How much do we know about autism? Many of us have come across it only in movies like ‘Rain Man’ or ‘My Name is Khan’. Bharathi Prabhu explains autism, and the anatomical differences in the brains of people with autism.
Imagine not being able to perceive your body unless you are constantly moving or get wet. Imagine too what it would be if you could only hear or see or smell at a time but not do all three or even any two simultaneously. Think what it would be like to be oversensitive to sensory input.
A hug would then send you into a tizzy, and we are not referring to a pleasant sensation here. A loud noise would hurt your ears badly and you would want to withdraw into a shell. This is how people with autism perceive sensations. And these accounts have come from people with autism who can talk about their condition.
Autism is a developmental neurological condition that affects nearly one in every 150 children. Males are three times more affected than females. People with autism have difficulty in communication, socialisation and often show repetitive behaviours.
The term autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is used to denote the fact that the autistic traits are in a continuum. On one end are highly verbal people and on the other end are people with severe difficulties including the inability to talk. Some people prefer the term autism spectrum condition to ASD as they feel that the autistic brain is different, not necessarily disordered.
The autistic brain
The difficulties people with autism have and the behaviours they exhibit are often the coping strategy of a brain that functions differently from a neurologically typical brain. This functioning has been studied extensively by several researchers. Behavioural and imaging techniques have shown that in autism, there are deficits in coordination between brain regions more than deficit in any particular brain region per se.
There are also anatomical differences in the brains of people with autism when compared to those without. Techniques such as MRI and post-mortem studies of autistic brains have revealed these differences in areas such as cerebellum and amygdala. Some of these differences translate to advantages in high functioning individuals with autism- as an ability to take in details or think in pictures.
It appears that “wiring” is affected in autistic brains. But why is it so? Many researchers believe that a combination of several factors is responsible for this. There is a genetic predisposition to the condition. Autism is much more common in siblings of people with autism than in the general population. But it is not a single gene that causes autism but several genes are believed to be at work.
The final word on what causes autism is, however not yet out. Early and intensive therapy brings about improvement in the condition irrespective of severity. Therefore early diagnosis is vital. Some of the symptoms that children with autism exhibit are believed to develop in response to the environmental conditions.
A child with autism sometimes screams to shut the other noises around. By understanding what the stressors are for the child and removing those, many of the behavioural issues can be reduced or even prevented. Indigenous early intervention methods like the Communication and Developmental Eclectic approach to Language Learning (Com DEALL) work on fundamental pre-linguistic skills such as eye contact and sitting tolerance to facilitate the development of language.
Technology
Technology has made a big difference to those with autism and their families. Tablets and such devices have made Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) easy. While, earlier many AACs were painstakingly made with hand, technology now allows the use of pictures and even audio on these devices.
The child, who finds the motor coordination for speech very difficult, can communicate using these devices. There are now several mobile applications that help families of children with autism. From helping with toilet training to improving social skills and developing language, these applications can be very useful. Many of these applications have been developed by clinicians and parents.
Autism collaborative
Autism collaborative is a group of researchers who want to discover autism’s causes and treatments. Autism Collaborative has developed Astropolis, http://www.autismcollaborative.org, a video game that measures perceptual, social and cognitive traits in autism.
Being a game, it engages the person’s interest, a crucial variable in getting the right results. By mining the data generated from this game, researchers hope to find out when and how autistic perceptual and cognitive resources are engaged and to use the information to tailor therapies.
Since its recognition as a clinical condition in 1943 we have gained much understanding of autism.
This understanding should translate to better treatment methods, especially for those in the lower end of the spectrum.