As the cases of autism soars high on the World Autism Awareness Day today there is very little awareness or sensitization about the real life challenges of an autistic person in the real sense.

In India itself, more than a million cases of autism are recorded every year which counts for 68 children suffering from Autism daily. Only a few people who even understand this condition to the core and these few mostly include doctors, students and researchers of mental health, parents or acquaintances of autistic people. Here are a few things that you didn’t know about Autism spectrum disorder but you should know.

1. Autism is beyond any age: 

Autism can be diagnosed at an early age among children just a year old and that is but the diagnosis is only relied on once the child is 24 month or older.  The Earlier It`s Diagnosed, the Better the PrognosisUnfortunately, no particular test in the pathology lab can confirm Autism and there the child’s behaviour is evaluated to come to a conclusion. Parents should keep an eye on the signs of autism in children aged 12 – 18 months.
 
2. Folic Acid During Pregnancy can Prevent Autism

Women wishing to conceive for the first time, or those who already have a child diagnosed with ASD, should know that periconceptual use of folic acid during pregnancy could reduce the risk of ASD in children born of women with poor folate absorption revealed a study by the National Center for Biotechnology

3. Symptoms of ASD can vary from person to person:

 Diagnosis of Autism in kids is difficult as the symptoms vary from one student to another. While the common symptoms of a child suffering from ASD may include, speech disorder, being way too introvert, consistent repetition of words, introvert behaviour, unresponsiveness, reluctance in having an eye contact, imaginative play, etc. Other symptoms that are common among autistic kids but is hardly paid any heed to are an obsession with certain things, repetitive behaviours, etc. 

 4. Autism spectrum disorders is more likely to occur with boys: 

Studies revealed have proved that boys are about 4.5 times likely to suffer from autism spectrum disorder than the girls. Busting the popular myth, anyone can be struck by ASD contradictory and not mostly the whites.

5. ASD makes you vulnerable to other health conditions:

ASD patients apart from being having speech defects and low social involvement are also prone to other diseases like  X syndrome, epilepsy, depression, anxiety, allergies, ADHD, sleep disorders and stomach issues.

6. Autism can be controlled but not completely cure: 

Early diagnosis of autism can help the patient to handle the daily life challenges better but medication or any kind of holistic treatment or therapy cannot completely cure ACD. Applied behavioural analysis (ABA) and occupational, speech, and physical therapies are frequently used for better life-management of people suffering from autism

7. Premature infants are five times more likely to suffer from autism:

‘Emerging studies suggest that low birth weight or pre-mature delivery, troubled pregnancy may be responsible for autism spectrum disorders,’ says Pinto-Martin, director, Centre for Autism and Developmental Disabilities Research and Epidemiology (CADDRE) at the school (as per the study).