Autism in adults. Signs, symptoms, what is it, what is dangerous, causes, treatment

Autism in adults more often occurs against the background of chromosomal changes in the central nervous system. The disease can proceed without pronounced symptoms. But sometimes mental disorders occur that last for a long time, which leads to the development of a pathological condition in adults. A person becomes overly conflicted, his usual way of life is disrupted.

How autism manifests itself in adults

The clinical picture in all patients is different, since each organism has individual qualities.

But there are a number of specific manifestations that help the doctor make a preliminary diagnosis:

Name	Description
Social picture	a person does not have enough communication, difficulties arise with building friendly relations; insta story viewer the patient behaves inappropriately, cannot follow social rules, it is difficult for him to understand many things of the world around him; there is social immaturity; the patient naively trusts the people around him; lack of social intuition; there is no feeling of empathy, affection; a person is not interested in someone else's hobby.
Cognitive and communication sphere	skills develop unevenly; there is no ability to analyze important things, ongoing events; it is difficult for the patient to concentrate on certain details; difficulties arise with abstract and specific thinking, information must be visually shown; a person understands partial steps, but cannot define the goal; speech is absent; a highly functional disorder provokes a semantic-pragmatic speech deficit; lack of vocabulary, expressions; there are problems with metacommunication; the person does not understand the rules of mutual communication.
Sensitive sphere	an autistic person feels discomfort when stroking him, but at the time of intensified touches he is calm.
Disorder of function and imagination	sleep disturbances; there are problems with rest.

Many autistic people focus on specific topics. They masterfully do what they love, while completely indifferent to other areas. There are no physiological manifestations of autism; in some situations, there is a decrease in immunity and indigestion.

Autism in adult men and women: what are the differences?

Autism in adults is accompanied by a general clinical picture, but there are certain signs that are characteristic of patients depending on gender:

Floor	Common Symptoms	Distinctive manifestations
Men	difficulties in learning new skills; lack of craving for hobbies; involuntary and erratic movements; lack of friendly relations; lisp, incorrect pronunciation of sounds, lethargy, unrelated conversation; panic attacks from harsh light or sound; monotonous conversations; lack of reaction to various events in the family; cyclical actions reminiscent of a ritual; lack of tact; dumbness, poor hearing; aggression or fear in front of strangers; unwillingness to share your things; decreased sensitivity to pain; fear of life changes; negative reaction to other people's touch; habit of daytime regimen; loaded perception; strong attachment to a certain place, things; minimal mastery of gestures and facial expressions.	constant cyclical activity.
Women	slovenliness; lack of desire to engage in their own improvement; indifference to parental responsibility; lack of life aspirations; indifference to the child's life.

Adults with autism feel a certain amount of comfort in certain conditions.

A change in setting provokes an exacerbation of clinical signs:

• excitability, activity of the nervous system increases, mannered behavior appears;
• bodily contact provokes a strong mental reaction of an atypical form and is accompanied by increased irritability;
• cognitive functions are impaired and, in combination with poorly developed intelligence, the situation is aggravated;
• the patient's behavior is stereotyped, monotonous, the mood changes for no apparent reason.

Due to the numerous clinical symptoms, others can identify a person with autism in the first minutes of interaction with him. The patient makes cyclical body movements, avoids eye contact and does not understand what is being discussed during a conversation with the interlocutor.

Classification of degrees of severity

Autism in adults (symptoms depend on provoking factors and individual characteristics of the human body) is a psychological disorder. The main cause of the disease is disturbances in the functioning of the brain.

In medicine, the following degrees of severity of adult autism are distinguished:

Name	Description
Easy	A person is able to communicate, but in an unfamiliar environment he gets lost, embarrassed. With a mild degree of autism, the patient moves slowly, talks.
Average	The form of the disease, in which a person speaks more, answers questions poorly.
Heavy	The patient manifests panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, especially if everything around him is new.

There are also certain forms of autism in adults, given the severity of the pathological changes:

Name	Description
Kanner's syndrome	A severe form of pathology, accompanied by pronounced symptoms. Speech skills are weak or may be completely absent due to atrophy of the speech apparatus. Social adaptability is at a low level, the nervous system is not developed. The same goes for IQ. Patients with Kanner's syndrome are not adapted to independent living. Severe cases require hospitalization of the patient.
Asperger's disease	There are some problems in establishing social contact with others, but the patient speaks well. He can get to know each other and keep the conversation going. Cognitive abilities are well developed. Of the external signs of autism, a closed character, clumsiness can be distinguished. Many people with Asperger Syndrome lead full-fledged independent lives. They also get a job, support activity in various public affairs.
Rett syndrome	The hereditary form of the disease of a chronic nature is more often diagnosed in women. The first symptoms are diagnosed at an early age, starting from one year. Treatment will help smooth out the clinical picture. Most women with Rett syndrome live no more than 30 years.
Atypical autism (combined form)	The disease is more often mild. Differentiating the combined form is not always possible.

Adult autism is also classified according to the nature of the manifestation and the interaction of the patient with the outside world:

Name	Description
1st group	A category of patients who do not contact at all with the outside world.
Group 2	Sick, introverted people who spend all their free time doing the same thing.
Group 3	Patients ignore social norms and orders because they do not understand them.
4 group	Adult patients who cannot overcome certain obstacles, as a result of which they resent the world around them for a long time.
5 group	Patients are characterized by high intellectual abilities. They are able to adapt to their environment and communicate with people at their level. They easily study and master certain professions, they even work in an intellectual direction.

Special diagnostic measures, which are prescribed by a psychologist after a preliminary examination of the patient, will help to determine the severity and form of autism. Taking into account the results of medical examination, the patient is selected individual therapy, depending on the person's condition.

What causes autism

Most experts are inclined to believe that autism develops against the background of abnormal intrauterine changes in the formation of the central nervous system.

There are the following provoking factors that contribute to the onset of pathological processes:

• negative impact on the fetus during intrauterine development;
• severe stress;
• negative influence of surrounding factors;
• an unexpected change in the usual way of life;
• emotional disturbances, disruptions, instability;
• bad habits;
• long-term troubles at work, at home.

Often the trigger is a hereditary cause. Doctors are sure that it is not genes that provoke the pathology, but certain prerequisites increase the likelihood of developing the disease.

Improper parenting of a child, attention deficit on the part of adults in the future increases the risk of developing acquired autism in adults.

This is facilitated by the following provoking factors:

• depressive disorders present for a long time;
• various diseases of a psychological nature;
• traumatic brain injury.

The pathogenesis of the disease is not fully understood, but all of the listed sources are indirect, which contribute to the onset of the disease in adults.

Difficulties faced by an autistic person

Autism in adults (signs of pathological processes require special tests to establish accurate diagnosis) manifests itself in various symptoms, it all depends on the severity of the pathological changes. Sick patients face many challenges to be aware of. to help them adapt to the world around them:

Name	Description
Connections and feelings	It is more difficult for an autistic to realize their emotions and connections. It is also difficult for a person to perceive others. Patients avoid eye contact. They are unable to cope with non-verbal communication. To outsiders, autistic people seem insensitive and cold.
Victim of bullies and offenders	Autistic people with poorly developed speech do not understand the place of the conflict, moreover they cannot stand up for themselves. This is the main reason for the mistreatment of others.
Presence of stereotyped movements	Rotation with fingers, palm, claps of hands on the table. The autistic person also makes erratic body movements.
Delayed cognitive development	Self-service skills are lacking.

Social norms are difficult for patients with autism, so they can accidentally offend any person, thereby alienating society. Patients do not feel bodily boundaries and may be too close to another person, which also provokes the discontent of others.

Diagnostics

A psychiatrist will help determine the disease and confirm the diagnosis. The patient himself turns to the doctor or his relatives, if it is not possible to establish contact with the person. Close people will also help the specialist by describing the patient's behavior and condition.

The following tests are prescribed to diagnose autism in adults:

Name	Description
RAADS-R	The study helps to exclude or confirm the development of neurosis, schizophrenia or depression.
Aspie Quiz	The test includes 150 questions that must be answered by the patient.
Toronto alexithymia scale	External stimuli are used for examination. The results will help assess the functioning of the somatic and nervous systems.
SPQ	A diagnostic method that is necessary to exclude a schizotypal condition.
EQ	The emotional state of the autistic is assessed.
SQ	The survey helps to determine the level of empathy and tendency to organize.
Electroencephalography	Diagnostics allows you to exclude epileptic foci.
Ultrasound examination (ultrasound)	The brain and its parts are examined for damage or abnormal developments that provoked pathological processes.
Audiometry	Research allows you to assess the condition of hearing.

It is important to differentiate the disease, since autism is accompanied by numerous symptoms similar to the manifestations of other psychological diseases.

The diagnosis and treatment is carried out by a psychiatrist. But given the provoking factors and the degree of development of the pathology, additional advice from other specialized specialists (neurologist, psychologist, nutritionist, speech therapist, massage therapist) may be needed.

Autism test in adults

Autism in adults (signs of the disease appear on an individual basis, depending on characteristics of the human body) can be found at home, it is enough to special test. Ask the person to fix their gaze on the chosen object. If the object has aroused great interest in the patient and concentration of attention, it is necessary to go to the hospital and undergo an examination.

In the early stages, autism resembles "eccentricity", so few people pay attention to it. Each person's behavior is individual and only clinical examinations can diagnose the disease.

How and how to help an autistic person

Treatment is selected by a psychologist after receiving the results of medical diagnostics. The main goal of therapy is to help a person adapt in a social environment, restore the quality of life and prevent aggression towards people around him.

Drug therapy

A mild form of autism can be corrected with the help of a psychologist. In severe cases, drug therapy will be required.

Drug group	Name	Efficiency
Antidepressants	"Fluoxetine", "Sertraline"	Medicines normalize mood, eliminate anxiety and irritability.
Stimulants	"Guanfatsin", "Atomoxetin"	The funds improve the patient's mood, increase the ability to concentrate.
Antipsychotic drugs	Haloperidol, Sonopax	The drugs help reduce aggression and outbursts of anger.

Medicines suppress irritability, reduce aggressive mood. The dosage of drugs depends on the severity of the pathological processes.

The psychiatrist prescribes the funds, he also monitors their intake and adjusts the treatment if necessary. Do not give drugs to patients on their own, as they cause severe side effects (insomnia, drowsiness, weight loss).

To help a patient with autism, relatives need to learn to find an approach to the person, show more care, and behave correctly.

There are certain tips from a psychologist that will help you connect with the patient:

1. It is important to maintain constant contact. Otherwise, the patient will withdraw into himself.
2. Help the patient cope with fear and aggression, suppress these feelings.
3. Role-playing games, where you can use a large number of toys, will help to establish contact.
4. It is necessary to teach a person independence, gradually instill in him the skills of self-care.
5. Maintain the functioning of the speech apparatus with long conversations, discussions, conversations on a general topic.
6. Teach the patient to show emotion, joy, or empathy.
7. To avoid provoking stress, avoid a change of scenery.
8. Talk calmly, avoid aggression and swearing in communication, do not conflict.
9. The patient should be addressed clearly and distinctly, but not raising his voice so as not to scare him.
10. It is important for a person to create the most favorable conditions for existence in order to provide comfort and prevent stress.
11. Plan to visit a speech therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, neurologist for preventive or therapeutic purposes.

Experts recommend treating people with autism on an equal footing. These are people whose personality is full, it has its own worldview and inner world. It is important to avoid conflicts, be patient and understand.

Other therapies

Autism in adults (signs of the disease will help to choose the most effective treatment) also involves the use of other methods of treatment:

Name	Description
Behavior correction	Applied Behavior Analysis - Applied Behavior Analysis. The technique helps to develop certain skills and knowledge in the autistic person so that the patient can calmly adapt in society.
Speech therapy with a speech therapist	The treatment improves the patient's speech, psyche and develops communication skills with the people around them through emotional contacts.
Occupational therapy	Helps improve motor skills and motor coordination. Occupational therapy also teaches to use the information received from the outside world through the senses (sight, hearing, smell, touch).
Play therapy	Speech skills improve, the patient learns to communicate with people and adapt in society. Specially designed games allow you to identify the problems of the autistic and help him overcome them.
Visual therapy	Video images help connect with the autistic person with assistive communications (favorite pictures).

Treatment in each case is selected individually. It all depends on the state of the person, the degree of development of autism. It is important to regularly engage and use the services of professional specialists.

Rehabilitation

The rehabilitation program for numerous specialized centers includes the following areas:

Name	Description
Classes with a speech therapist	The specialist helps to develop speech, phonetics. Helps to train the skills of speech contact.
Neuropsychomotrics	The patient is helped to adapt to society, the world around him, he is taught socialization and communication, and also to develop fine motor skills.
Classes with a psychologist	The doctor helps to correct the behavioral response, teaches relatives to deal with an autistic patient. The specialist develops an individual socialization program for each patient.
Physiotherapy (exercise therapy)	During the game, patients contact physiotherapists, develop skills of movement, statics and muscle tone.

Special rehabilitation classes help to get rid of anxiety, improve psychological and physical fitness. The concentration of attention increases, patients learn to adapt in a social society.

Timely diagnosis of autism in adults helps to smooth out the symptoms of the disease. A person can return to a socially active lifestyle without the round-the-clock assistance of relatives or medical personnel. Without qualified help, the disease will progress, and the person's condition will worsen.

Article design: Vladimir the Great

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