| Autism is classified by the World Health | | | | speculative. |
| Organization (WHO) and American | | | | Conversely, some autistic children and |
| Psychological Association as a | | | | adults are opposed to attempts to cure |
| developmental disability that results | | | | autism. These people see autism as part |
| from a disorder of the human central | | | | of who they are, and in some cases they |
| nervous system. It is diagnosed using | | | | perceive treatments and attempts of a |
| specific criteria for impairments to | | | | cure to be unethical. |
| social interaction, communication, | | | | History |
| interests, imagination and | | | | The word "autism" was first used in the |
| activities.The causes, symptoms, | | | | English language by Swiss psychiatrist |
| etiology, treatment, and other issues | | | | Eugene Bleuler in a 1911 issue of the |
| are controversial. | | | | American Journal of Insanity. It comes |
| Autism manifests itself "before the age | | | | from the Greek word for "self," a?t?? |
| of three years" according to the WHO's | | | | (autos). Autism was actually confused |
| International Classification of Diseases | | | | with schizophrenia during the early |
| (ICD-10). Children with autism are | | | | stages of observation. Bleuler used the |
| marked by delays in their "social | | | | term to describe the schizophrenics' |
| interaction, language as used in social | | | | seeming difficulty in connecting with |
| communication, or symbolic or | | | | other people. |
| imaginative play" (Diagnostic and | | | | However, the classification of autism as |
| Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). | | | | a separate disorder or disease did not |
| Autism, and the other four pervasive | | | | occur until 1943 when psychiatrist Dr. |
| developmental disorders (PDD), are all | | | | Leo Kanner of the Johns Hopkins Hospital |
| considered to be neurodevelopmental | | | | in Baltimore reported on 11 child |
| disorders. They are diagnosed on the | | | | patients with striking behavioral |
| basis of a triad, or group of three | | | | similarities and introduced the label |
| behavioral impairments or dysfunctions: | | | | "early infantile autism." He suggested |
| 1. impaired social interaction, 2. | | | | the term "autism" to describe the fact |
| impaired communication and 3. restricted | | | | that the children seemed to lack |
| and repetitive interests and activities. | | | | interest in other people. Kanner's first |
| These three basic characteristics | | | | paper on the subject was published in a |
| reflect Dr. Leo Kanner's first reports | | | | now defunct journal called The Nervous |
| of autism emphasizing "autistic | | | | Child, and almost every characteristic |
| aloneness" and "insistence on sameness." | | | | he originally described is still |
| From a physiological standpoint, autism | | | | regarded as typical of the autistic |
| is often less than obvious in that | | | | spectrum of disorders. |
| outward appearance may not indicate a | | | | At the same time, an Austrian scientist |
| disorder. Diagnosis typically comes from | | | | named Dr. Hans Asperger made similar |
| a complete patient history and physical | | | | observations, although his name has |
| and neurological evaluation. | | | | since become attached to a different |
| The incidence of diagnosed autism has | | | | higher-functioning form of autism known |
| increased since the 1990s. Reasons | | | | as Asperger syndrome. Widespread |
| offered for this phenomenon include | | | | recognition of Asperger's work was |
| better diagnosis, wider public awareness | | | | delayed by World War II in Germany, and |
| of the condition, regional variations in | | | | by his seminal paper not being |
| diagnostic criteria, or simply an | | | | translated into English for almost 50 |
| increase in the occurrence of ASD | | | | years. The majority of his work was not |
| (autism spectrum disorders). The United | | | | widely read until 1997. |
| States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) | | | | Autism and Asperger syndrome are today |
| estimate the prevalence of autism | | | | listed in the DSM-IV-TR as two of the |
| spectrum disorders to be about one in | | | | five pervasive developmental disorders |
| every 150 children. In 2005, the | | | | (PDD), which also include Childhood |
| National Institute of Mental Health | | | | disintegrative disorder, Rett syndrome |
| (NIMH) stated the "best conservative | | | | and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not |
| estimate" as 1 in 1000. In 2006, NIMH | | | | Otherwise Specified (or atypical |
| estimated that the incidence was 2-6 in | | | | autism). Health care providers also |
| every 1000 | | | | refer to autism spectrum disorders (ASD) |
| There are numerous theories as to the | | | | which includes only three of those |
| specific causes of autism, but they have | | | | listed in PDD: Autistic disorder, |
| yet to be fully supported by evidence | | | | Asperger syndrome, Pervasive |
| (see section on "Causes" below). | | | | Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise |
| Proposed factors include genetic | | | | Specified. All of these conditions are |
| influence, anatomical variations (e.g. | | | | characterized by varying degrees of |
| head circumference), abnormal blood | | | | deficiencies in communication skills and |
| vessel function, oxidative stress, and | | | | social interactions, along with |
| vaccinations. Their significance as well | | | | restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped |
| as implications for treatment remain | | | | patterns of behavior. |