Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental condition involving persistent challenges with social communication, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviour. While autism is considered a lifelong disorder, the degree of impairment in functioning because of these challenges varies between individuals with autism.
Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders Early signs of this disorder can be noticed by parents/caregivers or paediatricians before a child reaches one year of age. However, symptoms typically become more consistently visible by the time a child is 2 or 3 years old.
Parent/caregiver/teacher concerns about the child's behaviour should lead to a specialized evaluation by a developmental paediatrician, paediatric psychologist, child neurologist and/or a child & adolescent psychiatrist. The first step is seeking an evaluation.
While there is no "cure" for autism, there are several effective interventions that can improve a child's functioning
SPARSH works with Applied behavioural analysis which involves systematic study of the child's functional challenges, which is used to create a structured behavioural plan for improving their adaptive skills and decreasing inappropriate behaviour Social skills training, Speech & language therapy, Occupational therapy, Parent management training, Special education services, Treating co-occurring conditions, Medication are necessary for effective functioning of child.