What is ASD, is it a Mental Health Condition?

Being aware of what autism is, and if it is a mental health condition or something completely different can be difficult to understand.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a illness that modifies a person’s abilities to completely connect with their surroundings. Consequently, people living with ASD relate to the world and people in unique ways. It is a universal disability and is described by a wide variety of differences, thus no two people with ASD with have the same experience with it.

ASD is a term that merges other diagnoses that were previously diagnosed and understood individually, including Asperger’s Syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder.

There is no evidence as to what causes ASD (however, we do know, contrary to other people’s beliefs — that vaccinations do not cause ASD). ASD is a neuro-developmental disability and is usually accepted that the causes are likely to be neurological or genetic, or in some instances both. There is no proof or consensus on the actual causes and there is no known ‘cure’.

ASD is very common in individuals. One in 100 people of school age are identified with ASD, with boys being more prone than girls to be diagnosed. Although frequently, less severe cases of ASD will go undiagnosed, as the individual with ASD may experience some complications in areas of development, other skills with develop ordinarily, and therefore the ASD inhibitions are inscribed up as part of the normal development of children naturally being better than some tasks than others. In several cases, a diagnosis of ASD might only happen when the person is well matured, even though it is something they would have existed through from childhood.

Some of the common indicators of ASD include:

- A delayed ability or failure to understand how to speak or otherwise communicate.

- Problems partaking in ordinary play or to play ‘imaginatively’.

- Intense interests, such a preference in topics, items, or activities

- Needing rituals and routines, which may or may not trigger a high degree of stress and anxiety when the routine alters.

- Difficulty in processing sounds, tastes, smells and colours. One of the most frequent(and dangerous) indications of this is a difficulty with determining hot versus cold.

Hence, Autism is a mental health condition that doctors can make a diagnosis through its symptoms, though there is no knowledge on how causes it and there is no cure. It is, nevertheless, likely to obtain support for an individual with ASD, so that they can live a better value of life. Consequently, it is vital that their families, together with parents and siblings, are supplied with the right support and environment, so that they can have a clearer understanding and make adjustments to cope with the hardships their loved one may be facing.

That’s where Lizard Centre can help. Contact us today to start the discussion if you are seeking support for a child diagnosed with ASD.