| Autism (say: aw -tih-zum) causes kids to | | | | danger. |
| experience the world differently from the way | | | | |
| most other kids do. Kids who have autism | | | | Has a flat facial expression or uses a |
| usually keep to themselves and many can't | | | | monotone voice. |
| communicate without special help. Although | | | | |
| treatment has improved greatly in the past | | | | Doesn't understand hand gestures or body |
| few decades, autism cannot be cured. It's | | | | language. |
| estimated that three to six of every 1,000 | | | | |
| children have autism. It persists throughout | | | | Is very concerned with order, routine or |
| life. Some believe this increase is largely | | | | ritual. |
| due to changed diagnostic criteria and/or | | | | |
| societal factors, while others think the | | | | Treatment of Autism |
| reason is environmental. Although the | | | | |
| specific causes of autism are unknown, there | | | | Therapists use highly structured and |
| is a large database of links between autism | | | | intensive skill-oriented training sessions to |
| and genetic loci that span every chromosome. | | | | help children develop social and language |
| Other ASDs include Asperger syndrome, Rett | | | | skills. Family counseling for the parents and |
| syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, | | | | siblings of children with autism often helps |
| and pervasive developmental disorder not | | | | families cope with the particular challenges |
| otherwise specified (usually referred to as | | | | of living with an autistic child. |
| PDD-NOS). Some autistic children and adults | | | | |
| are opposed to attempts to cure autism, | | | | Doctors often prescribe an antidepressant |
| because they see autism as part of who they | | | | medication to handle symptoms of anxiety, |
| are, and in some cases they perceive attempts | | | | depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. |
| of a cure to be intensive and unnatural. | | | | Anti-psychotic medications are used to treat |
| | | | severe behavioral problems. Seizures can be |
| Symptoms of Autism | | | | treated with one or more of the |
| | | | anticonvulsant drugs. |
| Some Symptoms of Autism : | | | | |
| | | | There are a number of controversial therapies |
| Avoids cuddling or making eye contact. | | | | or interventions available for autistic |
| | | | children, but few, if any, are supported by |
| Doesn't respond to voices or other sounds. | | | | scientific studies. Parents should use |
| | | | caution before adopting any of these |
| Injures himself or herself or is unafraid of | | | | treatments. |