Autism, better called as Autism Spectrum Disorder (aka Pervasive Development Disorder or PDD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder. Studies have shown an increase in the prevalence of Autism among the general population over time. About 1% of the population has symptoms of Autism. The symptoms are present since childhood and are generally noticed in the 2nd year of life. The essential features of Autism are, persistent impairment in social communication and social interaction, and restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests, or activities.

Persistent impairment in social communication and social interaction:

 – Verbal Communication. Children with Autism generally prefer to be alone and being among themselves. They are unable to maintain a back and forth communication. They generally do not elaborate what they think or feel. They are unable to understand sarcasm and take everything literally whatever is said to them. Children with Autism generally have delayed language milestones, and some of them may not develop language skills at all.

 – Non-verbal communication. He/She may not maintain any eye contact, may not have appropriate facial expressions/lack facial expressions, may not understand body language/gestures of other persons; they do not imitate others actions as normal children do. They cannot understand social cues, therefore cannot understand when to take part and when to take a break during any conversation.

 – Social relationships. Children with Autism have difficulty in understanding relationships and emotional bonding, therefore they have difficulty in making friends and maintaining friendship. They have reduced interest in their peers or in playing games with them.

Restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests, or activities.

– Child may be adhered to specific routines of the day, like he/she eats food at specific time or does daily routine chores in specific order; goes to school or other specific place by exactly same route. And if anything changes, like order of the chores or road route then the child gets very upset or irritable.

– Child may show excessive interest in 1-2 activities, like playing with a car, or listening to specific music or doing any specific chore. The interest mat be so excessive that the child may spend hours doing the same thing without getting bored.

– Some children suffering from Autism show stereotyped motor movements like hand flapping, finger twisting or other specific repetitive body movements which the uses for self sensory stimulation.