Symptoms or characteristics of autistic children can actually be seen when he was a baby, for example rarely making eye contact and being less responsive or not responding at all when his name is called. However, in general, the symptoms of autism usually begin to appear clearly when children reach the age of 2-4 years.
Autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder in children that causes children's communication and socialization skills to be disrupted. Until now, the cause of autism is not known with certainty.
However, the risk of developing autism disorders can increase if there are genetic and environmental factors, such as exposure to toxins, cigarette smoke, infections, side effects of drugs, and an unhealthy lifestyle during pregnancy.
What are the Characteristics of Autistic Children?
Symptoms of autism are very diverse and each child suffering from this condition may exhibit different symptoms. However, in general, the characteristics of autistic children consist of 3 main characteristics, namely:
Communication difficulties
Communication problems that are often experienced by children with autism include difficulty speaking, writing, reading, and understanding sign language, such as pointing and waving. This then makes it difficult to start a conversation and understand the meaning of a word or hint given by another person.
Not infrequently children with autism say a word repeatedly or heard some time ago, say something in a certain tone or like being humming, or often have tantrums.
Disturbances in social relationships
One of the characteristics of autistic children is difficulty socializing. Children with autism often seem engrossed in their own world, making it difficult to connect with those around them. Sometimes children with autism also seem less responsive or sensitive to their own feelings or those of others.
Therefore, autistic children are usually not easy to make friends, play and share toys with friends, or focus on an object or subject at school.
Behavioral disorders
The following are some typical behavior patterns that are usually shown by children with autism:
- Angry, crying, or laughing for no apparent reason
- Only likes or eats certain foods
- Performing certain actions or movements repeatedly, such as swinging your arms or twisting your body
- Only likes certain objects or topics
- Doing activities that are harmful to oneself, such as biting your hand tightly or banging your head against a wall
- Have language or body movements that tend to be stiff
- Hard to sleep
However, the symptoms of autism are not always bad. Some children with autism have strengths or talents in certain areas, such as being able to learn details and then remembering them for a long time and being interested in learning the art of music and drawing.
How Can You Ensure That Your Child Has Autism?
The characteristics of children with autism can sometimes resemble other disorders, such as hearing loss, depression in children, anxiety disorders, Asperger's syndrome, and trauma reactions due to violence. Therefore, children suspected of having autism need to be examined by a pediatrician.
In diagnosing autism in children, doctors will evaluate the child's growth and development, such as assessing the ability to speak, behave, learn, and move the child. The doctor may also suggest other tests in the form of hearing tests, genetic tests, and child psychology consultations.
Until now, there is no treatment that can cure autism. However, there are several therapeutic methods that can be used to help children improve their ability to communicate, interact, and learn.
The doctor will determine the appropriate therapy according to the child's overall health condition. The purpose of this therapy is to help children grow and develop properly, and be able to live independently when they grow up.
Tips for Communicating with Autistic Children
It is not easy to communicate with children with autism. However, your support and those in the surrounding environment certainly means a lot to him. The following are some things you can do to establish good communication with children with autism:
- Get in the habit of speaking in short, clear sentences, or speak slowly with pauses between words.
- Give your child time to understand what you are saying.
- If necessary, accompany the words you say with simple body movements.
- Always call the child by name.
It is important to recognize the characteristics of children with autism so that proper diagnosis and treatment can be carried out as early as possible. To determine whether your child has autism or other disorders, you can check with your pediatrician.