Causes Of Autism And Results Of Psychoactive Medication

By Author: Adriana Bustos
Total Articles: 2
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As stated by the American Psychiatric Association in their study Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Autism is a disorder of neural development linked with poor social and communication skills.

Autism dated back even before the term was coined. Martin Luther's book, The Table Talk, accumulated signs of autism and its treatment compiled by his note-taker, Mathesius. A passage within the book narrates a story of a 12-year old boy who Luther assumed was possessed by devils.

Passages propose that this boy had been afflicted with the disorder even though during that time there was no conclusive evidence for autism causes. A popular case in 1798 showed a feral child, referred to as the Wild boy of Aveyron who demonstrated warning signs of autism. He was cared for by Jean Itard, a doctor, who put together a detailed behavior plan to assist him with his social skills and his speech.

Later on, Autism was ultimately created by Eugen Bleuler, a Swiss psychiatrist in 1910. Autismus, a Latin word which translates to Autism in English suggested that a person afflicted with this disorder withdraws ...
... within his fantasies and is passive to the world outside their own.

Signs of Autism

Autism first presents itself while in infancy and later on gets to be more established during the first or second year. Although for now there isn't a known cure, early cognitive intervention might help children with basic skills.

Below are a few warning signs of autism that parents will want to look out for :

- Compulsive behavior and Sameness- Autistic children apparently abide by rules, including organizing objects in stacks or lines and are against change. For instance, requiring the pillow covers to be always red. They could get upset when disturbed.

- Cyclical behavior- People with autism have a pattern of daily activities, like an unchanging menu or a dressing ritual.

- Inclined to Self-injury- Autistic kids are closely monitored since they're more prone to destroying themselves as well as others with things such as poking, scratching, hand biting, and head banging.

Autism Causes

Scientific studies point out that autism causes may be caused by two factors: genes and the environment. Mothers who're diabetic, experience bleeding, and are of advanced age have a bigger chance of bearing an autistic child. On the otherhand, the genetics of autism is complex but still being researched, requiring more tangible evidence.

There are recent studies that show that autism and anti-depressants are closely related and are part of autism causes. Mothers who used psychiatric drugs or anti-depressants during the first stages of their pregnancy might end up having kids with autism.

According to this new study connecting autism and anti-depressants, drugs including Celexa, Prozac and Zoloft can trigger autism. Studies found a 3-fold risk of children diagnosed with Autism whose mothers took those drugs during their first trimester. Studies between autism and anti-depressants also exhibited a result of 2-fold risk of children diagnosed with autism whose mothers used those drugs during their second or third trimester.

Among other autism causes, the study linking autism and anti-depressants warns many parents of the dangers it poses. Leaving depression untreated is also a danger to the pregnancy too.

Adriana Bustos is a psychiatrist knowledgeable about autism causes and the connection between autism and antidepressants.