A little boy sits alone on the bench in classroom. He doesn’t talk much to classmates. He gets along with the teacher but throws temper tantrums if his place is changed or even if some other teacher comes to teach. He keeps playing with his pencil. If someone calls his name, remains indifferent, as if he hasn’t heard anything.
This boy is showing symptoms of autistic disorder. Autistic disorder is classified under pervasive developmental disorder. Onset of autistic disorder is before age 3, and the symptoms pursue throughout life. Autistic disorder is characterized by impairment in social skills, impairment in communication, restricted, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior or interests.

Symptoms of autistic disorder
Autistic children look normal at first glance. Sometimes they may have ear malformation.

Behavioral symptoms
These children show stereotypic pattern of behavior. They don’t like changes in their routine and get anxious if any changes are made. Social skills expected at their age are missing. They are not able to make difference in important people and others like parents and others. Visio spatial skills of autistic children are better than their verbal skills. But spontaneous exploratory and imaginative play is absent.

Communication and language difficulties-
At first year of child development, autistic children show delay in language development. They show symptoms of echolalia. About 50% of autistic children do not develop useful speech. Because of these language limitations, their communication skills are poor. They may not understand simple questions but have normal nonverbal intelligence.

Mood and affect-
Children with autistic disorder may show hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity for stimuli such as water or smooth objects. Sometimes they may appear deaf but may show interest when we talk about things they like. Because of this, they show instability in mood and affect.

Intellectual functioning-
About 70 to 75% of autistic children have intellectual functioning in mentally retarded range. Almost all autistic children have normal non-verbal intelligence. Their verbal and abstraction skills are affected.

Diagnostic criteria (DSM IV-TR)
A) A total of six (or more) items from (1), (2), and (3), with at least two from (1), and one each from (2) and (3):
qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:

• marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction
• failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
• a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest)
• lack of social or emotional reciprocity

Qualitative impairments in communication as manifested by at least one of the following:

• delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gesture or mime)
• in individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others
• stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language
• lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level

Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:

• encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
• apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
• stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
• persistent preoccupation with parts of objects

B) Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years:

• social interaction,
• language as used in social communication,
• symbolic or imaginative play.

C)The disturbance is not better accounted for by Rett's disorder or childhood disintegrative disorder.

Factors leading to autistic disorder

Genetic factors:
There is a research done supporting that genetic factors contribute to cause for autistic disorder. There are also chances to develop other developmental disorder to the relatives in family of person having autistic disorder.

Perinatal factors:
Some perinatal factors such as maternal bleeding in first trimester or other complications during pregnancy may contribute for autistic disorder.

Neuroanatomical factors:
When researchers compared brains of autistic children with other normal children, it found that autistic children have larger brain volume than other children. Their parital, temporal and occipital lobe of brain is affected. Temporal lobe is considered to be vital part of brain which if affected may lead to restlessness, repetitive behavior and loosing normal social behavior.

Incidence
Autistic disorder occurs in 2 to 20 cases from 10,000. Research says that it mostly occurs in males than females.

Treatment for Autism
Who can help?

• Psychiatrist
• Psychologist
• Occupational therapist
• Speech therapist

Medication:
Autistic disorder persists throughout the life. Hence the medication can treat child’s behavioral symptoms. Behavioral symptoms include hyperactivity, aggressiveness, obsessions, compulsive behavior, irritability etc.

Applied Behavior Analysis:
ABA therapy is mainly used by psychologists for treatment of autism. This therapy emphasizes on behavior modification with the help of reward and consequences.

Occupational therapy:
Occupational therapy helps autistic children to enhance their fine motor skills. It also helps to deal with hypersensitivity of these children.

Speech therapy:
Even though these children show normal nonverbal intelligence, their verbal communication is largely impaired. Hence speech therapist works on language usage and overall communication to build social relationship.

Play therapy is also used by psychotherapist to build communication skills, to deal with aggression and other emotional issues. Social skills’ training is also important for these children to connect with friends, to hold a conversation and to build peer relationship.

Role of Homeopathy in Autism
Homeopathy is based on law of similar-“similia similibus curentur” which means “like cures like”! Thus the medicine selected from symptom similarity of the patient gives wonderful results. In homoeopathy single medicine is selected considering all symptoms and with individual approach. So every patient gets medicine as per his own individual symptoms

Now we come to the point of what homeopathy has to offer for an autistic child so that we can help the child to lead a better life. One of the important facts is that in homeopathy, we have these symptoms covered by different remedies and can use the symptoms expressed by the behavior of the child for the selection of the medicine.

It is very important to get a proper history of the patient and the importance of observation comes into play even the minutest detail can help in deciding the remedy. Peculiar symptoms are required so the parents should observe the Childs behavior in details and note them down in a book.

In homeopathy
A correct History of the Child including the Behavior.
Noting down the expressions of the patient.
Physical complaints conditions of aggravation & Amelioration.
Education in special school to make them self-efficient.
Approach to the patient based on individuality.
Selection of the remedy after analysis and evaluation.
To consider the response and the likely line of treatment.
Maintaining a Note book and noting the changes that occur to evaluate the case.

Homoeopathic medicines work effectively in all age groups and can be taken safely during pregnancy to avoid the inheritance if there is a family history of autism. Homoeopathic medicines are safe, gentle and effective to give relief in harmless way.
Homoeopathic medicines not only reduce the severity and recurrence of complaints but it will also improve general health of patient. Homoeopathic medicines are most palatable medicines and children take it without hesitation.

Homoeopathy treats patients in holistic approach which means it treats “patient as a whole” not just his specific disease or parts. In homoeopathy, physical and mental aspects are considered for selection of medicine. Such medicine is known as ‘constitutional medicine’. These medicines detoxify mind and body; as well as boost our immune power. Thus our immunity fights out disease and infections.

Homoeopathic physician considers all details regarding complaints like type of symptom, cause, time and modalities-which worsen or reduce pain, associated symptoms along with patients’ general factors like thirst, appetite, craving aversion, sweat, urine, stools, thermals, sleep, etc.

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