Autism spectrum disorders are a group of severe neurological and developmental disorders which begin in early childhood and can last throughout a person s life. It affects the ability to interact with others and also hinders communication and well as learning ability. A proper health center can diagnose the presence of autism spectrum disorder early on. Many tests are available for evaluation and diagnosis as it is a range of disorders which can have a variety of symptoms. The environment and genetics also play a role in the development of autism spectrum disorder but the exact cause of autism spectrum disorder is not yet known.

Symptoms of autism spectrum disorder:

Your child may not be able to respond when called by his or her name by 12 months age.
Will avoid eye contact and also have the desire to stay alone.
Have trouble understanding or relating to other people or talk about their own feelings.
Delayed speech and language skills which would affect the ability to speak.
Show unusual reaction to sound, smell, taste or feelings.
Answering questions with unrelated answers that have no meaning or link.
Prefer to play alone and would avoid physical contact.

Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder:

Comprehensive Diagnostic Evaluation   The behavior of your child and development is first studied by the doctor in detail. The tests include genetic testing, neurological testing, hearing and vision testing among others. Doctors may also suggest other specialized tests in certain cases.
Developmental Screening   The development of your child s basic learning skills with respect to the age is checked. The doctor checks for some delays in the progress and will also monitor movement, behavior and speaking progress of the child. Some additional checks are also done for low birth weight, premature birth among other things.
Treatment:

Applied behavioral analysis   This is a notable treatment and widely accepted by doctors all over the world. ABA is known to encourage positive behaviors and improves a variety of skills in a child.
Occupational Therapy   Teaches the skills to live independently like eating, dressing and social skills. This can help people afflicted by autism spectrum disorders to lead a normal life within the society and thus relate to as well as interact with other people.
Speech therapy   It improves and focuses primarily on communication skills and also uses picture boards and gestures to improve the abilities and induce learning skills.

Autism Spectrum Disorder - How To Diagnose It?


Autism is defined as a neurobiological pervasive development disorder that includes lack of social skills and inability to reciprocate to social interactions. The patient may also have intellectual and cognitive deficits and problems in communication (verbal as well as non-verbal).

Ayurveda is the oldest study of medicine and has proved to be very effective when it comes to managing and treating those affected by autism. The earlier an autistic person resorts to ayurveda, the more effective it is.

Ayurvedic drink recipe for treating the symptoms of autism: (should be taken daily)
1.1/3 cup of yogurt
2.3/4 cup of water
3. Cumin
4. Coriander and
5. Ginger
Or
Diluted fresh pomegranate juice

Ayurveda in curbing aggression:
Autism includes heightened aggression and aversion from social interaction due to a neurological condition that impairs the functioning of the brain. Not all autistic patients are violent towards others, but may express their frustration by self-harm and emotional outbursts. One can curb these emotional outbursts by taking herbal supplements. An ayurvedic herb called brahmi (bacopa monnieri) which is known for its, anti-anxiety, neuroprotection and antioxidant properties can help considerably.

Regular massages using sandalwood, rose, lavender and gotu kola oils are also very calming and relieving, because it stimulates the blood flow and neuronal responses. Massage also helps in increasing eye contact and social relatedness, less stereotypical behavior and improved sleep.

Ayurvedic herbs for autism:
1. Brahmi- scientifically known as bacopa monnieri, brahmi is an important herb that delays the process of forgetting and improves memory. Not only does brahmi improve memory, but also increases the grasping power, intellect and speech and also corrects the abnormality of emotions, personality and mood of an autistic individual. It also helps in performing complex tasks such as comprehension, reasoning and learning.

2. Ashwagandha- scientifically known as withania somnifera, ashwagandha has high affinity for gamma aminobutyric acid (gaba) receptors. Low gaba activity is related to cognitive impairment.

3. Shankhapushpi- scientifically known as convolvulus pluricaulis, shankhapushpi is very effective in improving learning and memory and is highly effective in treating insanity and epilepsy. 

4. Centella asiatica- this ayurvedic herb is used as a medication for insanity, speech disorders and epilepsy, making it a very useful drug for treating autism.

Top 5 Ayurvedic Medicine for Autism Treatment

Are you aware of behavioral and emotional disorders in children? During the developmental years of a child, constant growth and change are signified. This fact should be strictly kept in mind while dealing with behavioral and emotional disorders in children. Brain disorders like bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety disorders may affect any child during early childhood. The assistance of a mental health professional should be taken while dealing with these problems. On a global scale, almost 15% of children suffer from behavioral disorders. Among the different forms of behavioral disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) accounts for being one of the most common ones.

Here is a list of the different forms of behavioral and emotional disorders, which are observed in children:

ADHD- This common mental disorder in children is more common in boys than in girls. Commonly, children affected with this disorder are unable to finish familiar tasks, plan or sit still. They may even lose awareness about what goes around them. ADHD-affected children may seem fine on some days, but on other days, they may experience disorganized and frenzied activities. This disorder may continue into adolescence and adulthood as well. There are several treatment options for ADHD, which may include medications, therapy and educational options.

Autism- Children affected with autism seem to become indifferent, remote and isolated in a world of their own. They are unable to form emotional ties with other people or their peers. Autism is more likely to occur in boys than in girls. The condition may result in language delays, mental retardation, and in some cases, a child may suffer high functioning and usual speech and intelligence. This is because the brain of such children functions differently than others. Consistency is very important for managing autism in children.

Bipolar Disorder- This disorder is most likely to begin in early childhood and it continues into adulthood. It is featured by extreme mood swings in the patient. A child may have extremely high or euphoric feelings, but his mood may turn into depression and sadness all of a sudden. This condition is a genetic illness, and it is often mistaken or misdiagnosed as ADHD.

Anxiety- Anxiety disorders make children feel uneasy, distressed and unusually scared for no appropriate reason. Panic disorders, featured, by intense episodes of fear, which occur without any kind of provocation or signal are a common type of anxiety disorder. OCD or obsessive compulsive disorder, which is repetitive and compulsive in nature, is another type of anxiety disorder.

It is very important to treat and deal with children s behavioral and emotional disorders at an early stage. Early diagnosis enables an early start of treatment, which prevents further degradation of the condition.

Types Of Behavioral And Emotional Disorders In Children

Autism in children is a condition that is characterized by limiting social intelligence, unequal skill development across sectors, and repetitive behavioural patterns. These children may show awkwardness when dealing or speaking with people, as they seem to fail to understand what other people feel. Hence, they are unable to deal out emotional responses in kind. They themselves are very troubled, sometimes, by stimuli that are considered normal by other people, including certain visions, touches, smells and sounds.

The skill set of an autistic child forms and develops unequally. While they are not very social, they sometimes gain intense intellectual abilities in the field of math, music, chess, art and related matters which require the brain to visualize and function.

There are further ways to diagnose underlying autism in a child, and diagnosis is extremely necessary for early treatment and cure. These warning signs are-

  An autistic child will shy away from both tactile and non-tactile contact. Some children may naturally be scared of being touched by a stranger, but autistic children will not even look or smile at you when you are feeding them. They cannot maintain eye contact, and neither will they show signs of affection like small smiles or cuddles, or loving glances.

  Lack of auditory communication - This is another area of communication where an autistic child will be found lacking. Even above and beyond not responding to visual and tactile stimuli, she/he will completely forego aural communication as well. They will not respond to familiar sounds around and go even to the extent of not recognizing or being able to respond to their own name.

  If you point at things in the distance, there is a lack of communication with your child as well. These children do not have the ability to maintain a connection long enough to follow your hand and record what it is gesturing at. Either the child does not feel enough of a connection to you to actually feel your stimulus worth pursuing, or she/he does not have the power or attention span to keep following with eyes the trail your fingers have created.

  The child does not use a lot of aural communication her/himself as well too. She/he does not call out often or call you by acronyms like mother and does not make small whimpering noises like most infants do, in search for some warmth and affection.

She/he does not seem to have a natural affinity for physical touch and love and does not seem to be able to show very much love her/himself through cuddles or disappointment expressed if you get sick.

Autism is a disease that has now spread to a whole range of behavioural peculiarities, termed collectively as the Autism Spectrum Disorder. If diagnosed sufficiently early, this condition can be helped to a great extent. Make sure to monitor your child for the above signs, and contact a doctor immediately if you see cause for concern.

The Ways You Can Identify An Autistic Child!

Autism is described as a range of disorders characterised by challenges in different social skills, verbal and nonverbal communication, repetitive behaviours etc. 

According to estimates of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 37 boys and 1 in 151 girls suffer from some kind of Autism disorder. About one third of these children also suffer from mental disabilities. 

Since there is a range of challenges and problems faced by different individuals, the treatment plan too is different and specific to each child. There are behavioural treatments as well as medicines for treating specific Autism symptoms. However, if patients suffering from Autism go for Homeopathy, they can expect specific as well as constitutional remedies. It can be a good option to treat Autism.

Homeopathy for Autism
Homeopathy takes care to treat autistic children as individuals as a whole. A Homeopathic doctor investigates not only the present symptoms, but also a plethora of other incidental information. This may include:

   General mental and physical constitution of the child
    Past medical history
     Medical history of parents
     Information regarding pregnancy of mother and specific incidents during pregnancy. 

A Homeopathic doctor investigates all these to get to the probable cause of a specific Autism disorder. He takes a call on the remedy based on his or her final analysis of the condition of the child.

Types of Homeopathic Treatment
There are a number of treatment options in Homeopathy for Autism. The proper method depends on the specific condition of the patient. Various types of Homeopathy include Classical Homeopathy, Gemmotherapy, Homotoxicology, Heilkunst and Sequential Homeopathy.

   In classical Homeopathy, the practitioner uses a single remedy based on the history obtained from the patient and his parents as well as practitioner s own observations of the child. The dosages depend on the severity analyzed by the doctor. 

   If the practitioner thinks that there is a need to drain toxins away from the body, he may resort to gemmotherapy. In this therapy, practitioners use herbal remedies prepared from shoots or buds of young plants to remove toxins. Using this therapy, doctors can drain away toxins from cells and revive them. This process abates the indigenous cleansing property of the body and may help in rectifying some Autism traits caused by toxins and trees.

   The doctor may also resort to sequential Homeopathy, if he thinks that there is a need to treat for specific shocks and traumas like surgeries, emotional trauma etc. experienced by the mother during pregnancy. 

Conclusion 
Autisms treatment is specific to disorders. The traditional medicines used to treat some disorders may have side effects. So, homeopathy provides a safer alternative. Proper evaluation and treatment by a Homeopathic doctor of repute can reduce the severity of Autism disorders by an appreciable margin.

Autism - Homeopathic Treatment For It!

Nobody knows the exact cause of autism. All medical science knows is that it s a complex neurological disorder which is detected within the first three years of life and is caused due to structural changes in the brain. Autism causes a number of symptoms which grade from mild to moderate to severe, like-

Difficulty in communication and social interaction
Language impairment
Preoccupation with fantasies
Repetitive acts (echolalia)
Excessive possessiveness to certain objects
Intellectual impairment
Over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain
Developmental problems
Causes
Genetic predisposition is the most common cause of autism. Exposure to environmental toxins is the other. Other causes are use of certain drugs during pregnancy, vaccinations etc.

Diagnosis
Diagnosis of autism can only be done by clinical evaluation as there are no laboratory tests for it. The psychiatrist prepares a detailed developmental case history of the child before arriving at a diagnosis.
There are a number of Autism screening tests to diagnose autism as well. One thing to always follow is to go to a psychologist who has a history of treatment of autistic disorders.

Diet
Theories are emerging that autism may be caused by a super sensitive child s response to foods like gluten found in grains and casein, a protein found in milk. These transform into substances that act like opiates in the child s body.

These drug-like substances alter the child s behaviour, his perceptions, and his responses to his environment. Recent research has found chemicals with opiate activity in the urine of a significant number of children with autism.

Autistic children have shown mild to dramatic improvements in speech, behaviour after going on a gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet.

Some of the foods that can be eaten on GFCF diet include rice, quinoa, potato, buckwheat flour, soy, amaranth, corn, fruits, vegetables, beans, tapioca, meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, nuts, eggs, and sorghum, among others.

Homoeopathic treatment of Autism:

The homoeopath carries out a detailed study of the family history of serious diseases which are linked to the development of autism in his patient.
The genetic evaluation of the patient is followed by case analysis which takes into account impaired functions in the patient like repetitive behaviour, lack of social skills, speech issues etc.
The homoeopathic medicines indicated for autism are twenty and are usually given in combinations. A homoeopath takes the decision about the exact medicine to be given, its combination with other support medicines, the dose and its repetition based on the case history of the child.
By no means should one try to cure autism by self-medicating on homoeopathic medicines as this can cause deleterious effects.
It usually takes a minimum of six months for some perceptible changes in autistic children. Homoeopathic treatment may have to be continued for over a year if the symptoms of autism are very severe.

Autism- Diagnosis, Diet And Homeopathic Treatment!

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