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Autism - An Often Misunderstood Disorder

by Wayne Wargo (PenWay.org)

Within our brain, there is an area called the amygdala, which researchers have found responsible for processing information related to emotions and attention. The amygdala is enlarged in toddlers with autism. While this finding doesn't solve the mystery of autism, researchers feel like they've found an important piece of the puzzle.

Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by repetitive movement and severe deficits in communication and social interaction. The three main areas of difficulty which all people with autism share are sometimes known as the 'triad of impairments'. These are difficulty with social communication, difficulty with social interaction and difficulty with social imagination. Some children may not like to be hugged or touched, while others seek out and enjoy physical touch.

Experts believe that autism presents itself during the first three years of a person's life. Autism is often diagnosed around age 3; however, subtle signs of the disorder may appear before 18 months.

People with autism have issues with non-verbal communication, a wide range of social interactions, and activities that include an element of play and/or banter. Autism is known as a complex developmental disability. A child with autism frequently shows little interest in the world or people around them. Many children with autism never learn to talk.

Autism occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls. Autism impairs a person's ability to communicate and relate to others. Rigid routines and repetitive behaviors are associated with this disorder, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines. No two people with autism have the exact same symptoms, and they range from mild to disabling.

While a person with autism can have symptoms ranging from mild to severe, about 10% have an extraordinary ability in one area, such as in mathematics, memory, music, or art. These persons, at one time called "idiot savants" are now referred to in a more dignified manner as "autistic savants".

Dr. Leo Kanner of Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland first identified autism in 1943. At the same time, a German scientist, Dr. Hans Asperger, described a milder form of the disorder that is now known as Asperger syndrome.

Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the United States. It's newly diagnosed in 67 children every day. Experts estimate that three to six children out of every 1,000 will have autism. It is estimated there are over 1 million people in the United States alone with autism. Noteworthy is the fact that parents, teachers and doctors are paying more attention to the symptoms - which tends to lead to higher numbers of diagnoses. Family income, lifestyle, and education levels do not affect the chances of autism's occurrence.

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