Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impacts the way a person communicates, socializes, and behaves. This condition can change the way one sees the world. People with autism often find it hard to decode facial expressions, can see the world as overwhelming, and communicate differently. Their brain can make everything appear different, and everyday experiences become challenging.
Today, we have evidence-based solutions with services like therapy for individuals with autism. Though therapies are great ways to support individuals on the spectrum, imagine how great it would be to understand their perceptual differences.
This post will help you understand what’s inside an autistic brain. Read it to the end and discover the ways to help them lead a promising tomorrow.
What Makes an Autistic Brain Different?
The brains of individuals with autistic spectrum disorder often have certain networks with lower connectivity. This is particularly observed in patterns with large distances between the brain regions. Let us dedicate the further part of this blog to understanding the differences in an autistic brain:
Cerebellum
The cerebellum is responsible for many cognitive functions, such as language attention and coordinating movements. Autism can manifest itself in abnormalities of the size, shape, and function of the cerebellum. As a result, the individual can encounter issues communicating and interacting with people socially. Cognition difficulties are other manifestations.
Hippocampus and Amygdala
The hippocampus and amygdala are responsible for emotions and memory. The amygdala processes emotions, while the hippocampus is accountable for learning, memory consolidation, and spatial memory. Individuals with autism can have structural abnormalities, and the hippocampus can be larger, and the amygdala can be smaller. This can result in trouble making memories and increased anxiety levels.
Ventricles
The ventricles are responsible for producing and circulating cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). CSF protects the brain and the surrounding spinal cord.
In many individuals with autism, we can observe larger ventricles. It can be associated with developmental delays and neurological abnormalities, resulting in several symptoms of ASD.
Cortex
The cerebral cortex is the outermost layer of the human brain. It is also known as gray matter. It is responsible for several brain functions, such as thinking, movement, senses, consciousness, and memory. In a brain with autism, there can be a thicker cortex to explain the commonly observed troubles in communication and social interaction.
Caudate Nucleus
The caudate nucleus is a part of the brain responsible for several higher cognitive functions. It has a role in motor control, memory, learning, and reward processing of many cognitive functions. Individuals with autism can have caudate nuclei in lower volumes. This difference might be seen in several manifestations, like weakened communication and social skills.
Advantages of an Autistic Brain
By now, it is safe to say that an autistic brain is different. It has a different way of thinking. They often pay more attention to detail and can focus intensely on anything. This also means that they can spend long periods thinking about anything specific. It won’t be uncommon to find them passionate about creative fields such as literature, music, and art. They can be innovative thinkers with straightforward narration. However, autism also brings several challenges, which we will discuss further.
The Challenges of an Autistic Brain
An individual with autism can often face troubles in socializing and communicating. They can even show repetitive behaviors, interests, or activities. They might not respond to you when you call out their name or prefer to stay alone. They might get attached to many unusual objects or stick to a routine. Additionally, here are some common challenges an individual with autism can face:
- Communication challenges like trouble understanding language and speech and problem-making conversations.
- Social challenges like trouble making eye contact, understanding other’s feelings, or making relationships.
- Memory challenges can include remembering non-social information and recalling faces.
Autism can hinder many aspects of one’s life, imposing challenges. Fortunately, it can show symptoms as early as in one’s 12-18 months of age. It can allow early support and intervention to address troubling or challenging behaviors before they become a preset pattern. In the coming section, let us discuss one such therapy service available for autism- applied behavior analysis.
Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy for Autism
ABA, or applied behavior analysis, is an evidence-based therapy that helps manage behavioral challenges in a child with developmental delays. It can help them enhance learning, reading, social, communication, and self-care skills. It comprises different and unique methods to promote positive behavior in a child.
ABA can result in enhanced communication skills, increased independence, improved social behaviors, and a better ability to grasp things.
ABA provides a tailored solution to every child’s individual needs. Applied behavior analysis can provide the right support and tools to help the child grow better and lead a promising life. Besides, whether you live in Aurora or Denver, ABA therapy can be found easily with a few clicks, making promising ways accessible.
Conclusion
Individuals with autism can have different patterns in their brain development. Sometimes, these can cause brain differences, and in this blog post, you have learned what these variations can look like. Individuals with autism can have differences in several areas of the brain, such as the cerebellum, hippocampus and amygdala, ventricles, cortex, and caudate nucleus. These can show up through challenges in motor skills, communication, emotions, and more.
A brain with autism can be more innovative and pay attention to details. Yet, the communication, social, and cognitive challenges need direction and navigation. That’s where early intervention with relevant therapy services for autism comes in.
A child can show signs of autism as early as when they are 12 to 18 months old. The right intervention at the initial age can make it easy to reform their behaviors. Applied Behavior Analysis is one such alternative that can help a child with autism create a better and rewarding tomorrow for themselves. It works on reinforcing positive behaviors and can lower their challenging conduct. From a tailored approach to multiple training methods, ABA can pave the way for a promising and countable tomorrow in many ways.