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Asalamu alaikum! We welcome you to this video focusing on learning
the signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder. This has been made to help inform parents so that
they can attain the needed support to help their child learn and grow in spite of having
this condition. Hopefully, other relatives and members of the greater Somali community
in our state will also develop a deeper understanding of what Autism Spectrum Disorders are and
how they can help individuals with ASD and their families.
A famous Somali proverb states, " where there is no knowledge, there is no light". We want
to bring light to what Autism Spectrum Disorders are so as a community we "see the light" to
early intervention. Let us begin by taking a look at what the facts are associated with
Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD.
Facts About ASD There is a variety of rumors and speculation
circulating in society about what Autism Spectrum Disorder is, but the agreed upon facts about
ASD are that: it is a developmental disability that CAN
interfere with a person's ability to develop positive social skills, communication, and behavior.
it is called a "spectrum disorder" because
it affects individual people in different ways, ranging from very mild behavior and
learning challenges to very severe challenges in development.
some similar characteristics of people with ASD do exist, such as difficulty with social
interactions or a sensitivity to how things feel, taste, smell or sound.
the appearance of symptoms begins at different times in children and their severity can vary widely.
Signs and Symptoms of ASD
We previously noted that families may notice challenges in their children's communication,
social skills, and behaviors. Symptoms of ASD are not limited to these traits, but it
is our hope that people will understand that difficulties in these areas may be early signs
that a possible ASD exists.
Let's take a closer look at each one of these areas, starting with communication.
As you may know, the Somali community is very
oral and many Somali children are learning more than one language in the home. With all
of this verbal communication it is important to notice if your children are experiencing
delays in how they communicate.
Particular things to pay attention to are if a child is:
not speaking or uses very limited speech between the ages of 2 and 3,
losing words they were previously able to say, has difficulty expressing basic wants and needs,
development of vocabulary seems very poor or slow,
not able to follow directions or find objects when named,
repeating what is being said (This is called "echolalia")
having problems answering questions, the tone of their speech sounds unusual,
perhaps like a robot, or very high-pitched or choppy.
As a culture, Somali people encourage children to be modest in their interactions with adults,
often in the form of lowering one's eyes when spoken to as a form of developing good social skills.
Children who may have an ASD are often indifferent
to encouragement that helps them develop good social skills.
Without any sort of guidance or instruction children with an ASD often demonstrate:
poor eye contact with people or objects,
poor skills when they are playing or
pretending with other children,
being overly-focused on a certain topic or object that interests them,
problems with making or keeping friends,
becoming angry, crying, giggling, or laughing for no known reason or at the wrong time
and resistance to being touched, hugged or held closely.
Behavior Challenges
Parents of children with ASD often experience
frustration in dealing with negative behavior their child may display. These behaviors can
range from just being a bit annoying to the child causing actual harm to themselves or others.
Examples of common behavioral symptoms associated with ASD are:
Rocking, hand flapping or other movements that are self-stimulating to the child
not paying attention to things the child sees or hears
becoming upset with changes in routine,
using objects in unusual ways,
attachments to certain objects a child wants with them at all times,
no fear of dangerous things like moving cars, hot stoves, or swinging a heavy object,
being very sensitive, or insensitive, to touch, light, tastes or sounds.
Examples may include:
screaming at the sound of a siren or wanting to play in water all the time,
eating difficulties like accepting only certain foods or refusing others due to the color or texture,
sleeping for very short periods of time or not at all.
Some children with an ASD show hints of future problems within their first few months of life;
others may not show any developmental delays until they are a year or two old.
It is not uncommon for a child to be developing normally within 18 to 24 months of age and
then stop gaining new skills, or lose the skills they had already learned.
This is called regression and seeking professional help with getting a child
properly evaluated to find out what is causing this is very important.
Conclusion
At this time a cure for Autism Spectrum Disorder does not exist, although there is much research
underway in the medical community to better understand what may be happening
to an individual with ASD.
The good news is that many individuals with ASD will experience
much improvement regarding their symptoms with the right kind of training and intervention.
It is our hope that this video has provided some important information
about learning the signs and symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Knowing these signs and symptoms can help you get the necessary assistance so
you can provide the best care for your child.