Advantages Of High Functioning Autism
It used to be that autism was diagnosed as a general condition but over time there has been a lot of research and autism has been found to have a large spectrum, that it is not just one disorder, but a category that includes many disorders, among them is high functioning autism.
Lets define what high functioning autism is? When a person has this type of autism he may only have some symptoms of autism or very mild symptoms. He may only suffer from very mild social problems. These sufferers are able to speak and communicate and do most normal functions. The symptoms can often be confused with Aspergers Syndrome or Pervasive Developmental Disorder.
Children who suffer from high functioning autism will have only some problems when trying to communicate with others, you may also distinguish the disorder by small movements and kids will want a certain routine and feel lost without it.
When your child is diagnosed with autism it may seem as if the world has come to an end, but there are actually some advantages to high functioning autism, and many of the symptoms can be reversed, or minimized allowing your child to live a normal life. If you notice any of the symptoms, it is extremely important that you get help immediately. A pediatric neurologist and a child psychologist can give you the techniques that you can use to train and treat your child’s symptoms.
Don’t feel disheartened, there are certain therapy treatments that can bring normalcy back to your child’s life. This type of therapy will teach them how to control their motor behavior, interact socially, and teach them how to communicate with others. The therapy may mean a more individualized type of education, and certain behavior analysis. Some specialists may prescribe certain medications to control the child’s anxiety and his hyperactivity. This is why its important to look for help from specialists in the field.
The medical field diagnoses a child with high functioning autism when the condition is present but the symptoms are not severe. Most of these children have the same intelligence as others, and in some cases even higher. They have an adequate vocabulary but their learning comprehension is sometimes behind others. People with high functioning autism wont express very much detail and aren’t very emotional. The have a hard time interpreting body language and non verbal instruction.
As a parent you need to be careful because high functioning autism is often confused with Asperger’s Syndrome. A lot of the information out there refers to both high functioning autism and Asperger’s as being the same. Although there are many symptoms that are similar, there is a difference and they need to be treated differently. Even doctors tend to differ in their definitions of the two.
There really isn’t a defined area that suggests your child has autism or high functioning autism. Some doctors use IQ tests to help them with the diagnosis, but there are other key elements too, like the use of language, and the way a child behaves, even non verbal details need to be taken into account to determine the level of autism the child has. The IQ test cannot be used definitively because there are many elements on the test that autistic children struggle with. So the key is in finding the right doctor and psychological help for your child and that may mean consulting with several specialists in the field.
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