Autism, or to be more precise, autism spectrum disorder, is a neurodevelopmental disorder that first manifests in early childhood, though not everyone on the spectrum is diagnosed at that time. Atypical communication, difficulties in social interaction, and repetitive behavior are common to all autistic people, and many have sensory challenges as well.
What causes autism?
We're not quite sure yet. What we do know is that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. As for genetics, things are sort of complicated, as there isn't one gene responsible for causing this condition. But it gets even more complicated when gene expression and the combination of genes is taken into consideration. It has been recorded, however, that if a child is born with this condition, their siblings will be autistic in eight percent of cases, too, a statistic that rises to 90 percent in monozygotic twins.
As for the environmental factors, several theories have been proposed. Exposure to heavy metals found in polluted air is one of them. Alcohol and cocaine abuse during pregnancy has also been considered. But we should be cautious when interpreting these findings, because the cause of autism cannot be attributed to one factor. It's rather a combination of many different factors, both genetic, and environmental, that cause this disorder.
And no, vaccines do not cause autism. This hypothesis has been disproved several times. The data in the research that first popularized this idea was forged and cherry-picked, the author himself confessed the fraud as well as being financed by a competitor pharmaceutical company to argue about the safety of the MMR vaccine, and the sample size was way to small to draw any conclusions even if the sampling was done right. And as for the chemicals in the vaccines, the quantity of those chemicals is larger in a single apple than it is in a vaccine shot.
Is there a therapy for autism?
When talking about ASD and the therapy for these conditions, we have to mention Temple Grandin. She is a professor of animal science who is also on the spectrum. I've heard about her in my faculty, because she invented a type of a maze to lead the animals to slaughter without stressing them. But she also invented a specific contraption called "the hug box" to help calm her. This contraption is used in some therapies for autism, but it has to be noted that each case is different, and each case should be approached individually. There are several approaches to ASD therapy.
1. Applied behavior analysis
Applied behavior analysis is an approach widely used in schools and health facilities to give autistic children the skills they need to fit in better. By encouraging positive, and discouraging negative behaviors, the goal is to help people on the spectrum learn certain skills. It can focus on verbal skills, or the motivation to learn. Lessons are often broken down to the simplest tasks, in order to be taught one by one, gradually. The main strategy in applied behavior analysis is positive reinforcement. Once the task is completed, the student is awarded. Each time the desired behavior is repeated, a reward comes, and eventually, a change in the behavior is seen. The goal is also to help clients understand what comes before the action, and what the consequences of the action are.
Before parents consider ABA for their child, they should be aware that the therapy is highly controversial among autistic adults, many of whom deem it abusive and traumatic — in part because its founder didn't consider autistic people people at all, and in part because even some of its current practices still often focus on "training" a child to behave in a neurotypical manner through intensive programs that, in terms of hours spent, rival those of a full-time job.
2. Floortime
Floortime is a term used to describe a play therapy focused on emotional and rational development. It's used to develop relationships with the people surrounding the person on the spectrum, but also to make them more aware of their surroundings, sounds, sights and smells.
3. Occupational therapy
Occupational therapy for autistic people is focused on helping people on the spectrum live as independently as they can. This includes skills such as brushing their teeth, bathing, and dressing, but also adapting the environment to better meet the person's sensory needs, and helping clients develop a diet that works for them.
4. Physical therapy
Autistic people may benefit from physical therapy to help them improve issues such as motor apraxia, low muscle tone, gait, and toe-walking. While none of these issues are inherent to autism, many autistic people struggle with these particular problems.
5. Speech therapy
This type of therapy focuses on helping people on the spectrum communicate with people around them. Speech therapy for autistic people can involve working on technical aspects of verbal communication like articulation, volume, or tone of voice. It can also develop conversational skills. In non-verbal autistic people, it can teach mastery of augmentative and alternative communication systems such as sign language, picture-card communication, and electronic systems.
6. Medication
Autism cannot be cured with medication. But, ASD sometimes comes with other conditions as well, such as seizures or anxiety disorders, and this is why autistic people are often prescribed medications. Medications can be used to manage those other conditions.
7. Cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most popular forms of talk therapy around. Because adults on the autism spectrum suffer from mental health struggles, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, in higher numbers, cognitive behavioral therapy may be useful for autistic people as well.
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