| The reported cases of autism seem to be | | | | spurred the tantrum, since autistic children can get |
| sweeping the country like never before, and | | | | very upset and unsettled when their regular |
| autism is frequently seen on the news and in | | | | routine is interrupted by something else. |
| special TV reports. Is there an epidemic going on | | | | There is neither a known cause for autism nor a |
| or is it just that autism is now gaining more | | | | known cure. It is primarily thought to be a |
| visibility? Recent studies indicate that as many as | | | | neurological condition and it is not thought to be |
| 1 in 162 children have autism to some degree. | | | | hereditary. Many people believe that there is a |
| The tough part about autism is that it is difficult | | | | correlation between autism and mercury |
| to diagnose. It's not like a broken arm where you | | | | contamination. The mercury contamination goes |
| can take an x-ray and determine yes the arm | | | | back to the normal childhood vaccinations that all |
| really is broken. Rather, much of the diagnosis of | | | | children receive before they enter school. There is |
| autism is somewhat subjective, although there | | | | a preservative that has been used in some of |
| are definite signs to indicate that a child has | | | | these vaccinations known as Thimerosal which is |
| autism or autistic spectrum disorder to some | | | | almost 50% mercury. Although the dangers of |
| degree. The other tough part is that the degree | | | | mercury are well known, its link to autism is still |
| of autism varies from child to child. The very mild | | | | just a theory and is not supported at this point |
| form of autism is known as Asperger's | | | | by any scientific evidence. |
| Syndrome. But regardless of the severity, an | | | | A more recent report states that scientists in |
| accurate diagnosis as early as possible is | | | | New Jersey have asserted that children who have |
| extremely important, since the child can benefit | | | | been diagnosed with autism seem to be unable to |
| greatly from different educational methods that | | | | metabolize key fatty acids that fight |
| are employed for autistic children. | | | | brain-damaging inflammations. This is an interesting |
| Signs of autism or indications that might lead you | | | | find, although as yet unsubstantiated, since it is |
| to think your child has ASD (Autistic Spectrum | | | | known that autism has a tendency to scramble |
| Disorder) would be a very unusual response or a | | | | the signals going to the brain and cause them to |
| lack of response at all to noises and other people. | | | | be interpreted incorrectly. More studies are being |
| Autistic children do not care to be socially involved | | | | conducted, but if this latest study can be |
| with other children or adults, but rather they | | | | validated, a virtual cure for autism could be as |
| seem to live in their own world. Another sign is | | | | simple as a "therapeutic cocktail of fatty acids". |
| that affected children are engrossed with a toy | | | | Like anything else, early diagnosis is a key |
| or particular object. Engrossed may not be the | | | | ingredient to finding the help your child needs to |
| right word however, it is more like they are | | | | fight autism and get the necessary help, |
| totally 100% focused on that object, for as long | | | | particularly during elementary school education, |
| as hours at a time, even an inanimate object. | | | | where special schools can provide the type of |
| Autistic children do not like a change of routine. If | | | | environment needed by the autistic child, whereas |
| your child is subject to temper tantrums for what | | | | normal public schools are not equipped to provide |
| seem like insignificant events, you should examine | | | | that type of one-on-one special handling for a |
| the change that occurred which may have | | | | particular student. |