Early diagnosis is of great importance in Autism, which ranks first among today's most talked about childhood neurodevelopmental disorders. According to experts, in addition to individual education, speech training and sensory integration therapy make significant contributions to the healing process. During the treatment process, families should have information about autism and make good observations.
Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emel Sarı Gökten said that families should make good observations in the early diagnosis of autism. She stated that informing the family about the disease and sensory integration therapy applications in the treatment process make significant contributions to the healing process.
Beware if he/she did not speak until the age of 2!
Noting that autism, which is called "Autism Spectrum Disorders" or "Pervasive Developmental Disorders", sometimes shows symptoms from infancy, and sometimes it can occur around the age of 2 after a normal development, Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emel Sarı Gökten said, "Symptoms of autism usually occur around the age of 2 when speech does not start or there is regression in the existing vocabulary."
They do not make eye contact
Stating that Autism Spectrum Disorder basically has two main symptom groups as "retardation in social interaction and communication skills" and "repetitive and limited interests, behaviors and activities", Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emel Sarı Gökten listed the symptoms as follows:
- Showing little or no interest in people or peers, not making eye contact,
- Little or no reaction to your name,
- Delay in the onset of age-appropriate speech or stopping or regressing speech,
- Not using speech in social interaction even if he/she speaks, repeating what is said, using pronouns backwards (he/she instead of I),
- Stereotypical and repetitive movements (turning around, swinging, flapping wings),
- Over-attachment to routines,
- Don't react to changes,
- Hypersensitivity to certain sounds, smells and tastes
Stating that the cause of autism is not yet fully known, Asst. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emel Sarı Gökten said, "It is thought that many genes are responsible for the disease in autism and drugs that affect the disorder in genes are being developed in the treatment of the disease. It is predicted that these treatments will produce positive results in some of the children with autism in the coming years."
How is autism diagnosed?
Stating that the diagnosis of autism cannot be made with a blood-urine test or brain imaging method, and that there is no biological marker that can be used to make a diagnosis, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emel Sarı Gökten said, "The diagnosis is based on clinical observation and behavioral characteristics. In autism, symptoms usually start to be observed around the age of 2 and the diagnosis can be made. However, with good clinical observation, symptoms can be detected even in a 1-year-old child. It is not possible to detect autism while the baby is in the womb." He also stated that some children may have some neurological, metabolic or syndromic disorders along with autism symptoms, so it is necessary to perform neurobiological, metabolic or genetic screening of children with autism in terms of other accompanying problems.
Sensory Integration Therapy supports treatment
Stating that the child is directed to the appropriate education program as soon as possible by informing the family after the diagnosis is made, Assist. Prof. Dr. Emel Sarı Gökten said that the most important education method that has been scientifically shown to be effective in autism is applied behavior analysis.
Education is essential in the treatment of autism
Noting that speech training at an appropriate age and sensory integration therapy are among the recommended methods in addition to individual education, Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emel Sarı Gökten emphasized that it is important for the family to participate in the education program and to support the child in social-emotional areas outside of education and said the following:
"An effective drug treatment for the basic symptoms of autism has not yet been found. However, medication may be necessary for some children with autism due to accompanying attention deficit, behavioral problems, sleep problems, anger control problems. Autism is a disorder whose treatment should continue for years, so it is extremely important that the family is informed about autism. In a small number of cases, it has been found that the diagnosis completely disappears with short-term and early education. In most cases, education needs to be continued for many years. Normal intelligence, mild symptoms and development of speech skills before the age of 6 are good prognostic indicators. Scientific studies have shown that methods such as diet therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, heavy metal detoxification and neurofeedback are not effective. Recently, new studies have been investigating the effectiveness of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMU) in the treatment of autism."
Speaking about the advanced applications being studied in the treatment of autism, Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emel Sarı Gökten said that some neuropsychological tests, neurobiological and neuroinflammatory scans are performed on children who apply to the NPISTANBUL Hospital Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit and whose autism symptoms are detected. Stating that the Sensory Profile Test is applied to children with symptoms by an occupational therapist, Gökten said that children who are predicted to benefit from Sensory Integration Therapy are identified. He emphasized that Brain Stimulation Techniques such as tTMU and tDCS, which are simultaneous neurotechnological applications, are started for these children, then they receive a sensory integration session, after 20-30 days of intensive treatment, the child's symptoms are re-evaluated, and when more than 20% progress is detected, the treatment is continued.