A child or adult with autism is a picture of piety. It is the curse of worst type for the parents who own the responsibility of bringing up such a child.
The child calls for uncommon form of social interaction, communication and pattern of behavior which is the moment to moment problem for its caretaker. Constant vigil and care is required for such a child. Unfortunately, the number of such children is not limited but the number of research and facilities to take care of such children is limited.
Each case is different and each case is special. So, the researchers are unable to provide any clues for their regulated treatment.
Such children have communication problems and in many cases these problems are quite serious. Their potential to learn is also limited; sometimes they can't even understand the basics.
In many cases, it is not the question of high or low intelligence. It is mainly a processing disorder of visual processing or auditory processing. Both the complications are equally difficult to tackle from their day to day functional points of view. It is referred to as socio biological condition.
Individuals with learning disabilities only can be tackled to some extent. But if this is combined with self-harming behavior, it is dangerous for the individual as well as for the caretakers. What contributes to this self-harming behavior? Give any reason for that-sociological, environmental, psychological or physiological- but actually it is all groping in the dark. Three decades of research in the field has not provided any clue to the scientists.
When I tell you about the nature of some of the self-harming activities, the gravity of the situation will be clear to you. They are head-banging, extreme self-rubbing to the point of bleeding, self-scratching to the point of injuring a particular part of the body and hand-biting.
With no general pattern and general remedy for such behaviors, the role of the caretakers assumes importance. In each case the approach would have to compassionate to understand the reasons for such type of behavior. Somewhere the environment around the child hurts it. It therefore tries to protest in various ways. It doesn't know the difference between harming itself and harming an object or individual in front of it.
There lies the tragedy. There lies the crux of the problem.
