Autism Levels and Treatment Options, also known by the umbrella term Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a brain developmental condition that affects social interaction skills. It has a detrimental effect on one’s quality of life and might result in poor mental health. Timely intervention can result from an early diagnosis of Autism Levels and Treatment Options. By developing the skill set necessary for everyday living, the current therapies seek to manage the symptoms. However, an effective treatment is still the need of the hour. This blog discusses the symptoms of this disorder and its treatment options.
Levels of Autism
According to DSM-5 and ICD-11, Autism Levels and Treatment Options can be classified into different Levels of Autism severity levels, each of them requiring different amounts of support from parents and caregivers. The classification draws a basis from the lack of social and communication skills as well as the demonstration of repetitive or restricted behavior.
Level 1 Autism
Following are the autism level 1 symptoms:
Social Communication
- Difficulty in initiating communication.
- Could not respond to social cues like waving or smiling.
- Understanding body language and facial expressions is challenging.
- They cannot continue the flow of conversation. For example, they can form proper sentences but cannot engage in a conversation.
- Difficulty in understanding certain phrases.
Behavior
- Struggle to transition between activities or routines.
- Cannot adapt to a changing environment.
- Difficulty in planning and organizing.
- Repetitive behavior like rocking and spinning.
These individuals “require support” but can manage daily tasks almost independently.
Level 2 Autism
These children with level 2 autism spectrum disorder exhibit the following symptoms.
Social Communication
- Even in the presence of support, their social impairment is visible.
- Engaging in conversations and initiating them is harder.
Behavior
- Repetitive behaviors interfere with their daily activities.
- They experience stress in unknown situations.
- Switching from routine causes them anxiety.
- They might avoid eye contact.
These individuals “require substantial support” from their caregivers. Therapies like speech, behavioral, and occupational prove beneficial for them.
Level 3 Autism
It is the most severe form of this disorder, with the following signs.
Social Communication
- Their social skills are limited and they rely mostly on non-verbal communication.
- Interaction and response to social prompts are minimal.
Behavior
- Their respective actions interrupt daily tasks.
- They have a strong adherence to certain activities or behaviors.
They “require very substantial support” for daily tasks, depending entirely on their caregivers.
Signs of Autism in Adults
Sometimes, autism remains undiagnosed in children. Due to its low severity, its symptoms remain hidden and are diagnosed as level 1 autism in adults. They show the following symptoms.
- Difficulty in making or engaging in conversation.
- Uncomfortable while making eye contact.
- Difficulty in understanding the emotions of others.
- Have an interest in limited activities.
- Difficulty in maintaining relationships
- Planning and organizing can be challenging.
- Make involuntary noises or sounds.
- It is harder to understand sarcasm, body language, and expressions.
- Hypersensitive to certain sounds or smells.
Signs of Autism in Toddlers
Toddlers up to the age of 1-2 years can also exhibit signs of autism. Diagnosis and levels of autism in toddlers are not yet streamlined. Therefore, the emergence of these signs can indicate level 1 autism in toddlers, level 2 autism in toddlers, or level 3 autism in toddlers.
- Delayed speech and language development. For example, toddlers can make words or use cooing or babbling sounds that are absent in cases of autism.
- Toddlers generally socialize with the people around them and engage in play, which is limited in autism.
- They also cannot understand emotions.
- There might be delays in motor skill development like running, walking, kicking, eating, etc.
- They don’t engage in imaginative play, mimic others, or play with make-believe toys.
- They show repetitive actions like flapping or might also repeat words and phrases.
Treatment for Autism
The treatment for Autism Levels and Treatment Options involves non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions. Drugs are focused on treating insomnia, self-harm behavior, anxiety, mood disorders, etc. Focused interventions emphasize symptom management and training via the following therapies. Some of them are mentioned below:
- Speech therapy: It improves non-verbal (hand gestures) and verbal communication skills, enabling interaction and sharing feelings with others.
- Behavioral therapy: It focuses on encouraging wanted behaviors by applied behavior analysis
- Occupational therapy: It develops the ability to do everyday tasks like eating, dressing, etc.
- Physical therapy: It focuses on improving balance and coordination along with posture and strength.
Stem cell treatment: The Best Treatment for Autism
All the above treatment strategies can manage the disorder but do not provide an absolute treatment. Owing to their capacity for regeneration, stem cells have demonstrated encouraging results. Mesenchymal stem cells trigger paracrine signaling, which promotes healing. Its administration has demonstrated a noticeable improvement in social interactions and communication skills, along with the lessening of the severity of the disease.
Final Outlook
Concern has been raised by the frequency of autism and the lack of a known cure. A predisposition toward self-isolation brought on by a lack of social skills can result in despair and self-harming activities. As a result, there is now an urgent need for efficient treatment. Stem cells can correct this developmental defect. A few trials on humans have actually demonstrated their potential. The future that holds the key for Autism Treatment is near. And Advancells is bringing this future by providing high-quality stem cells.
