| The autistic disorder is a life lasting | | | | in spite of the effort the others do to train |
| neurological disorder involving also the | | | | them into a talk. They talk incessantly about |
| childhood disintegrative disorder, Asperger | | | | one particular subject and ignore the other |
| disorder, Rett disorder and the pervasive | | | | attempts of talking. |
| development disorder. Autism is registered as | | | | |
| one of the five pervasive development | | | | Autistic patients require a life-long care |
| disorders and is usually diagnosed around the | | | | and treatment as there is no actual cure for |
| age of three. | | | | the disorder. If an early intervention is |
| | | | initiated, some of them may even be able to |
| The most important pathological changes | | | | learn or function in a productive way. The |
| caused by autism are communication | | | | neurological disease called autism is known |
| difficulties, impaired social interaction and | | | | to affect 1-2 children in about 1000 births. |
| restrictive activities; children with autism | | | | Today, one and a half million persons in the |
| have generally repetitive activities and | | | | USA suffer from different forms of autistic |
| interests and most of the other actions | | | | disorder. The disease tends to affect four |
| specific to children their age represent no | | | | times more boys than girls, and according to |
| real interest to them. | | | | the latest studies the occurrence of autism |
| | | | has shown an about 10-17% increase every |
| Children suffering from autism are more | | | | year. |
| susceptive to developing epilepsy; they have | | | | |
| different degrees of mental retardation and | | | | The actual cause of autism has not yet been |
| show abnormal responses to different sensor | | | | revealed but a disruption in the fetal brain |
| stimulations like light or sound. Some of | | | | during the intra uterine development is |
| these patients show an aggressive behavior | | | | believed to contribute to the disorder. |
| especially with self-injuring tendencies such | | | | Patients seem to have problems in the brain |
| as beating themselves or head banging. | | | | function but also abnormalities in several |
| | | | brain sections. This abnormal brain changes |
| One third of the autistic children have | | | | may have been triggered by viral infections, |
| proven an almost normal IQ level for their | | | | metabolic disorders, environmental or genetic |
| age and many of them are even able to respond | | | | factors. Some of the risk factors may have |
| with own actions to the environment. Some of | | | | acted during pregnancy or during the child |
| the patients can show their own emotions and | | | | delivery. Also a group of genes believed to |
| affection towards persons around them; some | | | | be involved in the apparition of autism has |
| of the sick persons can only be measured as | | | | been detected. |
| autistic like, with autistic tendencies or | | | | |
| with an autism spectrum. The disease is | | | | Intensive scientific research is made to |
| normally cataloged as a high-functioning or a | | | | determine the exact role the |
| low-functioning autism. | | | | measles-mumps-rubella vaccine may have in the |
| | | | occurrence of autism. Cholesterol seems to |
| Children with a high function of autism show | | | | play an important role as many of the |
| almost normal behavior but may present | | | | patients have low cholesterol levels in their |
| language and interaction difficulties. They | | | | blood. |
| will initiate a conversation favorite subject | | | | |