Ency. home > Disease > A > Autism

Autism   

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

Autistic disorder/autism spectrum; Infantile autism; Autistic-like/autistic tendencies; High-functioning autism; Low-functioning autism; Pervasive developmental delay

Definition:

Autism is a complex developmental disorder that appears in the first 3 years of life (though it may be diagnosed much later). It affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills. Autism is a spectrum that encompasses a wide continuum of behavior. Core features include impaired social interactions, impaired verbal and nonverbal communication, and restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. The symptoms may vary from quite mild to quite severe.

Causes and Risks

In the past, autism was thought to be a mental illness caused by bad parenting. This destructive idea has been disproved. We now know autism to be a physical condition linked to abnormal biology and neurochemistry in the brain. The exact causes of these abnormalities remain unknown, but this is a very active area of research.

Genetic factors are involved. Language and cognitive abnormalities are more common in relatives of autistic children. Chromosomal abnormalities and other neurological problems are also more common in families with autism.

In the general population, autism affects up to 0.2% of children, but the risk of having a second autistic child increases more than 50 times -- to 10-20%. An identical twin is far more likely to also have autism than would be a fraternal twin or another sibling.

Autism affects boys 3 to 4 times more often than girls. Family income, education, and lifestyle do not affect the risk of autism.

Ency. home > Disease > A > Autism

[an error occurred while processing this directive]