What Is Autism

What is Autism?

Autism is a fairly serious medical condition which normally becomes apparent before a child is three years of age. This is caused by a neurological disorder, this prevents the brain from functioning normally which will impair social and communication skills.

Children and adults who suffer from autism normally experience problems with communication, both verbal and nonverbal communication. They also have problems with social occasions, and hand eye coordination. Autism can affect different people in different degrees, everybody is affected by autism differently which is why it’s so important to get an early diagnosis.

If the condition is diagnosed it can be treated, although it can’t be cured.
Autism is what is known as a PDD (Pervasive Developmental Disorders).
There are five other areas that are known as PDD’s, these are:
- Autistic Disorder
- Rett’s Disorder
- CDD – Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
- Asperser’s Disorder
- Other PDD

What Is Autism
Each of these conditions is slightly different and is diagnosed differently.
Your doctor must assess whether or not your child is suffering form autism.

Prevalence of Autism

The most common PDD is autism, this affects around 1 baby in 150.
This basically means that 1.5 million people in America are thought to be autistic.
For some reason this number is on the rise every year.

Autism is thought to be increasing at a staggering rate of 10-17% per year.
This is an amazing increase and isn’t good news.
Within the next decade it is thought that 4 million people in America will suffer from autism.

Autism doesn’t affect certain people more, it’s unbiased and can affect anyone.
It is not biased to racial, ethnic, income or lifestyle, it can cause problems for anyone.
It does seem to affect four times as many boys as girls.

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Autism