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Home > Autism > Autism FAQ
SAI Autism - About Autism

Autism FAQ

Autism - Frequently Asked Questions

 

How is Autism different from Mental Retardation ( M.R.)?

  • When a person has M.R. there is a more or less even impairment in skills in all areas of development. Therefore, if an M.R. child of 8 years has a mental age of 5 then all his skills would be roughly around 5 years (i.e. motor, communication, social, self-help, cognition etc.).
  • In Autism, there is an uneven skill development- in fact this is the hallmark of autism. In some areas the child may show age-appropriate skills; in some the skills may be below the developmental level; and then again there are people with Autism who possess exceptional skills i.e. beyond their age level.
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What causes Autism?

  • At this point in time we do not know what causes it. However, current research indicates that anything that can produce structural or functional damage to the central nervous system can also produce the condition of Autism.
  • We know that certain viruses and known genetic conditions are associated with Autism.
  • In addition, there are families that have more than one child with autism. At present, it is believed that about 10% of all cases can be accounted for genetically. It is difficult to tell parents why their child has autism.
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Can the child ever live an independent life?

  • Autism is a spectrum disorder. Currently there is no reliable objective measure of how severe the Autism is in an individual child.
  • Children with Autism have potential for building up their skills and they can be helped if they receive early, well-focused intervention.
  • Depending on the child's individual skill profile and the appropriateness and intensity of intervention he or she receives, children with Autism can lead relatively independent lives.
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Is there a cure?

  • At this point we do not know what causes Autism and so cannot fix (cure) what is wrong in the child's brain.
  • Many therapies (medications, diets, etc.) are being tried but nothing is proven.
  • The only thing that is found to help in all cases is an appropriate training program that is very specific to the child's need.
  • It is a life long condition but with appropriate intervention (training methods) the child can progress to his fullest potential.
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When and will my child ever speak?

  • A large member of autistic children (about 30-50%) do not use speech. It is very difficult to say when and whether the child will ever speak.
  • It is confirmed that there is no difficulty in their physical abilities that stops them from speaking. Some children who might have spoken as infants and then lost their speech may or may not get their speech back.
  • Currently, it is unknown why some children develop speech and others do not. Experience with children with autism has shown that if the environment is accepting, and people are aware of the kind of speech they themselves need to use with the child, it can produce positive results.
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Why autistic children are Hyperactive?

  • Hyperactivity can have a medical reason. However, most children with Autism are restless because of an impairment of their imaginative and social skills.
  • They cannot play with their toys and other children meaningfully and find it very difficult to keep themselves occupied.
  • Hyperactivity can be reduced as the children are taught new skills and ways to keep themselves occupied.
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Why does he keep playing with his fingers/ rocking himself back and forth/ spinning around etc?

  • Children with Autism respond to sensations abnormally. They often have a condition known as sensory dysfunction this means either over or under stimulation in any one or more of the sensory modalities (hearing, sight, taste, touch, smell, balance).
  • One theory is that these unusual mannerisms like flapping and rocking etc. are natural responses or methods of coping with sensory difficulties. These behaviours may help them to relax.
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Are people with Autism also mentally retarded?

  • It is very difficult for people with autism to take an IQ test because they may have certain skills but are not able to use them or exhibit them in a test.
  • About 50% of people with autism are also mentally retarded, just the way that people with Cerebral palsy or Down syndrome can have mental retardation.
  • Autism can occur in association with other difficulties like Cerebral Palsy, Dyslexia, Downs Syndrome, Visual Impairment, and Seizure Disorder.
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