Autism: Know The Facts

Doctors and researchers still dont know much about how or why children get autism but more and more medical studies are being conducted. What they do know is that autism is a brain development disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior.

Autism is one of a group of serious developmental problems called autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that appear in early childhood, most commonly before the age of three. Symptoms and severity vary, but all autism disorders affect a child's ability to communicate and interact with others.

According to the Mayo Clinic, approximately three to six out of every 1,000 children in the United States have autism. It's not clear whether this is due to better detection and reporting of autism, a real increase in the number of cases, or both. What is clear is that though there is no cure for autism.

Intensive, early treatment can make an enormous difference in the lives of many children with the disorder. Read more about the treatment options for children with autism in parenting magazines like Parents, Parents and Parent & Child magazine.

Doctors and researchers are still learning about the genetics of autism, which is complex. Some theories on the genetics of autism include multi-gene interactions or by rare gene mutations. Causes of the disorder are still being researched but some possibilities are genetic errors, environmental factors and problems during labor and delivery.

One of the biggest controversies in medicine right now is whether childhood vaccines contribute to causing autism. While this cause has been researched, no scientific evidence linking the two has been found; still many parents including actress Jenny McCarthy argue there is a link. Time magazine recently interviewed McCarthy on her views on autism. McCarthys son has the disorder.

Many children show signs of autism in early infancy. Other children may develop normally for the first few months or years of life but then suddenly become withdrawn, aggressive or lose language skills they've already acquired. Though each child with autism is likely to have a unique pattern of behavior, common signs of the disorder include but are not limited to:

Doesnt respond to his or her name
Poor eye contact
Appears not to hear you at times
Resists physical touch like cuddling and holding
Seems unaware of others' feelings
Starts talking later than other children
Loses previously acquired ability to say words or sentences

While babies develop at their own pace and don't exactly follow timelines, the time to seek medical advice if your child shows signs of delayed development by 18 months. If your child has already been diagnosed with autism, keep up with the latest research and news by reading Autism Aspergers Digest magazine.