Autism is a developmental disorder that makes it challenging for an individual to adhere to societal norms for communication and behavior. The condition is tricky to diagnose and has no cure; treatments can only help improve the quality of life. Cognitive impairment varies from person to person affecting the progression of known signs and symptoms. Here is a comprehensive overview of the know risk factors, common signs, and available treatment options to manage autism.

Causes and risk factors
It is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of several psychological disorders, including autism. But, extensive studies have helped narrow risk factors into broad categories, including genetics, environment, and biological factors.

Autism runs the risk of being transferred via the genetic code when the DNA of the family gets passed on to the next generation.
Advanced age among one or both parents at the time of conception can result in delayed developmental issues affecting the child’s cognitive abilities.
Complications during pregnancy or after birth, including an underweight baby, premature delivery, or giving birth to twins or triplets, increase the risk of developing autism.
Multiple pregnancies within a year, i.e., conceiving right after the first baby’s delivery, also increases the risk for the subsequent child.
Studies indicate that even the environment can trigger metabolic changes in the body among people at a higher genetic risk for the condition.

Signs and symptoms
Autism is a cognitive disorder that affects babies, men, and women of all age groups. So, it is important to understand the distinctive symptoms from early childhood to late adulthood.

Symptoms in babies
If newborns don’t show the necessary cognitive function and progressive development at two months, four months, six months, nine months, and one year of age, chances are the baby has developed some form of cognitive disability. Earliest signs include babies not babbling, not smiling or laughing, not taking an interest in interactive games, and not responding enthusiastically to visual cues are among noticeable signs. Babies may also avoid making eye contact, prefer being left on their own, get really upset with loud noises, and show noticeable discomfort in the most common situations.

Symptoms in older children and teens
Children between the ages of five and well into their teens at eighteen years of age will start to show more evident signs of the disorder. These include a narrow range of interest in activities, unusual repetitive behaviors that stand out, difficulty with social interactions, not making eye contact, not understanding emotions, and getting uncomfortable with any form of physical contact. Using formal language, developing strong preferences for foods, objects, or habits, having unusual sleeping patterns, and becoming particular about following rules and routine are also signs of autism.

Symptoms among older adults
Individuals might experience trouble understanding common facial expressions and body gestures, not understand sarcasm or evident changes in voice, face extreme difficulty in social and interactive situations, and avoid eye contact. Adults will also develop repetitive habits or behaviors, get visibly upset to any changes in routines established, become over or under sensitive to startling noises, smells, or actions, and develop a very narrow range of interests.

Diagnosis and treatments
If autism is suspected, doctors recommend developmental monitoring wherein behaviors and habits are assessed. This will enable parents to understand if their child is showing all the cognitive growth markers and whether, any of these are indicative of a developing condition. There are some tests that can help doctors assess these various markers and gauge the extent of the disorder but there are no specific diagnostic procedures that provide complete results.

Treatment for autism is broadly divided into multiple approaches to manage the symptoms and improve quality of life in the long term.
Doctors suggest Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for primary treatment to encourage suitable behaviors and also discourage unsuitable ones.
Speech, language, and occupational therapy can also help patients improve their emotional responses and physical responses to communicate effectively and not feel overwhelmed.
Educational approaches have also proven to be quite useful in treating and managing evident signs of the psychological condition.
Social treatment focuses on improving communication skills and emotional bonds by making the candidates feel comfortable in otherwise difficult-to-manage situations.
Some cognitive behavioral therapies can help candidates overcome their anxiety, fear, depression, or any mental health issues that develop alongside autism.

Remedies, daily nutrition, and lifestyle changes
Some complementary and alternative therapies can also help incorporate special nutritional requirements, lifestyle changes, and changes around the home to make an individual feel more comfortable. Nutritionists generally recommend eliminating gluten and casein products from daily foods, both being proteins that can affect cognitive functioning. It is also more beneficial to include omega-3 fatty acids sourced from healthy plants and poultry to prevent inflammatory markers from impairing cognitive function. Nutrition and lifestyle suggestions will vary depending on the severity of the condition.