Autism spectrum disorder condition – CBT Kenya

This is a condition characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. Autism spectrum disorder begins in early childhood and eventually causes problems functioning in society.

Children with autism have trouble understanding what other people think and feel. This makes it very hard for them to express themselves either with words or through gestures, facial expressions, and touch.

Symptoms of people with ASD

Symptoms of autism typically appear during the first three years of life. Some children show signs from birth. Autism is four times more common in boys than in girls. It knows no racial, ethnic, or social boundaries. Family income, lifestyle, or educational levels do not affect a child’s chance of being autistic.

1. Some children with autism spectrum disorder have difficulty learning, and some have signs of lower than normal intelligence.
2. Other children with the disorder have normal to high intelligence — they learn quickly, yet have trouble communicating and applying what they know in everyday life and adjusting to social situations.
3. Social communication and interaction. A child or adult with autism spectrum disorder may have problems with social interaction and communication skills.

• Resists cuddling and holding, and seems to prefer playing alone, retreating into his or her own world.
• Can’t start a conversation or keep one going, or only starts one to make requests or label items.
• Speaks with an abnormal tone or rhythm and may use a singsong voice or robot-like speech.
• Inappropriately approaches a social interaction by being passive, aggressive or disruptive
• Has difficulty recognizing nonverbal cues, such as interpreting other people’s facial expressions, body postures or tone of voice

Risk factors of ASD

• Family history. Families who have one child with autism spectrum disorder have an increased risk of having another child with the disorder.
• Extremely preterm babies. Babies born before 26 weeks of gestation may have a greater risk of autism spectrum disorder.
• Parents’ ages. There may be a connection between children born to older parents and autism spectrum disorder, but more research is necessary to establish this link

Treatment for ASD

The treatments your child can benefit from most depends on his situation and needs. However, the goal is the same: to reduce his symptoms and improve his learning and development. There’s no way to prevent autism spectrum disorder, but there are treatment options.

• Nutrition. Experts don’t recommend any specific diets for children with an autism spectrum disorder, but getting proper nutrition is important. Kids with autism spectrum disorder tend to have thinner bones than kids without it, so bone-building foods are important.
• Occupational therapy. These activities help children with autism get better at everyday tasks, like learning to button a shirt or hold a fork properly. But it can involve anything related to school, work or play. The focus depends on the child’s needs and goals.

• Speech therapy. This helps children with speaking, as well as communicating and interacting with others. It can involve non-verbal skills, like making eye contact, taking turns in a conversation, and using and understanding gestures.

• Social skills class. This is a group or one-on-one instruction at home, in school, or in the community. The aim is to improve how a child interacts socially and forms bonds with others.

As they mature, some children with autism spectrum disorder become more engaged with others and show fewer disturbances in behavior. Some, usually those with the least severe problems, eventually may lead normal or near-normal lives.

Conclusion

At CBT Kenya, we have specialists who can deal with ASD. We are located at Kim’s Court, Theta Lane, Off Lenana Road. Give us a call on 0739 935 333/0756 454 585 for any inquiries. You can also visit our website and see what other services we offer.