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from the Quebec Society for Autism and U.S. National Institute of Health Autism Autism is not a disease, but a developmental disorder
of brain function. People with classical autism
show three types of symptoms: impaired social interaction, problems with verbal
and nonverbal communication and imagination, and unusual or severely limited
activities and interests. Symptoms of autism usually appear during the first
three years of childhood and continue throughout life. Although there is no
cure, appropriate management may foster relatively normal development and reduce
undesirable behaviors. People with autism have a normal life expectancy. Autism affects an estimated 2 to 10 of every 10,000
people, depending on the diagnostic criteria used. Most estimates that include
people with similar disorders are two to three times greater.
Autism strikes males about four times as often as females, and has been found
throughout the world in people of all racial and social backgrounds. Autism varies a great deal in severity. The most severe
cases are marked by extremely repetitive, unusual, self-injurious, and
aggressive behavior. This behavior may persist over time and prove very
difficult to change, posing a tremendous challenge to those who must live with,
treat, and teach these individuals. The mildest forms of autism resemble a
personality disorder associated with a perceived learning disability. What are some common signs of autism? The hallmark feature of autism is impaired social
interaction. Children with autism may fail to respond to their names and often
avoid looking at other people. Such children often have difficulty interpreting
tone of voice or facial expressions and do not respond to others' emotions or
watch other people's faces for cues about appropriate behavior. They appear
unaware of others' feelings toward them and of the negative impact of their
behavior on other people. Many children with autism engage in repetitive
movements such as rocking and hair twirling, or in self-injurious behavior such
as biting or head-banging. They also tend to start
speaking later than other children and may refer to themselves by name instead
of "I" or "me." Some speak in a sing-song voice about a
narrow range of favorite topics, with little regard for the interests of the
person to whom they are speaking. People with autism often have abnormal responses to
sounds, touch, or other sensory stimulation. Many show reduced sensitivity to
pain. They also may be extraordinarily sensitive to other sensations. These
unusual sensitivities may contribute to behavioral symptoms such as resistance
to being cuddled. How is autism diagnosed? Autism is classified as one of the pervasive developmental
disorders. Some doctors also use terms such as "emotionally disturbed"
to describe people with autism. Because it varies widely in its severity and
symptoms, autism may go unrecognized, especially in mildly affected individuals
or in those with multiple handicaps. Researchers and therapists have developed
several sets of diagnostic criteria for autism. Some frequently used criteria
include:1 Absence or impairment of imaginative and social play Impaired ability to make friends with peers Impaired ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others Stereotyped, repetitive, or unusual use of language Restricted patterns of interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus Apparently inflexible adherence to specific routines or rituals Preoccupation with parts of objects Children with some symptoms of autism, but not enough to
be diagnosed with the classical form of the disorder, are often diagnosed with
pervasive developmental disorder - not otherwise specified (PDD - NOS). The term
Asperger syndrome is sometimes used to describe people with autistic behavior
but well-developed language skills. Children who appear normal in their first
several years, then lose skills and begin showing autistic behavior, may be
diagnosed with childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD). Girls with Rett's
syndrome, a sex-linked genetic disorder characterized by inadequate brain
growth, seizures, and other neurological problems, also may show autistic
behavior. PDD - NOS, Asperger syndrome, CDD, and Rett's syndrome are sometimes
referred to as autism spectrum disorders. Since hearing problems can be confused with autism,
children with delayed speech development should always have their hearing
checked. Children sometimes have impaired hearing in addition to autism. About
half of people with autism score below 50 on IQ tests, 20 percent score between
50 and 70, and 30 percent score higher than 70. However, estimating IQ in young
children with autism is often difficult because problems with language and
behavior can interfere with testing. A small percentage of people with autism
are savants. These people have limited but extraordinary skills in areas like
music, mathematics, drawing, or visualization. What causes autism? Autism has no single cause. Researchers believe several
genes, as well as environmental factors such as viruses or chemicals, contribute
to the disorder. Studies of people with autism have found abnormalities in
several regions of the brain, including the cerebellum, amygdala, hippocampus,
septum, and mamillary bodies. Neurons in these regions appear smaller than
normal and have stunted nerve fibers, which may interfere with nerve signaling.
These abnormalities suggest that autism results from disruption of normal brain
development early in fetal development. Other studies suggest that people with
autism have abnormalities of serotonin or other signaling molecules in the
brain. While these findings are intriguing, they are preliminary and require
further study. The early belief that parental practices are responsible for
autism has now been disproved. In a minority of cases, disorders such as fragile X
syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, untreated phenylketonuria (PKU), and congenital
rubella cause autistic behavior. Other disorders, including Tourette syndrome,
learning disabilities, and attention deficit disorder, often occur with autism
but do not cause it. For reasons that are still unclear, about 20 to 30 percent
of people with autism also develop epilepsy by the time they reach adulthood.
While people with schizophrenia may show some autistic-like behavior, their
symptoms usually do not appear until the late teens or early adulthood. Most
people with schizophrenia also have hallucinations and delusions, which are not
found in autism. What role does genetics play? Recent studies strongly suggest that some people have a
genetic predisposition to autism. Scientists estimate that, in families with one
autistic child, the risk of having a second child with the disorder is
approximately five percent, or one in 20, which is greater than the risk for the
general population (see "What is autism?"). Researchers are looking
for clues about which genes contribute to this increased susceptibility. In some
cases, parents and other relatives of an autistic person show mild social,
communicative, or repetitive behaviors that allow them to function normally but
appear linked to autism. Evidence also suggests that some affective, or
emotional, disorders, such as manic depression, occur more frequently than
average in families of people with autism. Do symptoms of autism change over time? Symptoms in many children with autism improve with
intervention or as the children mature. Some people with autism eventually
lead normal or near-normal lives. However, reports from parents of children
with autism indicate that some children's language skills regress early in life,
usually before age three. This regression often seems linked to epilepsy or
seizure-like brain activity. Adolescence also worsens behavior problems in some
children with autism, who may become depressed or increasingly unmanageable.
Parents should be ready to adjust treatment for their child's changing needs. How can autism be treated? There is no cure for autism at present. Therapies, or
interventions, are designed to remedy specific symptoms in each individual. The
best-studied therapies include educational/behavioral and medical interventions.
Although these interventions do not cure autism, they often bring about
substantial improvement. Educational/behavioral interventions: These strategies emphasize highly structured and often intensive skill-oriented training that is tailored to the individual child. Therapists work with children to help them develop social and language skills. Because children learn most effectively and rapidly when very young, this type of therapy should begin as early as possible. Recent evidence suggests that early intervention has a good chance of favorably influencing brain development. Medication: Doctors may prescribe a variety of drugs to reduce self-injurious behavior or other troublesome symptoms of autism, as well as associated conditions such as epilepsy and attention disorders. Most of these drugs affect levels of serotonin or other signaling chemicals in the brain. Many other interventions are available, but few, if
any, scientific studies support their use. These
therapies remain controversial and may or may not reduce a specific person's
symptoms. Parents should use caution before subscribing to any particular
treatment. Counseling for the families of people with autism also may assist
them in coping with the disorder. What aspects of autism are being studied? The NINDS is the Federal Government's leading supporter of
biomedical research on brain and nervous system disorders, including autism. The
NINDS conducts research in its laboratories at the National Institutes of
Health, in Bethesda, Maryland, and supports research at other institutions
through grants. NINDS-supported research includes studies aimed at
identifying the underlying brain abnormalities of autism through new methods of
brain imaging and other innovative techniques. Some scientists hope to identify
genes that increase the risk of autism. Others are studying specific aspects of
behavior, information processing, and other characteristics to learn precisely
how children with autism differ from other people and how these characteristics
change over time. The findings may lead to improved strategies for early
diagnosis and intervention. Related studies are examining how the cerebellum
develops and processes information, how different brain regions function in
relation to each other, and how alterations in this relationship during
development may result in the signs and symptoms of autism. Researchers hope
this research will provide new clues about how autism develops and how brain
abnormalities affect behavior. Where can I get more information? For more information on autism, you may wish to contact: National Institute of Mental Health 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 7C-02 Rockville, Maryland 20857 (301) 443-4513 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Building 31, Room 2A32 Bethesda, Maryland 20892-2350 (301) 496-5133 Autism Society of America 7910 Woodmont Avenue Suite #650 Bethesda, Maryland 20814 (301) 657-0881 (800) 3AUTISM Autism Research Institute 4182 Adams Avenue San Diego, California 92116 (619) 281-7165 The New Jersey Center for Outreach and Services for the Autism Community, Inc. (COSAC) 1450 Parkside Avenue, Suite 22 Ewing, New Jersey 08638
more information: Center for the Study of Autism Special Abilities many autism links autistics.org Resources for and by the persons on the autistic spectrum. On the lighter side, look at The Institue for the Neurologically Typical. Gluten Free Casein Free Diet Site Lots of great links. Even for the skeptical... Casein free diet research- Convinced me it was worth a try Biochemistry of attention and behavior problems Feingold diet
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