What is autism?

There are two major types of autism, of which you have probably heard. I provide a treatment programme for both.  They are autism and Asperger’s syndrome.  First let’s look at classical autism, how would we recognise it?  Well, autism was first recognised in the mid 1940’s by a psychiatrist called Leo Kanner.  He described a group of children, whom he was treating, who presented with some very unusual symptoms such as; - atypical social development, irregular development of communication and language, and recurring / repetitive and obsessional behaviour with aversion to novelty and refusal to accept change.  His first thoughts were that they were suffering some sort of childhood psychiatric disorder. 

At around the same time that Kanner was grappling with the problems of these children, a German scientist, Hans Asperger was caring for a group of children whose behaviour also seemed irregular.  Asperger suggested that these children were suffering from what he termed ‘autistic psychopathy.’ These children experienced remarkably similar symptoms to the children described by Kanner, with a single exception. – Their language development was normal!  There is still an ongoing debate as to whether autism and Asperger’s syndrome are separable conditions, or whether Asperger’s syndrome is merely a mild form of autism 

What is the cause of autism?

In the 1960s and 1970s there arose a theory that autism was caused by abnormal family relationships.  This led on to the ‘refrigerator mother’ theory, which claimed that autism in the child was caused by cold, emotionless mothers! (Bettleheim, 1967).  However the weight of evidence quickly put this theory to bed as evidence was found to support the idea that the real cause was to be found in abnormalities in the brain.  This evidence was quickly followed by findings, which clearly demonstrated that the EEGs of children with autism were, in many cases, atypical and the fact that a large proportion of children diagnosed with autism also suffered from epilepsy.

From this time, autism has been looked upon as a disorder, which occurs as a consequence of abnormal brain development.  Recently, evidence has shown that in some cases, the abnormal brain development may be caused by specific genes.

However, we should not forget that genes can only express themselves if the appropriate environmental conditions exist for them to do so and consequently, we should not rule out additional, environmental causes for autism.  We should not forget that autism can also be caused by brain-injury, that an insult to the brain can produce the same effects as can abnormal development of the brain, which may have been caused by genetic and other environmental factors.   I have seen too many children who have suffered oxygen starvation at birth, who have gone on to display symptoms of autism or Asperger’s syndrome. So, it is my view that autism can also be caused by brain-injury.

  I believe therefore, that the cause of autism therefore needs no complicated definition, whether it is produced by genes, environmental causes, such as alcohol abuse or abuse of other drugs, infection, jaundice, malnutrition, or one of many other causes, - or by oxygen starvation.  It is simple and easy to understand.  The cause of autism is brain–injury.  I believe it is that simple!  The important and simple thing to remember is that autism is caused by brain–injury, in the same way that cerebral palsy is caused by brain-injury.  In fact, autism is an expression of brain–injury, again in the same way that cerebral palsy is an expression of brain-injury.

Difficulty in socialisation is an area, which characterises the entire concept of autism. To many parents the lack of willingness on the part of their child to share in normal social interaction is of paramount concern.  One parent I spoke to described her child as having social amnesia.

The social impairments, which typify autism are exact, that is, the child’s social conduct is not atypical universally.  It is incorrect to declare, as some do, that children who are autistic, have a deficiency in their level of curiosity in other people.  What they are deficient in is the proficiency for conveying or exploiting that interest.  Uninjured babies are focused on faces and voices, whereas children with autism do not seem to be able to do so.  They do not turn automatically to the sound of a voice, or fix their eyes on a parent’s face, and may actively avoid making eye contact.  In many cases, this is due to sensory impairments, which can block the development of these social skills.

 

The importance of play

One of the first signs that a toddler or preschooler has autism is their atypical play.  Even the brightest youngsters with autism display highly unusual patterns of play.  Classically, many children with autism over-focus their attention on visual aspects of specific toys, or noises, which their toys make.  Many researchers see this as a lack of imagination in individuals with autism and it is true to say that children with autism do lack imagination and spontaneity within their behaviour, preferring to stick rigidly to routines with which they feel comfortable and safe.  What I claim though, is that many times, these problems are created as a result of the distortions of sensory processing, which they suffer.  There is now evidence that the abnormal behavioural patterns produced by many children with autism and Asperger's syndrome are a response to such distortions of sensory processing.  Researchers writing in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders found that young children with autistic spectrum disorders not only experienced more tactile and other sensory sensitivities, especially difficulties with auditory filtering than children with other developmental disabilities, but that their sensory difficulties were significantly correlated with their stereotyped interests and behaviours.  These hard scientific findings totally support my approach to treating the distortions of sensory processing experienced by children with autism. More information on such sensory processing difficulties are available in my books, Brain - Injured Children: - Tapping the Potential Within. or 'Autism: A Guide to Understanding and Helping Your Child.'

 Checklist of behaviours associated with autism.