What is autism in children? Parents should also pay more attention

What is autism in children? This disease has serious effects on all aspects of children's body, especially it affects children's normal communication, making them closed. The treatment of such a disease also takes a long time, so parents must be prepared. There are many reasons for patients to have such diseases, so parents must pay more attention to their children as they grow up.

So what is autism in children? The following is a detailed introduction so that parents can have a good understanding of this disease and some of its causes and know how to help their children.

What is autism in children?

Childhood autism is a subtype of pervasive developmental disorder, which is more common in males. The onset of the disease begins in infancy and is mainly manifested by varying degrees of speech development disorders, interpersonal communication disorders, narrow interests and stereotyped behaviors. About 3/4 of the patients have obvious mental retardation, and some children have good abilities in certain aspects despite their general intellectual disability.

The prevalence of this disease is 3 to 4 per 10,000 people. However, there have been reports of an increasing trend in recent years. According to data from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) of the National Institutes of Health, the prevalence of autism in the United States is between 1‰ and 2‰. There is no national epidemiological data on autism in China, and only some regions have made relevant reports. For example, in 2010, the autism prevalence in Guangdong was 0.67%, and in Shenzhen it was as high as 1.32%.

Cause: Not clear, may be related to the following factors:

1. Genetics

The role of genetic factors in autism has become clear, but the specific mode of inheritance is still unclear.

2. Perinatal factors

Various perinatal complications, such as birth injury and intrauterine asphyxia, were more common than in the normal control group.

3. Immune system abnormalities

It was found that the number of T lymphocytes was decreased, the number of helper T cells and B cells was decreased, the inhibitory-inducing T cells were deficient, and the activity of natural killer cells was reduced.

4. Neuroendocrine and neurotransmitters

Associated with multiple neuroendocrine and neurotransmitter dysfunctions. Studies have found that the monoamine systems of autistic patients, such as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and catecholamines, are immature, and the pineal-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is abnormal, leading to increased 5-HT and endorphins and decreased secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH).

Through the above introduction, we have a good understanding of what childhood autism is. If this disease is not treated well for a long time, it will cause the child's intelligence to decline. Therefore, once such a disease is discovered, it must be treated in time. At the same time, the above causes of childhood autism are also well explained, so parents should also pay attention to these aspects in their daily lives.