In its episode dated (12/23/2024), the “The Story Has the Rest” program shed light on the reasons for the spread of autism in the Arab world, the reasons for the appearance of these symptoms in adults as well, and how can autistic people be treated and integrated into their social environment?
The episode, entitled “Challenges of Autism,” presented examples of autistic children and the extent of the suffering that families suffer as a result of this in some Arab countries, where studies indicate that males are 4 times more susceptible to autism than females.
Statistics issued by the World Health Organization in 2023 indicate that one in every 100 children in the world is on the autism spectrum.
Opinions of specialists
Pediatric consultant Hussein Jarwan told Al Jazeera that autism spectrum disorder is a neurological disorder with developmental stages in terms of using language and social communication with others.
Autism is known as a neurological disorder that appears in early childhood and leads to a tendency toward routine tasks and affects social interactions and learning methods.
Research indicates that there are no specific causes for autism spectrum disorders, but scientists have attributed them to physiological, psychological, social and genetic factors, while a recent study hinted that a mother’s infection with a viral infection during pregnancy may lead to the child becoming autistic.
In turn, psychiatrist Sami Risha believes that it is necessary to diagnose children with autism at the age of two years in the current era.
Risha attributed the reasons for the spread of autism cases to natural factors that affect the child’s growth at the time of pregnancy, the increase in the use of neurological medications at the time of pregnancy, in addition to pollution and climate changes.
For her part, Dr. Sanabel Akef Al-Akhras, a specialist in psychiatry and autism spectrum disorder, says that the genetic factor plays a role in autism, as well as the way of living in life, such as the advanced age of the parents at the age of fertilization.
According to Al-Akhras, breastfeeding protects the child from autism, while the woman’s psychological state and anxiety during the months of pregnancy and the diseases that afflict her during this period contribute to autism.
During the episode, Yasser Akroush, father of the young Jordanian Hamza, reviewed the reasons and factors that led to his son’s success in conquering autism, as he established a center to care for people with autism, integrate them into society, and provide specialized courses for families.
Akroush’s father said that he wants his son Hamza to be a role model for those who suffer from autism like him, stressing the need for parents not to be ashamed of their autistic children, regardless of their health and psychological condition.
The episode also highlighted the suffering of autistic children in the Gaza Strip, and the setback they suffered after the Israeli occupation destroyed all the centers concerned with their care during the current war.
Autism and its symptoms
According to doctors, symptoms of autism include poor visual communication, delays in linguistic and cognitive skills, behavioral disorders, and a tendency toward isolation.
Studies have revealed that autism may affect some adults, which may hinder the performance of some tasks such as communicating with others and understanding their feelings.
Doctors have indicated that among the symptoms of autism in adults are confusion, constant anxiety, and difficulty speaking, in addition to individual work.
It is unusual, according to specialists, for a person to reach adulthood without being diagnosed with autism, but his symptoms may be delayed in some cases.
It is noteworthy that researchers in Sweden have developed a model based on artificial intelligence that can predict children suffering from autism, at a time when Russian and Chinese scientists were able to develop an artificial intelligence algorithm that facilitates the detection of autism by examining electroencephalogram data.
According to scientists, it has not yet been proven that autism can be completely cured, and they said that treatment is through rehabilitation programs designed according to the degree of injury of each case.