Introduction
Autism is, perhaps, one of the most broadly known mental health issues. However, unsurprisingly, it is often poorly represented due to the presence of multiple myths regarding autism. Moreover, the lack of awareness concerning the phenomenon of autism may lead to a failure to notice the presence of an autism-type disorder in a child, causing the problem to progress. Therefore, shedding light on the condition, its key symptoms and treatment options will help improve the quality of life in autistic people.
Symptoms
Similarly to other mental health disorders, autism may take different forms depending on a patient’s cognitive behavioral developmental and unique characteristics (Volkmar & Pauls, 2003). Nevertheless, several key features that are usually seen as the main markers of autism can be identified. For instance, the presence of developmental delays in a child may indicate the presence of autism or an autistic spectrum disorder to other cognitive behavioral issues, and the problem of autism begins to manifest itself gradually (Parsons et al., 2019). Likewise, high levels of social awkwardness are also deemed to signify the presence of an autism spectrum disorder in a child (Volkmar & Pauls, 2003). Finally, challenges in developing and using specific verbal and nonverbal communication elements are regarded as one of the signs of autism in a child (Volkmar & Pauls, 2003) therefore, while the main standards for determining autism might seem generic, they provide clear and accurate information about the means of detecting autism.
Furthermore, when suspecting the presence of autism in a child, one might look for the signs such as the lack of responsiveness particularly decreased eye contact or active avoidance. In addition, the propensity toward social withdrawal can also be considered a major sign of autism. Finally, the lack or absence of empathy in a child, as well as an adolescent or an adult, can be regarded an important symptom of autism (Parsons et al., 2019). Once three or more symptoms are observed in a patent regularly, the probability of autism as a possible diagnosis increases.
Prevalence
On a global level, autism remains one of the key mental health concerns to be addressed. Over the past couple of decades, the rates of autism have risen substantially, which can be attributed to changes in the patterns of interactions, particularly the propensity toward minimizing the amount of direct interpersonal communication (Shuai et al., 2020). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), currently, at least one child in 160 suffers from an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (World Health Organization, 2021). Compared to data collected from previous years, the specified trend should be regarded as a dangerously steep rise in the levels of autism among children and adolescents (World Health Organization, 2021). Moreover, the nature of autism, neither as a mental health condition nor as the outcome of a combination of biological predispositions, is still largely unknown. As a result, the current tendency for autism rates to increase drastically provides substantial reasons for concern (World Health Organization, 2021). Therefore, thorough and meticulous research addressing the nature of autism and the factors placing children and adolescents in the risk category needs to be undertaken.
Furthermore, studies indicate that the prevalence of autism has been increasing at a steady pace. For instance, the research by Lai et al. (2014, p. 2) confirms that the propensity toward developing autism has been rising both on local (UK) and global levels: “4.1 of every 10 000 individuals in the UK had autism.” Lai et al. (2014) explain that the current statistical data suggests higher predisposition rates toward ASD among women than men. Moreover, Volkmar and Pauls (2003) clarify that ASD development onset occurs roughly at the age of 3, which makes the process of diagnosing the specified mental health issue particularly difficult. Namely, the problem occurs fairly early in a child’s cognitive and behavioral development, when the key patterns and standards have not been ossified yet. As a result, noticing deviations from the norm becomes possible only once ASD reaches a rather advanced stage (Ruta et al., 2012). Therefore, awareness must be raised concerning the challenge of spotting instances of autism and the means of identifying key signs and symptoms as early as possible.
Biological Foundation
Autism and ASD are represented as mental health issues, yet it would be a mistake to assume that they have no biological foundation. Quite the contrary, while being significantly underresearched, the biology behind autism and ASD development allows understanding the disorder better and, therefore, create more effective strategies for managing it. Currently, the biological premise of the disorder is tethered to genetic factors, primarily disruptions in the genetic makeup (Ruta et al., 2012). However, due to the lack of research in the specified direction, the connection between specific gene expressions and the development of autism has not been discovered yet.
At the same time, the existing studies claim the presence of correlation and likely causation between an individual’s exposure to specific substances and the propensity toward developing. At this point, one must mention the development of dangerous myths regarding autism as a result of several miscalculations in past studies on autism and the possible connection between ASD and exposure to certain substances. Specifically, Geier et al. (2010) research states that the increased amount of Hg in the patient’s body is likely to lead to the development of ASD. Namely, the study has asserted that the presence of excessive amounts of Thimerosal and similar substances in vaccines and other medication types are likely to entail the development of ASD in children 90. However, further research has disproven the specified assumption, making it abundantly evident that there is no observable connection between Thimerosal and other components of the existing vaccines, and ASD or autism (Ruta et al., 2012). Therefore, the specified claim regarding the biological foundation for autism and ASD can be considered unsubstantiated. Consequently, it will be reasonable to assert that most biological connections between autism or ASD and biological factor are primarily genetic.
In regard to the genetic factors, the importance of studying the phenotype of patients with autism needs to be stressed. Ruta et al. (2012) outline the fact that the autism spectrum phenotype defines the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) levels to a significant extent. Therefore, the role of genetic factors in the presence of the “‘broader’ (BAP), ‘medium’ (MAP) and ‘narrow’ autism phenotypes (NAP)” in target audiences can be considered quite high (Ruta et al., 2012, p. 625). For this reason, further studies will have to be conducted to study gene expression in ASD patients.
Medication and Behavioral Treatment
Unfortunately, ASD, as well as autism as one of its most frequent representations, presently remains incurable. However, certain medications and therapeutic approaches allow for alleviating the effects of ASD on a patient (Cardinal et al., 2021). Regarding the medication for children with ASD, there is currently only one officially approved drug that can be used to mitigate the effects of ASD and autism in the target demographic.
At the same time, alternative options for treating the effects of ASD and alleviating the challenges that autistic patients must undergo regularly. Shuai et al. (2020) establish that alternative medications are a common approach that may lead to certain positive outcomes for specific patients. For instance, Vitamin D supplementation as a tool for reducing the adverse effects of ASD and autism on children’s cognitive abilities and behaviors has been registered as having frequent positive effects (Shuai et al., 2020). Therefore, further research into the alternative treatment of autism should be conducted to determine the specific option’s exact effects on patients.
Autism and Daily Life
Admittedly, there is the presence of several approaches based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), as well as the presence of medications and alternative medicine opportunities for managing ASD and autism. However, the specified disorder has a massive toll on the quality of life in ASD patients and their family members. Specifically, the research by Parsons et al. (2020) reports increased levels of stress among young patients with autism and ASD. Moreover, Parsons et al. (2020) explain that parents of ASD children also experience tremendous distress that is likely to lead to mental health issues and significantly reduce the quality of life. Namely, the study states that low accessibility of resources for parents with ASD children entails higher risks of mental health issues in the former: “These are unique stressors to families living in LDP areas, which could negatively influence stress levels and coping strategies adopted by parents living in these areas” (Parsons et al., 2020, p. 547). Therefore, strategies for supporting parents with ASD-spectrum children are vital to the current framework for supporting young ASD patients.
Furthermore, apart from the distress suffered by parents, the importance of supporting children with autism and ASD needs to be emphasized. It is vital to offer children with autism and related mental health issues a safe environment where they can evolve properly without facing any risk factors while developing the necessary coping mechanisms. For instance, creating an academic setting where children with ASD can concentrate on studying without being distracted by extraneous factors is vital for the promotion of their cognitive development (Cardinal et al., 2021). Thus, the daily life of children with ASD and autism hinges on the extent to which their family members and educators are willing to cooperate and support them throughout their development. Furthermore, encouraging children with ASD and autism to develop coping mechanisms that help them remain motivated and focused defines their further academic success (Cardinal et al., 2021). For this reason, a comprehensive therapeutic approach involving the cooperation of family and community members is vital.
Conclusion
Examining the notion of autism as a mental health disorder and detailing the key information about it, including its symptoms, nature, diagnosis, development, and treatment opportunities, will improve the quality of autistic people’s lives significantly. Therefore, a thorough look must be taken at the problem of autism, particularly in younger audiences. Although there is presently no cure for autism, the available cognitive behavioral therapeutic approaches can contribute to the patient’s status improvement to a great extent. For this reason, considering the disease closer and scrutinizing its different manifestations, as well as the outcomes of its treatment, will be vital in developing new and improved treatment options.
References
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Geier, D. A., Kern, J. K., & Geier, M. R. (2010). The biological basis of autism spectrum disorders: Understanding causation and treatment by clinical geneticists. Acta Neurobiol Exp (Wars), 70(2), 209-226.
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Parsons, D., Cordier, R., Lee, H., Falkmer, T., & Vaz, S. (2020). Stress, coping, and quality of life in families with a child with ASD living regionally. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 29(2), 546-558. Web.
Ruta, L., Mazzone, D., Mazzone, L., Wheelwright, S., & Baron-Cohen, S. (2012). The Autism-Spectrum Quotient—Italian version: A cross-cultural confirmation of the broader autism phenotype. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(4), 625-633. Web.
Shuai, B., Jin, H., Lin, Y., Duan, R., Zhao, N., Li, Z., & Shi, M. (2020). Safety and efficacy of complementary and alternative medicine in the treatment of autism spectrum disorder: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine, 99(45), 1-5. Web.
Volkmar, F. R., & Pauls, D. (2003). Autism. The Lancet, 362, pp. 1133-1141. Web.
World Health Organization. (2021). Autism spectrum disorders. Web.