Written By: Debjani Arora | Published : April 2, 2018 5:35 PM IST
Autism is a neurological abnormality that affects one in the early childhood. The characteristic of this condition includes impairments in social interactions and communication, restricted interests, repetitive behaviour, etc. Sometimes some kids can also show non-specific symptoms including unusual sensory perception skills and experiences, motor clumsiness and insomnia, etc. Every child who has autism is different and the condition manifests in a unique way in kids affected. Here is how art-based therapy helps in dealing with autism.
As a neurological disorder, autism is more common than Down s syndrome and the symptoms begin to show a little after six months of age and gradually develops and become established by the time the child turns two or three years of age. The symptoms continue to develop even throughout adulthood. The cognitive abilities in people with autism vary from being average to above average in terms of intelligence, from borderline to mild mental retardation and in others functional abilities might range from the moderate to profoundly mentally retarded range. Here are few signs of autism that every parent should notice.
We got in touch with Dr Pradeep Mahajan Regenerative Medicine Researcher to know more about autism and stem cell therapy. Here is an extract from the email interview.
What causes autism?
The exact cause of autism is not known, though the condition is thought to be associated with genetic as well as environmental factors. The immune system of the affected kids is thought to play an important role in autism. Children with autism have been found to have inflammation of both the peripheral and central immune systems. This is as far as the physiological causes go.
The environmental causative element can be separated into pre-natal, peri-natal and post-natal factors which include maternal infections, birth injuries, autoimmune disease, viral infections etc. Additionally, ongoing cerebral hypoperfusion and oxidative stress have also been implicated in the aetiology of autism.
How does autism affect the brain?
The mechanisms thought to be associated with autism are as follows:
How is autism treated?
The main goal of treating autism is to lessen associated deficits and family distress and to increase the quality of life and functional independence. Currently, there are a variety of therapies that are available to help an autistic child cope. These therapies are broadly classified into behavioural, educational, medical, allied health and complementary and alternative medicine interventions. However, there is no defined standard treatment intervention and only early intervention seems to be effective.
How can stem cell therapy help?
Cellular therapy in autism aims to address neurologic, gastrointestinal and immunologic disturbances. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) show promise in the management of autistic children, likely owing to their immunomodulatory capacities. Treatment of immune dysregulation ameliorates intestinal and systemic symptoms and neurologic function. MSCs also secrete anti-inflammatory cytokines and survival-promoting growth factors. These cells can also integrate into neural networks thereby restoring plasticity. Studies have shown that administration of MSCs improves some behavioural symptoms and function in autistic children.
Image source: Shutterstock
