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