Publication date Sep 06, 2007
Finding out that your child has autism can be very upsetting. But getting treatment early on can make a difference to your child's life.
With autism, your child's brain doesn't work in the same way as other children’s brains. This affects how your child develops. On the outside, children with autism usually grow like, and look like, other children. But children with autism don't develop the skills they need to get along well with others or to keep up in school.
You may have noticed that your child was different, even as a small baby. Most children with autism show clear signs of their condition by the time they're 3 years old. Autism affects different children in different ways. Some children need help all their lives. Other children can learn the skills they need to live independently.
Doctors are not completely certain what causes autism. But it seems to run in families. Researchers have not found a single gene for autism, but it may be down to a combination of genes. If your child has autism, you may worry that something you have done has caused it. But there’s no evidence to show this could be true. And there’s no evidence that vaccinations, including the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR), can cause autism.
If your child has autism, you will probably notice signs between the ages of 18 months and 2 years, or even earlier.
You may notice that your baby doesn't look when you call them, even if they seem to hear other sounds. Your baby may not look you in the eye, smile at you, or notice when you enter or leave a room. Children with autism often seem to be in their own world.
Usually, children will follow your finger when you point to something from when they're 9 months old, and point to something they want from when they're around 1 year old. But children with autism may not do this. Your child may also have a lot of tantrums.
You may notice that your child plays differently from other children. Children with autism prefer to play alone, and don’t play with toys in the usual way. Children start to play ‘pretend’ games from when they're 2 years old, but children with autism don’t usually do this. Some children with autism always want to be holding the same thing. For example, they may carry an everyday object like a torch with them all the time.
Doctors look for difficulties in three main areas, before diagnosing autism. People with autism tend to have problems talking, find it hard to take part in social situations, and behave in an unusual way.
Most children can use simple phrases by the time they're 2 years old. But if your child has autism, this might take much longer. Children with autism who are going to speak usually begin to do so by the time they're 5 years old. Some only speak a limited number of words which they keep repeating. Some children learn to talk in the first year, then stop talking in their second year.
Children with autism often don’t like social activities, such as playing with other children, or showing affection through smiles and cuddles. This can be very upsetting for their parents or carers.
If your child has autism, they may constantly repeat certain activities, and be interested in only a few things. For example, your child may want to run a toy car backwards and forwards over and over, and get angry if you try to join in or change the game. They may want to have exactly the same routines every day. Other signs of autism include learning difficulties, getting very upset by loud noise, being over-active, problems with writing and physical problems, including seizures (fits).
Only a specialist doctor can diagnose autism. If you think your child may have problems, talk to your GP first. They should be able to refer your child to a specialist.
There isn't any cure for autism. But treatment may help your child talk and do better at school. The main treatments use special ways to teach your child and help change how they behave. These treatments seem to help the most if you start them while your child is still young. Lots of other types of treatment have been tried, including special diets. But there isn’t much research to show how well they work.
Most children with autism don’t need medicines. But there are some that are used if your child has particular problems with their behaviour.
Early teaching by parents means giving your child extra help with learning basic skills, such as speaking, before they start school. It starts working on your child's problems early on. In this treatment, parents or carers get training in how to help a child with autism. You learn how to recognise different types of behaviour in your child, and how to help him or her to communicate.
In studies, children did better on speaking tests if their parents had training in how to help their children. How the children behaved and got on socially didn't get much better. The children’s parents felt they knew more about autism and were more confident about how they could help their child. They could understand and cope better with their child's behaviour.
There are two other educational programmes that research shows may help your child learn. One is called applied behavioural analysis (ABA) and the other is Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication handicapped Children (TEACCH). You can use TEACCH at home (see http://www.teacch.com for more information).
In ABA, a trained therapist works with your child to teach skills step-by-step. In TEACCH, children are taught using visual aids such as picture cards and posters, rather than spoken words.
Research shows ABA may help children speak better, and do better on intelligence tests. And a study shows that children whose parents were trained in using TEACCH did better at picking up new skills. But this study was small and had problems, so it may not be completely reliable.
Several types of diets and supplements have been suggested as treatments for autism. But there hasn't been enough good research to tell us if any of them work.
You should always talk to your doctor or a dietitian before changing what your child eats or giving your child supplements.
These are some of the diets and supplements that have been studied:
There are many other types of diets and supplements that parents and some professionals try for children with autism. But there isn’t any good research to say whether they can help.
Most children with autism don’t need medicines. But medicines are sometimes used for children with autism plus a particular type of problem. They all have side effects.
Children who are overactive may be prescribed methylphenidate (Ritalin). It may make them less active and irritable. But higher doses might make children more irritable, and make them want to be left alone. Studies in children without autism show methylphenidate can cause other side effects, including loss of appetite, weight loss and difficulty sleeping.
Children with autism who get into fights, have tantrums or hurt themselves are sometimes given risperidone (Risperdal). It is an antipsychotic drug used to treat people with schizophrenia. Symptoms of autism get better in about 7 in 10 children with these problems. Side effects include putting on weight, getting shaky hands and sleepiness. We don’t know enough about the long-term side effects in children with autism. But we know from studies of risperidone used for schizophrenia that it may cause serious side effects, including diabetes and being unable to control the way your body moves.
SSRI antidepressants are normally used to treat depression. But doctors may prescribe them for children with autism who also have depression or anxiety, or do the same actions over and over. SSRI drugs include fluoxetine (Prozac) and fluvoxamine (Faverin). But there’s no good research to show if they work for children with autism. SSRI antidepressants have been linked to an increase in suicidal thoughts among children taking them for depression. We don’t know whether this affects children taking them for autism.
Many parents of children with autism worry about what will happen to their child in the future. In particular, you may worry what will happen if you can't look after your child any more.
It's hard to say what will happen to your child, as autism affects each child differently. Some people with autism can live on their own. Others will always need a lot of help. The right support, education and training now may help your child have fewer problems later on.
Studies of people with autism show:
How well your child copes on their own is linked to how well they can speak and learn. Some children have a good chance of living alone and holding down a job later on. But many adults with autism need to live in homes that provide long-term care.
The National Autistic Society is a UK charity offering help and support to people with autism and their families. You can contact their advice line on 0845 0704 004 or see the website, http://www.nas.org.uk.
This information does not replace medical advice. If you are concerned you might have a medical problem please ask your Boots pharmacy team in your local Boots store, or see your doctor.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited ("BMJ Group") 2007. All rights reserved
This information does not replace medical advice.
If you are concerned you might have a medical problem please ask your Boots pharmacy team in your local Boots store, or see your doctor.