AUTISM & HOMEOPATHY

AUTISM & HOMOEOPATHY

(By Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad,BHMS)

*Director, LIFECARE Advanced Homoeopathy,Aligarh,INDIA

AUTISM:-

Autism is a severe developmental disorder that begins at birth or within the first two-and-a-half years of life. Most autistic children are perfectly normal in appearance, but spend their time engaged in puzzling and disturbing behaviors which are markedly different from those of typical children. Less severe cases may be diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) or with Asperger’s Syndrome (these children typically have normal speech, but they have many "autistic" social and behavioral problems.

Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their synapses connect and organize; how this occurs is not well understood.

Autism has a strong genetic basis, although the genetics of autism are complex and it is unclear whether Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD) is explained more by rare mutations, or by rare combinations of common genetic variants.In rare cases, autism is strongly associated with agents that cause birth defects.

The prevalence of autism is about 1–2 per 1,000 people; the prevalence of ASD is about 6 per 1,000, with about four times as many males as females.The signs usually develop gradually, but some autistic children first develop more normally and then regress. Although early behavioral or cognitive intervention can help autistic children gain self-care, social, and communication skills, there is no known cure.Not many children with autism live independently after reaching adulthood, though some become successful.

It is distinguished not by a single symptom, but by a characteristic triad of symptoms: impairments in social interaction; impairments in communication; and restricted interests and repetitive behavior. Other aspects, such as atypical eating, are also common.

Contrary to common beliefs, autistic children do not prefer being alone. Making and maintaining friendships often proves to be difficult for those with autism. For them, the quality of friendships, not the number of friends, predicts how lonely they feel. Functional friendships, such as those resulting in invitations to parties, may affect the quality of life more deeply.The limited data suggest that, in children with mental retardation, autism is associated with aggression, destruction of property, and tantrums.

Autistic individuals may have symptoms that are independent of the diagnosis, but that can affect the individual or the family.An estimated 0.5% to 10% of individuals with ASD show unusual abilities, ranging from splinter skills such as the memorization of trivia to the extraordinarily rare talents of prodigious autistic savants.Many individuals with ASD show superior skills in perception and attention, relative to the general population.Sensory abnormalities are found in over 90% of those with autism, and are considered core features by some,although there is no good evidence that sensory symptoms differentiate autism from other developmental disorders.

Autism is one of the five pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), which are characterized by widespread abnormalities of social interactions and communication, and severely restricted interests and highly repetitive behavior.These symptoms do not imply sickness, fragility, or emotional disturbance.

Related Disorders

• Angelman Syndrome
• Asperger’s Syndrome
• Fragile X Syndrome
• Landau-Kleffner Syndrome
• Prader-Willi Syndrome
• Rett Syndrome
• Tardive Dyskinesia
• Williams Syndrome

DIAGNOSIS:-

Diagnosis is based on behavior, not cause or mechanism.Autism is defined in the DSM-IV-TR as exhibiting at least six symptoms total, including at least two symptoms of qualitative impairment in social interaction, at least one symptom of qualitative impairment in communication, and at least one symptom of restricted and repetitive behavior. Sample symptoms include lack of social or emotional reciprocity, stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language, and persistent preoccupation with parts of objects. Onset must be prior to age three years, with delays or abnormal functioning in either social interaction, language as used in social communication, or symbolic or imaginative play. The disturbance must not be better accounted for by Rett syndrome or childhood disintegrative disorder^.

PROGNOSIS:-

No cure is known.Children recover occasionally, so that they lose their diagnosis of ASD; this occurs sometimes after intensive treatment and sometimes not. It is not known how often recovery happens; reported rates in unselected samples of children with ASD have ranged from 3% to 25%.A few autistic children have acquired speech at age 5 or older. Most children with autism lack social support, meaningful relationships, future employment opportunities or self-determination^.

HOMOEOPATHIC TREATMENT:-

Homeopathic remedies are prescribed by symptoms rather than conditions, as each case of a particular illness can manifest differently in different people.

As per Murphy Repertory

Autistic, Children :Cannabis Indica, Carcinosin, Natrum Mur, Opium, Thuja

Except these there are a lot of drugs which can be chosen if selected as per the Similimum of the particular case.

KEY POINTS:-

• We can definitely help & assist such autistic children.
• Detailed history from Birth is required.
• Differentiate closely related medicines & a thorough observation is needed to reach upto any medicine.
• Medicine should not be changed too frequently.
• Use Miasmatic drugs to break the hindrance if favorable response is not there.
• Give the medicines till the patient is better.
• Get the patient evaluated by a Psychiatrist and Psychologists.

THE END