What causes autism?

 

The exact cause of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is unknown. It is broadly considered to be a multi-factorial condition resulting from genetic and non-genetic risk factors.​

 

Genetic factors:

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Includes gene defects and chromosomal anomalies that have been found in 10-20% of individuals with ASD.

Positive family history of ASD have a 50 times greater risk of ASD.

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• Metabolic Disorders

• Various environmental factors such as advanced parental age, exposure to teratogenic agents, and viral infections, low birth weight, post natal infection or toxicity

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Assessment & Diagnosis

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At CMC CAMHS - Dubai, a multi-disciplinary assessment carried out by a multi Specialist professional team, including a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Child Clinical Psychologist, Family Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language Therapist, and Paediatrician, will conduct assessments to help achieve a formal diagnosis of autism.

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It is extremely helpful to reach an accurate and timely diagnosis, thus will help children with Autism and their parents or teachers to understand the explanation of the symptoms, behaviours and the treatment plan.

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At CMC CAMHS - Dubai, we help children with autism achieve their potential. We provide services to enable children to overcome difficulties with communication, learning and life skills and teach families the skills and strategies to cope with autism through the use of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). Our service also provides support, advice, education for families and teachers and a Professional's intervention to children with Autism from schools, special training or rehabilitation centres.

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ICD-10 Criteria for Childhood Autism

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A. Abnormal or impaired development is evident before the age of 3 years in at least one of the following areas:

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• Receptive or expressive language as used in social communication

• The development of selective social attachments or of reciprocal social interaction

• Functional or symbolic play

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B. A total of at least six symptoms from (1), (2) and (3) must be present, with at least two from (1) and at least one from each of (2) and (3)

 

1. Qualitative impairment in social interaction are manifest in at least two of the following areas:

• Failure to adequately use eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction

• Failure to develop (in a manner appropriate to mental age, and despite ample opportunities) peer relationships that involve a mutual sharing of interests, activities and emotions

• Lack of socio-emotional reciprocity as shown by an impaired or deviant response to other people’s emotions; or lack of modulation of behaviour according to social context; or a weak integration of social, emotional and communicative behaviours

• Lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g. lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out to other people objects of interest to the individual)

 

   2. Qualitative abnormalities in communication as manifest in at least one of the following areas:

• Delay in or total lack of, development of spoken language that is not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through the use of gestures or mime as an alternative mode of communication (often preceded by a lack of communicative babbling)

• Relative failure to initiate or sustain conversational interchange (at whatever level of language skill is present), in which there is reciprocal responsiveness to the communications of the other person

• Stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic use of words or phrases

• Lack of varied spontaneous make-believe play or (when young) social imitative play

 

   3. Restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behaviour, interests, and activities are manifested in at least one of the following:

• An encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted pattern of interest that are abnormal in content or focus; or one or more interests that are abnormal in their intensity and circumscribed nature though not in their content or focus;

• Apparently compulsive adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals

• Stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms that involve either hand or finger flapping or twisting or complex whole body movements

• Preoccupations with part-objects of non-functional elements of play materials (such as their oder, the feel of their surface, or the noise or vibration they generate)

• The clinical picture is not attributable to the other varieties of pervasive developmental disorders; specific development disorder of receptive language (F80.2) with secondary socio-emotional problems, reactive attachment disorder (F94.1) or disinhibited attachment disorder (F94.2); mental retardation (F70-F72) with some associated emotional or behavioural disorders; schizophrenia (F20.-) of unusually early onset; and Rett’s Syndrome (F84.12)

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*World Health Organisation (1992).

International classification of diseases: Diagnostic criteria for research (10th edition). Geneva, Switzerland: Author.

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Cambridge Medical Centre (CMC) Child & Adolescent Mental Health information publications Copyright 2018.

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 Read more: 

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Autism and Asperger's Syndrome: information for parents, carers and anyone who works with young people

© Royal College of Psychiatrists March 2017