NEUROQUANTOLOGY | NOVEMBER 2022 | VOLUME 20 | ISSUE 15 |PAGE 326-329| DOI: 10.14704/NQ.2022.20.15.NQ88032 Meena Patil . M.D. et al / Autism Spectrum Disorder- An Overview eISSN1303-5150 www.neuroquantology.com 1 Autism Spectrum Disorder- An Overview Meena Patil . M.D. 1* , Sadhana Pawar 2 ,Shivdas Mali 3 , Shweta Jajoo 4 , Pooja Kashid 5 Abstract Autism is not a specific disease but rather a personality disorder. It is a disorder of brain development. Because of qualitative & quantitative variations in symptoms ‘autism’ is referred to as ‘Autism Spectrum Disorder’. Our understanding of the spectrum, etiology, diagnosis and management of ASD in children has changed dramatically throughout the past two decades. Early diagnosis has become increasingly important as recent studies have shown improved outcome with implementation of early, consistent & appropriate international strategies that have been individually tailored to the needs of the child and its parents. KeyWords:Autism, Autism spectrum disorder, Personality disorder, Early diagnosis DOI Number: 10.14704/NQ.2022.20.15.NQ88032 NeuroQuantology2022;20(15): 326-329 Introduction Dr. Leo Kanner in 1943, first added the diagnosis of autism to the psychiatric literature, almost 50 years ago; who was a psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins University, USA. Autism is a disorder of brain that causes a lifelong developmental disability, primarily affecting the communication and social abilities of the people. Symptoms of the condition are either from birth or may begin to appear after a period of normal development but definitely by the time the child is 2 & ½ yr old. Autism is known as ‘Spectrum Disorder’ because the severity of symptoms ranges from a mild learning and social disability to a severe impairment with multiple problems and highly unusual behavior. The disorder may occur alone or accompanying problems such as mental retardation or seizures. Incidence In 2007, the most recent govt. survey-the center for disease control(CDC) found that the rate is higher between 3-10 yrs of age. Boys are more affected than girls. Common characteristics of Autism Each child with autism is unique but some common characteristics and behaviours may be seen as follows: Does not speak Repeats words Has difficulty starting or maintaining conversations Does not respond to being called by name Focuses on single object or activity Is overly sensitive to touch or sound Dislikes being held or cuddled Lacks facial expressions or doesn’t make eye contact. Has sleep disturbances Insists on same routine Lacks fear in risky situations Symptoms of Autism Children will have a number of symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Difficulties interacting with others & making friends Communication problems, both with spoken language and nonverbal gestures. Repetitive movements, such as hand flapping or frequent tantrums. Some degree of mental retardation or learning disabilities in most of the affected children. Autistic children sometimes have difficulty with the transition to puberty. Approximately 20% have seizures for the first time during the puberty which may be due tohormonal changes. In addition, many behaviouralproblems Corresponding author: Meena Patil . M.D 326