Articles Family Affairs Office Research and Studies Department

Awareness about Autism Spectrum in Children

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Autism Spectrum Disorder is a condition related to brain development that affects how a person perceives others and interacts with them socially, causing issues in interaction and social communication. The disorder also includes restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. The term “spectrum” in Autism Spectrum Disorder refers to a wide range of symptoms that vary in severity from person to person, hence autism can appear in early childhood and cause problems at the level of social performance.

For detecting it in children, diagnosis is usually made through careful observation of the child and inquiries about the development of the child’s social interactions, communication skills, and behavior. Signs that specialists look for include the child not responding when called by name, poor eye contact, speech delays, difficulty initiating or continuing a conversation, and restricted and repetitive behavior patterns. It is worth noting that there is no specific medical test for diagnosing autism, but specialists may use diagnostic tools such as the Social Communication Questionnaire for older children and the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT-R/F) to identify children who need more precise evaluations.

Causes and Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder:
The causes of Autism Spectrum Disorder are multiple and complex, often resulting from genetic and environmental factors. Some factors that may increase the risk of autism include:

Genetic factors through the presence of a family history of Autism Spectrum Disorder which increases the risk.
Genetic conditions, such as Down syndrome and Fragile X syndrome, may be associated with autism.
Older parental age, as having a child at an older age may increase the risk of autism.
Birth complications, such as low birth weight, may pose a risk factor and cause autism.
It is important to note that there is no single specific cause for Autism Spectrum Disorder, and research continues to better understand these factors. Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder vary from person to person and include a wide range of behaviors. These symptoms include:
Difficulties in communication and social interaction: Children with autism may have difficulty with verbal and non-verbal communication and may show weak visual communication and facial expressions.
The child does not respond when called by name or seems not to hear at times.
Repetitive behaviors, such as rocking or hand-flapping, excessive organizing of objects, or adherence to routines.
Social withdrawal, as the child may prefer to play alone and retreat into their own world.
Speech delays or loss of language skills previously acquired.
Episodes of anger or aggressive behavior.
Sleep problems and eating disorders.
It is also important to note that these symptoms may appear in early childhood and can change as the child ages, thus early intensive treatment can have a significant positive impact on the lives of children with autism.

Treatment of Autism Spectrum in Children:
Treating Autism Spectrum Disorder in children requires a multidisciplinary approach and is customized based on the needs of each child individually. There is no cure for Autism Spectrum Disorder, but there are therapeutic strategies that can help improve symptoms and functional skills. Some treatment methods can be summarized as follows:

Behavioral and communication therapies aimed at improving social, linguistic, and behavioral skills, such as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), which uses a reward system to encourage desired behaviors.
Educational therapies include specialized educational programs that help the child learn new skills in a structured environment.
Family therapy, where parents and family members learn how to interact with the child in ways that support their social and communicative development.
Other therapies include speech therapy to improve communication skills, occupational therapy to learn daily life skills, and physical therapy to improve movement and balance.
Medicinal therapy in some cases, as medications may be recommended to help manage specific symptoms such as aggressive behavior or anxiety.
It is essential to emphasize that treatment should be customized for each child and evaluated and adjusted regularly to ensure it meets the changing needs of the child.

Conclusion and Suggestions:
The Syrian Future Current has taken it upon itself to first highlight and secondly address issues of women and childhood. Through the launch of the Tawad Educational Schools series, the Syrian Future Movement cares for and attends to children who have dropped out of school, along with providing educational reinforcement courses for the youth. It also pays more attention and care to childhood issues through methodically studied plans, including case studies and monitoring, then seeking to treat and alleviate the burden on children with autism using available means and tools. The Syrian Future Movement believes that civil society in Syria should play a significant role in supporting children with autism and their families.

Therefore, we in the Syrian Future Movement recommend measures to mitigate the impact and improve the quality of life for these children:

Increasing community awareness through organizing awareness campaigns to increase community knowledge of the autism spectrum and break related stereotypes, with our headquarters open to all who have suggestions on this topic.
Providing psychological and educational support through establishing specialized centers that offer support to children and their families, with the foundation laid for continuing our project in the near future in Syria.
Training and qualification for teachers and educators on how to deal with children with autism and providing necessary support.
Legal and financial support and working to improve laws to ensure the rights of children with autism and provide financial support for families.
Promoting social integration through integrating children with autism into society through activities and social programs.
Using music as therapy, benefiting from the project to introduce drum teaching in British school curricula to help children with autism, where some studies have shown that children who learn to play better control their emotions and show fewer signs of hyperactivity and inattention.

It is important that civil society, in cooperation with de facto authorities and international organizations, take these steps to provide a supportive environment for children with autism and their families. We in the Syrian Future Movement are open to all cooperation regarding this sensitive and important issue and others.