communication therapies are usually presented simultaneously. Many troubling behavioral issues disappear once children can communicate their wants to expect from their environment and what is expected to them are less likely to display obsessive behavior or to have a tantrum.