Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterised by difficulties with social skills, repetitive behaviour, speech and non-verbal communication.

Autism: how is the world perceived?

All people are different, and we all perceive ourselves and our surroundings a little differently. Different perceptions of the world often lead to misunderstandings and can make relationships with one another more difficult.

Autism is sometimes divided into different forms:

  • Early childhood autism
  • Asperger’s syndrome
  • High-functioning autism
  • Atypical autism

Science is now beginning to regard autism as a spectrum. The term covers all forms of autism and serves as an umbrella for the various types, because in practice the distinction is not always clear. It also shows that, although people with autism share common traits, the way these traits are expressed can vary from person to person.

Autism is not always clearly noticeable, so timely diagnosis is important. Treatment in Switzerland covers the monitoring and treatment of behavioural disorders in children.

Origins

The exact cause of most cases of autism spectrum disorder remains unknown. Genetics may play a major role. For parents of a child with autism spectrum disorder, the risk of having another child with the condition is 50–100 times higher.

There is strong evidence that vaccines do not cause autism; the original study that suggested this link was retracted because its author had falsified the data.

Differences in the structure and function of the brain appear to underlie the aetiology of autism spectrum disorders. Some children with autism spectrum disorder have enlarged brain ventricles, others have hypoplasia of the cerebellar vermis, and others have altered brainstem nuclei. Differences in the structure of the hippocampus have also been reported.

Types of autism

Early childhood autism

The characteristics of early childhood autism appear before the age of three and are especially evident in three areas:

  • social interaction with other people
  • communication
  • repetitive and stereotyped behaviour

Asperger’s syndrome

Asperger’s syndrome differs from other autism spectrum disorders primarily in that there is often no developmental delay, or delay in speech or cognitive development. Most people with Asperger’s syndrome have normal overall intelligence, which is especially high in some areas. On the other hand, differences in psychomotor development and social interaction are often found.

Atypical autism

Children with atypical autism show autistic behaviour only after the age of three (atypical age of onset) and/or do not show all the symptoms (atypical symptoms).

If atypical autism occurs together with significant intellectual disability, it is sometimes referred to as “intellectual disability with autistic features”. Recent research, however, suggests that the assumption of intellectual disability in autistic people is distorted by the Wechsler IQ test: autistic people score 30 points higher on Raven’s Progressive Matrices, which points to a different kind of intelligence rather than a lower one.

Therapy for autism spectrum disorders

To date, there is no medical cure for autism spectrum disorders. There are, however, various therapy options to improve cognitive and language skills, teach social interaction and communication, and so make life easier for those affected in their social environment. The effective therapies scientifically established to date are based on behavioural therapy and physical exercise, combined with psychoeducation for parents, carers, teachers and those affected.

Therapy requires detailed observation and, of course, a diagnosis. Above all, however, it is the therapist’s observations of the person concerned, combined with the relevant specialist knowledge, that ultimately determine the specific form of therapy or combination of forms.

It goes without saying that all therapists must work together with the parents to achieve success. The individual therapists should also exchange experience with one another regularly.