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