China News Service, Beijing, April 2 (Zhang Yilin) They live by our side, but they have a heart that can only see their own world; they are indifferent to other things, but focus on the things they like for a long time.
They are "children of the stars".
April 2 is World Autism Day, and the number of autistic children in China exceeds 2 million.
How to detect and cure autistic children in time, and embrace the "children of the stars"?
Visitors look at paintings by children with autism.
Photo by Wei Liang
China's
autistic children under the age of 12 may exceed 2 million
How to detect autism early?
Autism is also called autism.
The "Report on the Development of China's Autism Education and Rehabilitation Industry" released in 2019 showed that the incidence of autism in China reached 0.7%, and there were about 10 million people with autism spectrum disorders in that year, including about 12 children under the age of 12. More than 2 million people.
According to Wang Jing, deputy chief physician of the Department of Mental Health of Beijing Haidian Hospital, the main symptoms of autism include social and language barriers, as well as repetitive and stereotyped behaviors.
It is found that the child has no or little eye contact, poor language communication, always does not fit in with the group, plays alone in the corner, and has strange movements and interests, it needs to be paid attention to.
Doctors said that the early symptoms of autism can be summarized as "five nos" ("five littles").
Not (less) looking: abnormal eye contact, reduced gaze on people, especially the eyes;
No (less) should: children turn a deaf ear to the call of their parents;
No (less) refers to: lack of proper body movements, unable to make requests for things of interest;
No (less) said: most children with autism have language function delay;
Inappropriate: Refers to inappropriate item use and associated perceptual abnormalities, including rotation, alignment, and continued visual exploration of items.
Zhang Lili, an attending physician in the health care department of the Capital Institute of Pediatrics, also previously said that even three or four-month-old babies respond when their mothers breastfeed or smile at the baby.
If a child ignores, doesn't look, doesn't speak, doesn't laugh, or doesn't recognize voices, it may also be a sign of autism.
Data map: The picture shows an autistic child playing in a special education center in Xi'an.
Photo by He Tong Image source: CFP Vision China
How do parents take care of "children of the stars"?
Wang Jing introduced that in the face of autism, parents are the child's first line of defense, and early screening is very important.
Parents need to take their children to the hospital for diagnosis by a professional doctor.
At present, there is no specific drug for the treatment of autism, but social training is used. If there is no intervention, it may be difficult for these children to integrate into the society and adapt to the society.
It must be detected early and intervened early.
Zhang Lili also emphasized that the sooner the intervention, the better, and there is no doubt that the children diagnosed with the disease will be intervened immediately.
Parents should not hold the idea of "wait a minute" and "look at it again". Regardless of the diagnosis or suspected diagnosis of autism, they should intervene as soon as possible.
Wang Jing introduced that there are some preventive measures for autism, such as strengthening perinatal health care, implementing prenatal and postnatal care; creating a harmonious and warm family atmosphere; instilling a correct outlook on life in children; cultivating children's listening and speaking ability and improving their language function; parents should not intervene prematurely and give appropriate encouragement to children’s attempts; mobilize children to help with housework, choose competitive activities that are easy to master, and so on.
The picture shows the public viewing an exhibition of paintings of children with autism.
Photo by Chen Zhiwei
Are autistic children all geniuses?
The doctor also said that many people have certain misunderstandings about autism:
-Is autism a mental illness?
Many people regard autism as a mental illness, treat people with autism differently, and even refuse to associate with them.
In fact, autistic patients are simple and kind, but sometimes they may express themselves differently from normal people.
——Can autistic people not be able to go to school normally?
The best intervention time for autistic patients is 2-6 years old. As long as they are detected in time, early scientific intervention, and receiving formal treatment and rehabilitation training, autistic children can go to school normally.
-Autistic children are geniuses?
The actual situation is that less than 1 in 1,000 people with autism are gifted in a certain aspect, and about 50% of autistic children have different degrees of intellectual disability. Early detection, early intervention, early treatment, and more autism It is best for children to care for and understand children with symptoms.
——Will I be better when I grow up with autism?
Not only does autism not get better over time, but if it is not treated in time, some manifestations will only get worse with age, eventually causing the child to gradually lose the ability to take care of himself.
Once parents find that their children have this tendency, they must take their children to seek professional treatment as soon as possible.
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