What is Autism; Know in Detail from an Expert

World Autism Awareness Day is marked on 2^nd April every year to spread awareness about Autism and work towards empowering and accepting individuals with autism. It was first designated by a resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly on November 1, 2007 to raise public awareness. The theme for World Autism Awareness Day 2024 is “Empowering Autistic Voices”. It aims to provide them with support and acceptance to help them lead more fulfilling and productive lives.

Autism is a different way of being and is not a disease. It is a neurodevelopmental condition affecting early childhood years with marked difficulties in social, communication, speech delays, sensory processing, and repetitive behaviours. But it is important to note that it is a “spectrum” condition and every autistic child shows a different picture. The early signs of it are usually noticed between 12 months to 18 months of age, although formal diagnosis is given at a much later age beyond 3 years of age. Limited eye contact, absence of social smile, not responding to names, not following the point of someone, joint attention, sensory hypersensitivities, hand-flapping or rocking, and delayed speech are early signs of autism.

Early Intervention is a must for them as it helps to improve their ‘quality of life’ and reduce ‘frustration’. It can change the entire growth trajectory helping the child for better ‘community integration’. Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Sensory Integration Therapy, Special Education, and Behaviour Therapy are evidence-based practices for autism.

Over the last decade, increased awareness and better access to medical services have led to early diagnosis. The prevalence of autism is now 1 in 36 children as per the Centre for Disease Control as of March 2023. The rates of autism vary from country to country depending on the literacy rate, cultural differences, access to medical services and awareness.  The prevalence rate of Autism in India is estimated to be 1 in 68 according to data published by Indian Journal of Pediatrics in 2021.

Autistic individuals are now considered to be “neurodiverse” i.e. they have a different way of looking at things and are wired differently. They do not have any physical/ visible affectations and are just like any other individual except that their way of looking and perceiving things are different. A lot of work is done globally by multinational companies to empower these children and individuals for equal access to education, society, employment, and community integration.   These companies vouch for ‘Diversity and Inclusion’.

By Dr. Isha Soni, Centre Head and Senior Occupational Therapist at Lexicon Rainbow Therapy and Child Development Centre, Pune.

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