| Autism is a pervasive development disorder, it | | | | cause autism or other kind of behavioral disorder. |
| affects the way a person communicates and | | | | Some parents of children with autism suspected |
| relates to other people. Children affected by this | | | | that there is a link between measles, mumps, |
| disorder have problems with the understanding of | | | | rubella vaccine and autism, but there wasn't found |
| reality, interacting with people, places, events, | | | | any convincing evidence. |
| sounds and lights, and they can also have | | | | Autism is a disorder that appears 4 times more |
| problems with their imagination. | | | | often in boys than in girls, and there are about 10 |
| It is known that children affected by autism also | | | | - 20 cases of autism to every 10,000 people. |
| have a limited range of interests, and about 75% | | | | In order to diagnose autism, if the symptoms are |
| of them can have mental retardation as well. | | | | present, the doctor will perform a complete |
| The symptoms of autism usually appear before a | | | | medical history and physical examination. Then, he |
| child is 3 years old, and last all his life. These | | | | will do some tests, like X-rays and blood tests, to |
| symptoms can vary, they can be sometimes | | | | find out if the symptoms are caused by a |
| mild, or very severe. | | | | physical disorder. |
| There can appear difficulty with verbal | | | | If there isn't found a physical disorder, the child is |
| communication, the inability to take part to a | | | | sent to a specialist in childhood development |
| conversation even when the child has the ability | | | | disorders, trained to diagnose and treat autism. |
| to speak, difficulty to interact with people and | | | | The doctor analyzes the child's level of |
| with the surrounding reality, lack of imagination, | | | | development, speech and behavior, and often can |
| inability to make friends and the preference to | | | | ask the parents of the child, or other adults that |
| play alone. | | | | are familiar with him about the symptoms that |
| We can also mention the preoccupation with | | | | they found. |
| unusual objects or parts of objects, an | | | | At this moment there is no cure for autism, but |
| unreasonable insistence on following routines in | | | | there is treatment that can reduce undesirable |
| detail, difficulty with non-verbal communication and | | | | behaviors, and allow relatively normal development |
| repetitive body movements or patterns of | | | | in the child. |
| behavior (for example head banging, flapping, | | | | Treatment can include medications in order to |
| spinning). | | | | treat specific symptoms, like anxiety, |
| There exists a form of autism called savantism, | | | | hyperactivity and behavior that may result in |
| and those affected by this illness have exceptional | | | | injury, there are also necessary therapies that |
| skills in specific areas like music, art, numbers, and | | | | increase the child's functional abilities, and |
| are able to perform these skills without any | | | | strategies for supporting positive behavior. The |
| practice. | | | | special education is structured in order to satisfy |
| A child could be suspected of autism, if he does | | | | the child's unique educational needs. |
| not gesture, such as point or wave, does not | | | | It is known that autism cannot be prevented or |
| babble or coo by 12 months of age, does not say | | | | cured. Early diagnosis and treatment is very |
| single words by 16 months, or does not say | | | | important, in order to maximize the ability to |
| two-word phrases on his own by 24 months. | | | | speak, learn and function. |
| Another sign of autism, a sign that can appear at | | | | The severity of symptoms varies very much, |
| any age is the loss of any language and social | | | | and improves with intervention or as the children |
| skills. | | | | age. Some people with autism are able to have a |
| The cause of autism in not known, but there are | | | | normal or almost normal life, but it is known that |
| some possible factors that may lead to autism. | | | | many children with autism do not develop enough |
| Researchers believe that some people can have a | | | | functional and communication skills to live |
| genetic predisposition to autism, it is possible that | | | | independently as adults. |
| this condition to be passed on from parents to | | | | Researchers are looking for genes that may |
| children. It is possible that in some children, | | | | increase the risk of autism, and are studying |
| environmental factors to play a role too. | | | | abnormalities of the brain that can cause autism. |
| There are also other theories that say that | | | | Other studies are looking after possible biologic |
| antibodies inappropriately produced by the body's | | | | markers present at birth that may show a child |
| immune system may attack the brain of children, | | | | has a risk for developing autism, or are analyzing |
| causing autism. It was also said that it is possible | | | | how different brain regions develop and function in |
| that children with autism have abnormal timing of | | | | relation to each other and how can the alteration |
| the growth of their brains. | | | | of this relationship cause symptoms of autism. |
| It appeared the question if some vaccines can | | | | |