Autism is one of the neurological conditions that are included in autism spectrum disorders. It arises from differences in brain development and function. Children with autism display challenges in communication and social interaction, accompanied by repetition of certain behaviors such as hand flapping, rocking, spinning, etc. These symptoms hinder their daily activities, making it all the more challenging. The disorder appears in early childhood, substantially diminishing their quality of life throughout a person’s lifetime.
Levels of Autism
Stages, or severity of disorders aid in strategizing a suitable treatment plan. As a result, autism has been divided into three severity levels by ICD-11 and DSM-5 based on behavior repetition and communicative abilities. These levels also specify how much assistance patients require from parents or other caretakers.
Level 1: Requiring Support
Children at this level show some functional independence because their repetitive habits do not interfere with their day-to-day tasks. Their lack of social skills at this level is not noticeable in the presence of caregivers but are apparent in their absence. This level’s symptoms include:
- Trouble understanding body language and facial expressions
- Tendency to avoid eye contact
- They find initiating or engaging in conversations difficult
- Challenges in responding appropriately to social cues, such as smiling
- Difficulty adapting to new or unfamiliar situations
- Struggles with planning and organizing tasks
Due to mild autism symptoms, level 1 autistic individuals require less support, and the disorder often goes undetected in these individuals until later stages of life.
Level 2: Requiring Substantial Support
At this level, repetitive behavior interferes with daily activities, and social interaction or communication further declines, necessitating support from caregivers.
- Extreme Difficulty initiating or engaging in conversations
- Abnormal response to social cues
- New or unfamiliar situations cause anxiety
- Avoid eye contact
Individuals at this level need more support.
Level 3: Requiring Very Substantial Support
It is the most severe form of this disorder with the following symptoms.
- Their social skills are limited, and they rely primarily on non-verbal communication.
- Minimal response to interaction and social prompts.
- Repetitive actions interfere with daily tasks.
- Stronger adherence to routines, specific activities, or behaviors
At this level 3 severity, individuals need increased support for daily activities, relying entirely on their caregivers.
Autism in Toddlers
Toddlers aged less than 3 years could also show some signs of autism. Although the conclusive diagnosis is reached only by the age of 2, some indicators can be beneficial for timely detection. However, the medical community has not yet published levels of autism in toddlers. Here are some symptoms of autism in toddlers.
- Delayed speech and language development indicated by the absence of cooing or babbling sounds, Limited social interaction.
- Inability to understand emotions.
- Delayed motor skill development, like running, walking, kicking, eating, etc.
- Repetitive actions like flapping.
- Lack of engagement in imaginative play or play with make-believe toys.
- Imitation is common practice among toddlers but is absent in autism.
Therapies for Autism
Autism therapies integrate medications for managing specific symptoms, such as anxiety and hyperactivity, with rehabilitative interventions that improve behavioral characteristics. Rehabilitative therapies generally include:
Speech Therapy: It focuses on language development, including verbal and non-verbal communication.
Occupational Therapy: It develops functional independence for daily activities.
Physical Therapy: It improves motor skills and posture.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: It helps in emotional regulation and caters to mental well-being.
Occupational Therapy for Autism
Occupational therapy involves individuals in activities or “occupations” that have a therapeutic effect. It aims to lower dependence on others for everyday tasks by focusing on certain key areas:
Sensory Integration: It refers to the manner in which the brain receives and responds to environmental stimuli like sight, touch, taste, distance, body awareness, etc. It is based on the theory proposed by Dr. A. Jean Ayers, which states that sensory integration shapes brain development, neural plasticity, and motor skills. This intervention provides controlled sensory experiences to children, gradually inculcating proper responses in them.
Auditory Integration: Autism can cause hypersensitivity to certain sounds. Selective frequencies reduce this abnormal sensitivity, which, over time, can increase hearing acuity among children.
Activities of Daily Living: This intervention aims to improve functioning in daily activities such as eating, bathing, dressing, toilet hygiene, etc. Visual cues, guided learning, verbal instructions, and environmental signals are some of the strategies adopted in this intervention.
Social Skill Improvement: It works on self-introduction, asking questions, engaging in conversation, maintaining proper posture and tone, and other social interaction skills to increase children’s social interaction ability.
Autism Patient Success Stories
Benefits of Occupational Therapy
Personalization: Autism is a heterogeneous disorder that manifests differently in each person. Thus, occupational therapy offers a personalized approach. Before any intervention, it assesses the strengths, weaknesses, and major focus areas to design an effective treatment plan to address challenges specific to individuals. The therapy also keeps evaluating the response of children and modifying the plan accordingly.
Collaborative Approach: The therapy also involves parents/caregivers and provides them with tools to use the interventions at home. The collaborative approach helps caregivers and children interact with each other and create a supportive ecosystem.
Stem Cell Therapy
Autism occurs due to the different neural pathways in the brain. None of the current medications can restore them. Therefore, scientists have been searching for restorative or regenerative therapies. Stem cells with their capability for tissue regeneration have potential for treating autism. They can transform into nerve cells, alluding to their ability for neural reorganization. After meticulous research, scientists evaluated stem cell therapy and observed noticeable improvements in their behavioral characteristics and motor skills of children. It can significantly enhance the results of occupational therapy, improving the quality of life.
Conclusion
The impaired neural connectivity in autism leads to a lack of social and communication skills, along with impaired motor skills adding it to the list of autism spectrum disorders. Depending on the severity levels, the individuals require different amounts of support from caregivers or parents. To reduce the reliance of children on caregivers, several rehabilitative therapies have been devised. Among them, occupational therapy trains children for daily activities. It incorporates various approaches such as integration of the environmental inputs for better understanding of the space and body, alleviating sound hypersensitivity, improving social skills, and learning daily activities such as grooming. Stem cell therapy is a breakthrough in autism treatment, driving neural regeneration. The combination of stem cells and occupational therapy enhances the overall results in autistic children. At Advancells, we care for children and thus offer high-quality stem cells to improve their quality of life through a regenerative approach.
FAQs:
Q – What is occupational therapy?
It engages individuals in meaningful therapeutic tasks or occupations to improve their independence in performing daily activities.
Q – How is occupational therapy beneficial in autism?
This therapy engages children in activities that improve their response to environmental inputs such as touch, taste, smell, etc., and also promotes their social skills while gradually reducing their reliance on caregivers for daily activities.
Q – What is a sensory diet?
Autism causes impaired perception of environmental stimuli, which also affects children’s mobility. A sensory diet is a range of activities that provide controlled and balanced sensory or environmental inputs. It aims to regulate children’s responses and emotions while they perceive such sensory inputs.
Q – What are the key areas of focus in occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy focuses on sensory integration, activities of daily living, auditory integration, and social skills to provide a holistic therapeutic approach.
Recent Comments