Autism Disorder. Symptoms and Treatment Essay

Symptoms
When diagnosing AS, one needs to understand that symptoms vary from person to person. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders under the criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder, individuals with ASD must show symptoms from early childhood, even if those symptoms are not recognized until later. This criteria change encour-ages earlier diagnosis of ASD but also allows people whose symptoms may not be fully recog-nized until social demands exceed their capacity to receive the diagnosis (DSM-5). People with Autism Spectrum Disorder tend to have communication deficits, such as responding inappropri-ately in conversations, misreading nonverbal interactions, or having difficulty building friendships appropriate to their age. In addition, people with ASD may be overly dependent on routines, highly sensitive to changes in their environment, or intensely focused on inappropriate items (Barahona, J. B., Filipe, & C. N., 2015). AS is a neurodevelopmental condition (Warrier, et al., 2015).
Diagnosing children that have Asperger's often result in an obsessive focus on a limited topic of that particular child's interest. For example, a specific case may include a child that has developed a strong interest for dinosaurs. This interest will soon become the main focus of a one-sided conversation with friends and family. The paitient diagnosed with AS is unaware of the other person's attempt of changing the topic. Making this one of the biggest reasons that children diagnosed with AS most likely will be considered socially awkward (Barahona, J. B., Filipe, & C. N., 2015).
People diagnosed with AS will have an extreme difficulty dealing with social interaction. Unable to read facial expressions and body language, many children with AS find it hard to recognize other people's feelings (Warrier, et al., 2015). Children diagnosed with AS may also experience difficulty with the essential motor skills, such as skipping, running, jogging or walking. These children will most likely lack coordination and are physically unable to do certain tasks, such as tying their shoes or riding a bicycle. Children with AS are often de-scribed as bouncy and awkward (Barahona, J. B., Filipe, & C. N., 2015).
Treatment
There is no cure for AS, but there are several treatments that will reduce the symptoms of this disorder. The treatment options are based on the child's specific symptoms (Woods, G., Mah-davi, & Ryan, 2013). These treatment options insure the help your child will need in order to reach his, or her full potential.
Medications are often used to treat AS symptoms. Examples include aripiprazole to reduce irritability, guanfacine, olanzapine, and naltrexone to reduce hy-peractivity, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors to reduce repetitive behaviors, and risperidone to reduce agitation and insomnia (Woods, G., Mahdavi, & Ryan, 2013). For some individuals medications could be the solution for controlling the several symptoms that come along with AS. However, there are other treatments that help improve communication skills, regulate emotions, and social interactions. Many children with AS also receive social skills training, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy (Woods, G., Mahdavi, & Ryan, 2013)