According to the WHO, 1 in 160 children have an autism spectrum disorder.
In this Psychology-Online article, we explain what the types of autism and their characteristics, what are the traits that characterize people with this disorder and how we can promote a higher quality of life. It may be of great interest to people who want to know how to help someone around them, learn about the typical features of this disorder, or simply help the people who have it to identify how and what they feel.
The autism spectrum disorders, also called ASD, are a series of developmental disorders and, although the traits of the people who present it may vary, they are usually people who have difficulty in social relationships, understanding and communication. They tend to establish little eye contact, have certain repetitive behaviors and very specific and selective interests. Normally, disorders are diagnosed during the first 3 and 5 years of life and it is common to detect the first signs at school along with the involvement and collaboration of the family.
What are autism spectrum disorders?
Autism spectrum disorder is a neurological involvement which becomes noticeably visible as the baby develops. It is characterized by impairment in several areas of development: the area of language and speech, the area of cognitive development, and the area of social and emotional development.
The diagnosis, especially when the boy or girl is very young, can present some difficulty in diagnosing it since each boy and girl has a different development.
There is 5 types of autism spectrum disordersThese are: autism, Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, Heller syndrome or pervasive developmental disorder and, finally, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified.
Although not all people present the same disorder or have the same problems, there is a generalization in their behavior or way of acting:
- They usually have a cognitive immaturity.
- They are characterized by being people with difficulties to relate and express themselves both linguistically and emotionally. They have a hard time maintaining eye contact and body contact.
- They need routines and habits to feel safe, they are not comfortable outside their comfort zone and it often causes them helplessness/anger, since they do not understand what is happening.
- Selective interest. They do not usually show interest in what is proposed to them or in what others do, normally, they show interest in unusual aspects. With the topics that are of interest to them, they are great experts, since they pour themselves into everything that is in their hands, sometimes it can even become obsessive.
- Repetitive movements or stereotypies. They usually carry out repetitive movements such as rocking the body, moving the hands, movements with the mouth, tongue, etc.
Types of autism
The disorders that are included within the types of autism are:
- Autism or Kanner syndrome.
- Asperger syndrome.
- Rett syndrome.
- Heller syndrome or disintegrative disorder.
- Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified.
Autism or Kanner syndrome: symptoms and characteristics
It’s a neurodevelopmental disorder that during the first years of a child’s life and will accompany him throughout his life cycle, since there is no cure. It is usually detected at school since that is where he spends most of his time. It has been shown that there is greater effectiveness in diagnosis if there is family involvement, since there are times when people do not want to recognize that their child suffers from a disorder.
The most common characteristics in people with autism are usually:
- Communication and social relationship difficulties: In general, people with autism find it difficult to relate and interact with others.
- They follow repetitive patterns and routines: They are people who have very specific interests and who tend to follow a repetitive pattern. They don’t like to get out of their routine and usually dislike it.
In autistic children and/or adults characteristics What we usually observe are:
- Difficulty relating to other boys and girls, often there is an interest but they do not know how to do it since there is a difficulty in understanding the language.
- There is little eye contact and they limit physical contact.
- They have a strong specific interest in what they are passionate about and, usually, in unusual things. They don’t usually share it with others. Many times, they appear fascinated.
- They don’t usually have a very rich language, it is quite limited.
- They have a hard time reacting when a person speaks to them, even their parents. There is usually no feedback from them.
- They don’t usually smile much. They understand language in its literal sense, since they do not usually understand jokes or jokes, they do not have a sense of humor.
- There is little emotional expression.
- They tend to carry out repetitive behaviors, such as rocking their body or constantly moving their hands. These movements are called stereotypies.
- There is usually an absence of symbolic play (playing with dolls or kitchenettes) and imaginative play. Their play is different from other children, as well as obsessive and unusual, this can catch our attention.
We will take into account that there are different degrees of autism, we will consider the mild autism or high functioning autism as the lowest degree, where the person who presents it can lead as normal a life as possible without major effects in the different areas, and those who have a higher degree of autismas a person who has more dependence.
Asperger syndrome: symptoms and characteristics
He Asperger syndrome It is a type of autism that is characterized, above all, by little social interaction and a deficit in the ability to express and understand one’s own verbal and non-verbal language, and that of others.
Social interaction
They are people who want or try to relate to others, but by not having the necessary tools to do so, they can feel frustrated. Consequently, many are reserved and prefer to be alone or in little company, especially in the school environment, recess can become a difficult time for them. It is important to have someone to accompany you, such as a partner.
Language
As in autism, language is altered. Normally, it is shorter and they understand the literal meaning of the sentences. Many times, they do not control the tone, volume or flow of the words. They may talk about their interests for a long time but are not aware of when to end a conversation. Normally, they respond without problem to the questions asked of them, but they are not able to propose a topic of conversation “on the fly.”
Non-verbal communication
Less registration and use of non-verbal communication: gestures, looks, body position, distance, etc., all these factors are altered, making good communication difficult, since this is a very important part of communication. When we speak, we perceive stimuli through non-verbal communication, they inform us about various aspects of the receiver. In this case, it is reduced, they cannot be seen.
Lack of empathy
People with Asperger’s are usually people who lack empathy. This is because, as we have mentioned previously, they cannot interpret the non-verbal communication of the person they are talking to, many times, nor their emotions or feelings. It is important to convey verbally, clearly and precisely what we want to convey, since they understand the literal meaning of things and do not perceive what we want to say with gestures, expressions, looks, etc.
Routine habits
By not understanding everything that happens around them, it gives them a lot of stability to determine routines. Those who are affected cause resistance to change. They do not understand the reason for this change and it often translates into anger and/or anxiety. It is important to verbalize the reason for the change and try to convince him that it is nothing negative for him.
Few interests, very strong and unusual
They have selective interest and are very passionate about what really interests them. They enrich themselves with knowledge as much as they can, they become experts on the subject. Many times, this passion allows them to dedicate themselves to it professionally, other times, they only do it for pure entertainment and it can be a negative aspect, since they become isolated and obsessed.
The tastes of boys and girls with Asperger’s tend to be dinosaurs, calculation, some methods of transportation, geometric shapes, etc.
Sensory perception
There are those who have hypersensitivity, some of the senses altered, causing discomfort in light, noise, strong smells, etc.
On the other hand, the sense of proprioception may be altered, they do not control the body in relation to space and they may feel uncomfortable or cause discomfort in others due to excessive body contact. What for us may be a totally normal aspect, for a person who suffers from Asperger’s can be really annoying.
In women…
Normally, in women or girls who have Asperger’s, the disorder can present in a more subtle way, presenting the traits that we have discussed previously, but with a milder degree.
Rett syndrome: symptoms and characteristics
He Rett syndromealthough for a long time it has been included within the autism spectrum disorders, in the new update of the DSM5, no longer appears as such. It differs from other disorders, since it has a genetic originthe disorder originates on the X chromosome and, therefore, commonly occurs in girls and women.
Normally, the disorder begins to be appreciated around 6-18 months when a development setback and this can become stagnant. It is a disorder where the child loses already acquired skills. Being degenerative, this process can go more or less quickly depending on each particular case. The stage of further deterioration usually begins to occur around 10 years of age.
Characteristics
- Impairment in coordination and movement. We can see that a child who began to want to crawl or walk is losing skill instead of progressing. This point can create confusion, since a child who does not crawl or walk, when he is supposed to “should”, does not necessarily have to have ASD. She may simply have slower development and need more time. We must consult with a specialist if we have any questions.
- Loss of communication skills. We observe that there may be a deterioration in communication skills, as well as eye contact. It is common for people with Rett syndrome to communicate in other ways, such as nonverbal language.
- frequent mood swings. They can go from happy to bursting into tears in a matter of just a few minutes.
- The disconnection mental It is one of the most common characteristics of girls or women with Rett syndrome.
- Crying as a form of expression. It is common for them to use crying as a way of…