AutismAutism Affects

1 in 110 Children1 in 70 Boys

What is Autism?Autism is a general term used to describe a group of complex developmental brain disorders known as Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD).

 

 Cristina Martin

•What Causes Autism?

The simple answer is we don't know. The vast majority             of cases of autism are idiopathic, which means the cause            is unknown.  Most experts will say that autism is probably caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Even those experts, though, do not have a definite answer.

How Can Autism Be Passed Down with Genetics?What are Some Symptoms?

Autism is not transmitted nor is it communicable, but there is a genetic part to autism. It tends to run in families, and identical twins, who share the same genes, are much more likely to both have autism than are fraternal twins. So genes are involved. But it isn't easy to nail down what is going on genetically with autism. Some Symptoms of Autism are:

• No two-word meaningful phrases (without imitating or repeating) by 24 months• Any loss of speech or babbling or social skills at any age• No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions by six months or thereafter

No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles, or other facial expressions by nine months or thereafter

How Does Autism Affect You?Autism affects his or her brain has trouble with an important job: making sense of the world. Kids can be mildly affected by autism, so that they only have a little trouble in life, or they can be very affected, so that they need a lot of help. For some reason, some of the cells and connections in the brain of a kid with autism — especially those that affect communication, emotions, and senses — don't develop properly or get damaged. The amygdala, an area in the brain responsible for aggression and emotion, also appears to be damaged in autistic children.

How Common is Autism?

Autism is actually pretty common, 1 in 166 people have it. Autism mostly shows  up when you are a child and it affects 1 in 70 boys. If you have one child with  autism, the risk for the next child is only 2-6%. And then, if you have two  children with autism, the chances that the third will be autistic are around 35%.

Is There a Cure?

There is no cure for autism, but doctors, therapists, and special teachers can help kids with autism  overcome or adjust too many difficulties. The earlier a kid starts treatment for autism, the better.  Different kids need different kinds of help, but learning how to communicate is always an important  first step. Spoken language can be hard for kids with autism to learn. Most understand words better by  seeing them, so therapists teach them how to communicate by pointing or using pictures or sign  language. That makes learning other things easier, and eventually, many kids with autism learn to talk.  Therapists also help kids learn social skills, such as how to greet people, wait for a turn and follow  directions.