{"id":1698,"date":"2021-04-12T14:05:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-12T14:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/pemc-florida\/?p=1698"},"modified":"2021-05-10T14:19:14","modified_gmt":"2021-05-10T14:19:14","slug":"autism-acceptance-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/pemc-florida\/autism-acceptance-month\/","title":{"rendered":"Autism Acceptance Month"},"content":{"rendered":"

April is Autism Acceptance Month, a time set aside to raise awareness about one of the most common genetic disorders in children. In 2020 the statistics showed that <\/span>one in 59 children are<\/span><\/a> now affected<\/span><\/a>, up from one in 150, which was the prevalence rate in 2000. As the rate of autism keeps climbing, it\u2019s now more important than ever to spread awareness and promote understanding and acceptance of autism.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s because many people with autism can improve their quality of life by getting an early diagnosis and professional support, only if more people are accepting of autism.<\/span><\/p>\n

This article aims to spread a bit of that awareness and acceptance.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is Autism?<\/b><\/h2>\n

There are many definitions of autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Essentially, it\u2019s a developmental disorder and as mentioned earlier, one of the common<\/span> genetic disorders in<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>children<\/span><\/a>. It impacts the nervous system, thus affecting communication and behavior in children.<\/span><\/p>\n

As a result, autism is typically associated with symptoms such as having difficulty developing social and communication skills. Some children or adults with autism may also develop obsessive interests. These symptoms may show up from the moment a child is born or may develop later on as the child ages.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some children may be impacted severely, requiring continuous monitoring and daily support with their routines. Others may require considerably less support. Although autism does not lower life expectancy, people with autism often have a higher mortality risk from accidents mainly due to cognitive impairment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Autism spectrum disorder is referred to as such because each person with autism is unique and the severity of symptoms varies widely. An interesting fact about autism is that symptoms can even be classified as strengths or impressive abilities.<\/span><\/p>\n

For instance, one in 10 children or adults with autism exhibit symptoms of <\/span>savant syndrome<\/span><\/a>. This condition is characterized by a display of extraordinary abilities. These are usually related to memory. As an example, a person with autism may quickly learn how to play a musical instrument or perform rapid and complicated calculations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Causes of Autism<\/b>
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Since April is autism acceptance month, it\u2019s not a bad time to learn about what causes autism. What\u2019s the reason behind the repetitive patterns of behavior and lack of social reciprocity commonly associated with autism diagnosis?<\/span><\/p>\n

As one of the common genetic disorders in children , autism has been widely researched. However, in most cases, scientists have been unable to pinpoint the underlying cause or reason why a child is born with autism or develops it later in life.<\/span><\/p>\n

Research strongly suggests that autism is partly because of <\/span>genetic influences <\/span><\/a>. But a host of other non-genetic influences may also be at play. Gene mutations increase the likelihood of a child developing autism. These genes are passed from a parent, though they don\u2019t always cause autism.<\/span><\/p>\n

Giving birth at an older age also increases the chances of a child being born with autism. However, one thing that has NOT been linked to autism is the vaccination of children.<\/span><\/p>\n

Signs of Autism in Children<\/b><\/h2>\n

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Here\u2019s a list of symptoms that are commonly associated with being on the autism spectrum:<\/span><\/p>\n