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