Why are children with autism called special? What do they do differently than other children? How do they live and what do they feel? Through stories shared by a doctor, we can get a glimpse into the world of these extraordinary children, where everything is different. Stanislava Haponova, a pediatrician from the medical network "Dobrobut," shared her experience with us.
When You Love What You Do
What does one feel when children come to their office every day with their small and big problems? I still realize that being a doctor is a very serious and daunting job. But I found a remedy for myself—constant learning.
I remember how my colleagues and I visited a psychological center that deals with autism issues. It was already evening outside, and everyone was tired, but I couldn't leave, continuing to ask questions, showing interest. I was gently nudged as if to say, "It's time to go..." But I felt that this was my niche, and I wanted to fully understand it. Now, I’m very glad that at "Dobrobut," I work with people who also care deeply about the topic of autism.
Unfortunately, in Ukraine, there is still a lack of tolerance toward children with autism. Their parents often encounter fear and aggression from others. So when a child with autism comes to "Dobrobut," we immediately understand their parents' biggest wish—that their child is not hurt, rejected, but accepted and helped. For them, this is their most cherished and beloved person, who just happens to face a bit more difficulty in this world than others.
Very Different Children
Many people often approach children with autism with caution or even some fear. As doctors, we understand how difficult it is for these children to adapt to society. Autism manifests in different ways and is also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). On one hand, it can manifest as severe disorders where a person is almost like a plant—they are unable to do anything without external help. In this case, the person with autism needs to be taught how to take care of themselves.
On the other side of the spectrum, ASD may present with a very high intellect and unique communication traits. These children are often highly talented and simply need to be taught how to communicate and behave appropriately in society.
"Children with autism can live normal lives – this is very important to know."
How to Recognize Autism in a Child?
In Ukraine, only a psychiatrist can officially diagnose autism. However, there are three general signs by which my colleagues and I can often tell that a patient likely has autism.
1. Impairment in Social Interaction:
- When a baby doesn't smile at their mother. From the first month of life, a baby reacts to their mother's presence, smiling at her and beginning to coo. This behavior is called the "revitalization complex."
- When a baby at 9 months doesn’t involve their mother in play or show her their toys. By the way, starting from the age of three, specialists conduct a test: the child is given a doll, and they observe what the child does with it—rock it, feed it, dress it. Interestingly, children with autism will never play with a doll.
2. Impairment in Communication:
- A child with autism does not use a pointing gesture. Typically, children point at objects with their fingers. Children with autism, however, do it differently—they take their mother's hand and use it to point at something or lead her to the object, essentially using her hand as a pointer.
- Even children with very high intelligence may not speak for a long time. Only some critical situation prompts the child to say anything.
3. A Narrow Range of Strong Interests:
- This is especially true for children with high intelligence. In my practice, there was a case where a 3.5-year-old child was explaining in detail about dinosaurs—when they appeared, where they lived, and what they ate. Typically, children do not retain so many details and nuances.
It's always difficult to tell parents that their child has autism. But staying silent is even worse. The sooner parents seek help from a psychologist, the sooner we can achieve results in adapting the child to society.
"The essence of our work at "Dobrobut" with such children is to identify the signs of autism as early as possible."
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