Article by Adriana Bustos

According to the American Psychiatric Association in their study Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Autism is a disorder of neural development linked with inadequate social and communication skills.

Autism dated back even before the word was coined. Martin Luther’s book, The Table Talk, accumulated indications of autism and its treatment published by his note-taker, Mathesius. A passage within the book discusses the story of a 12-year old boy who Luther thought was possessed by demons.

Passages declare that this boy was afflicted with the disorder even though during that time there was no scientific evidence for autism causes. A well known case in 1798 showed a feral child, called the Wild boy of Aveyron who demonstrated warning signs of autism. He was handled by Jean Itard, a doctor, who put together a detailed behavioral program to help him with his social skills and his speech.

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

Signs of Autism

Autism first shows up through infancy and later on on grows more established through the first or second year. Although for now there isn’t a known cure, early cognitive treatment could help children with basic skills.

Below are some warning signs of autism that parents should look out for :

- Compulsive behavior and Sameness- Autistic children could adhere to rules, such as arranging objects in stacks or lines and are opposed to change. For instance, requiring the pillow covers to be always red. They could get upset when disrupted.

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

- Inclined to Self-injury- Autistic kids are closely monitored since they’re more prone to injuring themselves as well as others with acts like poking, scratching, hand biting, and head banging.

Autism Causes

Scientific studies point out that autism causes could be attributed to two factors: genes and the environment. Mothers who are diabetic, experience bleeding, and are of advanced age have a higher chance of giving birth to an autistic child. On the otherhand, the genetics of autism is difficult to understand and 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 took psychiatric drugs or anti-depressants during the first stages of their pregnancy are likely to end up having children with autism.

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

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

About the Author

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

Tagged with: antidepressants • Autism • Research • Ties • Together

Filed under: Pregnancy Depression

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