| Autism is classified as a | | | | the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of |
| neurodevelopmental disorder that | | | | Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR (fourth |
| manifests itself in markedly abnormal | | | | edition, text revision 1) as two of the |
| social interaction, communication | | | | five pervasive developmental disorders |
| ability, patterns of interests, and | | | | (PDD), more often referred to today as |
| patterns of behavior. Although the | | | | autism spectrum disorders (ASD). All of |
| specific etiology of autism is unknown, | | | | these conditions are characterized by |
| many researchers suspect that autism | | | | varying degrees of difference in |
| results from genetically mediated | | | | communication skills, social |
| vulnerabilities to environmental | | | | interactions, and restricted, repetitive |
| triggers. While there is disagreement | | | | and stereotyped patterns of behavior. |
| about the magnitude, nature, and | | | | Few clinicians today use only the DSM-IV |
| mechanisms for such environmental | | | | criteria, which are based on the absence |
| factors, researchers have found seven | | | | or delay of certain developmental |
| genes prevalent among individuals | | | | milestones, to diagnose autism. |
| diagnosed as autistic. Some estimate | | | | There is a great diversity in the skills |
| that autism occurs in as many as one | | | | and behaviors of individuals diagnosed |
| child in 166 in the United States, | | | | as autistic, and physicians will often |
| however the National Institute of Mental | | | | arrive at different conclusions about |
| Health gives a more conservative | | | | the appropriate diagnosis. Much of this |
| estimate of one in 1000. For families | | | | is due to the sensory system of |
| that already have one autistic child, | | | | autistics, which is quite different from |
| the odds of a second autistic child may | | | | the sensory system of other people, |
| be as high as one in twenty. Although | | | | since certain stimulations can affect an |
| autism is about 3 to 4 times more common | | | | autistic differently than a |
| in boys, girls with the disorder tend to | | | | non-autistic, and the degree to which |
| have more severe symptoms and greater | | | | the sensory system is affected varies |
| cognitive impairment. Diagnosis is based | | | | wildly from one autistic person to |
| on a list of psychiatric criteria, and a | | | | another. |
| series of standardized clinical tests | | | | Nevertheless, professionals within |
| may also be used. | | | | pediatrics, child psychology, behavior |
| Autism may not be physiologically | | | | analysis, and child development often |
| obvious. A complete physical and | | | | look for early indicators of autism in |
| neurological evaluation will typically | | | | order to initiate treatment as early as |
| be part of diagnosing autism. Some now | | | | possible for the greatest benefit. |
| speculate that autism is not a single | | | | However, some people do not believe in |
| condition but a group of several | | | | treatment for autism, either because |
| distinct conditions that manifest in | | | | they do not believe autism is a disorder |
| similar ways. Recently, researchers at | | | | or because they believe treatment can do |
| the University of Pennsylvania School of | | | | more harm than good. |
| Medicine have found a link between | | | | The majority of autistics have slightly |
| autism, abnormal blood vessel function | | | | enlarged brain size, compared to normal |
| and oxidative stress (the result of | | | | people. Neurology Today (Volume 2,8: |
| higher levels of free radicals). The | | | | August 2002) stated that "Although it is |
| study suggests that, if researchers can | | | | accepted that autistic individuals have, |
| find more evidence linking decreased | | | | on average, an enlarged brain size, the |
| blood flow to the brain and oxidative | | | | nature of this abnormality remains |
| stress with the pathology of autism, | | | | unknown.". (See also the paper "Brain |
| improvements in therapy could be found | | | | Volume in Autism" PDF link). |
| By definition, autism must manifest | | | | Social development Typically, developing |
| delays in "social interaction, language | | | | infants are social beings early in life |
| as used in social communication, or | | | | they do such things as gaze at people, |
| symbolic or imaginative play," with | | | | turn toward voices, grasp a finger, and |
| "onset prior to age 3 years", according | | | | even smile. In contrast, most autistic |
| to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual | | | | children prefer objects to faces and |
| of Mental Disorders. The ICD-10 also | | | | seem to have tremendous difficulty |
| requires symptoms to be "manifest before | | | | learning to engage in the give-and-take |
| the age of three years." There have been | | | | of everyday human interaction. Even in |
| large increases in the reported | | | | the first few months of life, many seem |
| incidence of autism, for reasons that | | | | indifferent to other people because they |
| are heavily debated by researchers in | | | | avoid eye contact and do not interact |
| psychology and related fields within the | | | | with them as often as non-autistic |
| scientific community. | | | | children. |
| With intense therapy and practice and | | | | Autistic children often appear to prefer |
| schooling, some children diagnosed with | | | | being alone to the company of others and |
| autism can improve their social and | | | | may passively accept such things as hugs |
| other skills to the point where they can | | | | and cuddling without reciprocating, or |
| fully participate in mainstream | | | | resist attention altogether. Later, they |
| education and social events, but there | | | | seldom seek comfort from others or |
| are no indications that a cure from | | | | respond to parents' displays of anger or |
| autism is possible with current | | | | affection in a typical way. Research has |
| technology or advances in medicine. Some | | | | suggested that although autistic |
| autistic children and adults who are | | | | children are attached to their parents, |
| able to communicate (at least in | | | | their expression of this attachment may |
| writing) are opposed to attempts to cure | | | | be unusual and difficult to interpret. |
| their autism, because they (and/or the | | | | Parents who looked forward to the joys |
| guardians) see autism as part of who | | | | of cuddling, teaching, and playing with |
| they are. | | | | their child may feel crushed by this |
| The word autism was first used in the | | | | lack of expected attachment behavior. |
| English language by Swiss psychiatrist | | | | According to Simon Baron-Cohen, autistic |
| Eugene Bleuler in a 1912 issue of the | | | | children often also appear to lack a |
| American Journal of Insanity. It comes | | | | "theory of mind", the ability to see |
| from the Greek word for "self". Bleuler | | | | things from another person's |
| used it to describe the schizophrenic's | | | | perspective, a behavior cited as |
| seeming difficulty in connecting with | | | | exclusive to human beings above the age |
| other people. | | | | of five and, possibly, other higher |
| However, the classification of autism | | | | primates such as adult gorillas, |
| did not occur until the middle of the | | | | chimpanzees and bonobos. |
| twentieth century, when in 1943 | | | | Typical 5-year-olds can develop insights |
| psychiatrist Dr. Leo Kanner of the Johns | | | | into other people's different knowledge, |
| Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore reported | | | | feelings, and intentions, |
| on 11 child patients with striking | | | | interpretations based upon social cues |
| behavioral similarities, and introduced | | | | (e.g., gestures, facial expressions). An |
| the label early infantile autism. He | | | | autistic individual may lack these |
| suggested "autism" from the Greek ????? | | | | interpretation skills, an inability that |
| (autos), meaning "self", to describe the | | | | leaves them unable to predict or |
| fact that the children seemed to lack | | | | understand other people's actions. |
| interest in other people. Although | | | | The social alienation of autistic and |
| Kanner's first paper on the subject was | | | | Asperger's people can be so intense from |
| published in a now defunct journal, The | | | | childhood that many of them report |
| Nervous Child, almost every | | | | having imaginary friends or inventing |
| characteristic he originally described | | | | imaginary worlds or scenarios. Making |
| is still regarded as typical of the | | | | friends in real life, and maintaining |
| autistic spectrum of disorders. | | | | those friendships, can be difficult. |
| At the same time an Austrian scientist, | | | | Although not universal, it is common for |
| Dr. Hans Asperger, made similar | | | | autistic people not to be able to |
| observations, although his name has | | | | regulate their behavior. This can take |
| since become attached to a different, | | | | the form of crying or verbal outbursts |
| "higher-functioning", form of autism | | | | or self-injurious behaviours that may |
| known as Asperger's syndrome. However, | | | | seem out of proportion to the situation. |
| widespread recognition of Asperger's | | | | Autistic individuals generally prefer |
| work was delayed by World War II in | | | | consistent routines and environments; |
| Germany, and by the fact that his | | | | they may react negatively to changes in |
| seminal paper wasn't translated into | | | | them. It is not uncommon for these |
| English for almost 50 years. The | | | | individuals to exhibit aggression, |
| majority of his work wasn't widely read | | | | increased levels of self-stimulatory |
| until 1997. | | | | behavior, self-injury or extensive |
| These two conditions are today listed in | | | | withdrawal in overwhelming situations. |