Autism is a disorder of brain development. These conditions affect one's ability to communicate and interact with others. Unfortunately, autism is prone to occur in children since toddlers. The characteristics that need to be recognized are not responding when their name is called so they are unable to respond emotionally.
Want to know how many children have autism? According to data from WHO, autism occurs in 1 in 160 children worldwide. That's quite a lot, right?
Autism itself is a brain development disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate and interact with others. In addition, the sufferer will also experience behavioral disorders and limit the sufferer's interests.
Then, what are the characteristics of autism?
Characteristics of Autism
Talking about the characteristics of autism is not only about one or two things. Because, this one problem can be marked by various signs. For example, about 25–30 percent of children with autism lose the ability to speak, even if they were able to speak as a child. Meanwhile, 40 percent of children with autism, do not speak at all.
In addition, the characteristics of autism related to communication and social interaction, include:
1. Doesn't Respond when His Name Is Called
A normal child will respond when his name is called. Only 20 percent of children with autism will respond when their name is called.
2. Not Responding to Emotions
Normal children are very sensitive to other people's emotions. Meanwhile, children with autism are less likely to smile when responding to other people's smiles.
3. Don't Copy Other People's Habits
Children with autism do not like to imitate. Children with normal conditions tend to imitate when someone smiles, pats, or waves their hand.
4. Don't Like to Play "Pretend"
Girls as young as two or three years old usually like to care for their dolls or play the role of a "mother". While children with autism, only focus on the doll.
In addition to the things above, the characteristics of autism can also be characterized by:
- Prefers to be alone, like in his own world.
- Unable to start or continue a conversation, even just to ask for something.
- Often avoids eye contact and shows little expression.
- Unusual tone of voice, for example flat.
- Often avoid eye contact.
- Avoid and refuse physical contact with other people.
- Reluctant to share, play, or talk with others.
- Often repeats words (echolalia), but does not understand their proper usage.
- Tends not to understand simple questions or directions.
Autism can be caused by many factors
Until now the exact cause of autism is not known with certainty. But, at least there are several factors that are thought to trigger this problem, such as:
Twins Born. In the case of non-identical twins, there is a 0–31 percent chance that autism in one of the children will affect the twin also having autism. This effect will be even greater if the child is born with identical twins.
genetics. Approximately 2–18 parents of children with autism will be at risk of having a second child with the same disorder.
- Gender. In fact, boys are four times more likely to have autism than girls.
- Age. The older the age when having children, the higher the risk of having children with autism. Women who give birth over the age of 40 have a 77 percent risk of giving birth to autistic children, when compared to giving birth under the age of 25.
- Other Distractions. Autism can also be triggered by disorders, such as Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, to Rett syndrome.
- So, those are some of the characteristics of autism in toddlers 0-3 years that need to be recognized.