Autism Spectrum Disorder Manifestations and How to Manage It

Autism Spectrum Disorder
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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Autism Spectrum disorder is when an individual encounters difficulty while interpreting other peoples’ thoughts and feelings. The trouble in interpretation includes difficulty regulating their emotions, facial expressions, social cues, and body language. The disorder is neurodevelopmental and is characterized by pervasive activities in young children (Murphy et al., 2016). The condition is more prone to children but has been noted to be potentially detrimental to adults. Most symptoms of the disorder may affect an individual’s ability to think and function properly in school, at work, and in their daily activities. The term ‘spectrum’ is used when describing autism because of the different severity and symptoms experienced by people. This essay will look into the pathophysiology of ASD, the clinical manifestation of the disorder, current guidelines in diagnosis, and treatment plans for the disease. 
Autism spectrum disorder was initially associated with children before it spiked and transformed its prevalence to include adults. Its estimated prevalence in 2019 had increased to its majority in 1966 when the estimated number of people suffering from it was about 10,000. It has, however, been recognized as a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder affecting both adults and children. The prevalence of autism has increased over the last forty years, making it more common than other fatal health conditions such as heart disorders and diabetes. About 80% of adults with ASD report having difficulty coordinating with the outside environments (Murphy et al., 2016). Some also have problems accessing diagnosis services. The disease is also associated with high emotional and financial costs, which may drain the affected individuals, their loved ones, and society. According to WHO, the global prevalence of autism is about 0.76 percent in about 16% of the world’s total children’s population. Also, it is estimated that one in 160 children has autism spectrum disorder.
Pathophysiology of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Several genes have been associated with the pathogenesis of autism, and the majority of the genes involve neuronal synaptogenesis. Other pathophysiological factors linked to ASD include environmental factors, immune imbalance, and health conditions such as gastrointestinal abnormalities (Wilson et al., 2020). The GI abnormalities such as diarrhea, gastroesophageal reflux, constipation, and infections in the GI contribute to ASD, although their symptoms have not yet been established. On immune system imbalance, there are several factors such as activation of the immune system; inflammation and inflammation response have a significant impact on the progression of ASD. The abnormalities in the peripheral regions of the immune system and immune abnormalities, such as the innate neuroimmune system found in the brain, are responsible for developing the neurocongenital disorder (Wilson et al., 2020). It is also linked to lymphocytes, the CD4 and CD8 lower count and imbalance in Th1 and Th 2.
Clinical manifestations of ASD
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disord...