WHAT IS AUTISM?

Autism is a developmental disorder that affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with other people. The disorder affects different people in different ways. Some individuals can function at a relatively high level on their own, while others need more assistance. Some people with autism are highly verbal, while others do not speak at all.

Documented autism prevalence rates have tripled over the past three decades.* Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 1 in 150 children have an autism diagnosis.** Autism affects boys 4 times more than girls. Autism is found in families of all racial, ethnic, and social backgrounds.

Although the symptoms of autism fall along a continuum, all children diagnosed with autism suffer to some extent from social and communication problems as well as restrictions in range of activities and interests. Social deficits may include poor eye contact and inability to conform to social rules. Impairments in communication may display as peculiarities in language, such as echolalia (repetition of speech) and pronoun reversal (for instance, substituting you for me). Symptoms of restricted range of activities and interests may be demonstrated by an exaggerated need for sameness and routine. Another common area of impairment involves repetitive motor or self-stimulating behavior (such as spinning, hand flapping, finger flicking, rocking, or humming). Moreover, children with autism often have sensitivities to touch, sight, smell, or sounds.

Researchers believe that autism is the result of a person’s genetic makeup and unknown factors that trigger the onset of symptoms. Many researchers and educators are presently studying autism. As our knowledge and understanding increases, new methods of helping people with autism are emerging. While there is no cure for autism, the earlier the disorder is diagnosed and the earlier treatment begins, the better the prognosis for the person with autism.

Read a booklet published by the National Institutes of Mental Health about autism, in English: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/autism.cfm

Read the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-IV criteria for autism, in English: http://www.autism-biomed.org/dsm-iv.htm

WHAT AUTISM IS NOT:
Autism is NOT the result of bad parenting or spoiled children.
Autism is NOT contagious.
Autism is NOT anyone's fault!

WHEN DO SYMPTOMS APPEAR?

Symptoms of autism can begin immediately after birth, but often parents begin to notice them when the child is between 12 and 18 months old. This is the age at which most infants begin to use language and show interest in social activities. A diagnosis of autism is usually made when the child is between 2 and 3 years, but new research is looking at ways to diagnose children as young as 12 to 14 months. Children with Asperger syndrome (one of five developmental disorders that represent the autism spectrum) may be diagnosed later because they do not have the same language or communication problems children with autism exhibit early on.