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Let's start at the beginning with discussing what is Autism?

Autism is a disorder of the brain and one in every two and a half thousand children are born with it. Children who are Autistic will show signs of being withdrawn from their environment and will have problems communicating. Often it is confused with Asperger’s Syndrome and, although similar in many ways, they are two different diagnoses.

Signs of Autism can be displayed in a child as young as twelve months and it is usually prominent by the age of three. Autism is also called spectrum disorder or autistic spectrum disorder, and statistics show more males than females have been diagnosed with the neurological abnormality. Often, a child can seem very normal until up to three years of age, then suddenly they begin to change as their speech and social development is impaired. They will exhibit strange behavior and movements, have trouble communicating, some even become deaf and mute and will not like being held. Some will move compulsively and prefer to occupy themselves rather than play with toys or people. Every case is individual, so each child has a different combination of symptoms.

With communication being so difficult for those with spectrum disorder, it is common for their IQ to be below average. About a quarter of these cases excel in certain areas like math, art or music and their IQs are well above average. It is much harder to diagnose Autism in adults from any physical symptoms, but they have problems with understanding other’s feelings, forming friendships, recognizing fear and behaving appropriately in social situations. Often, they will be self-destructive in their habits and are unable to understand the consequences of their actions.

Asperger’s Syndrome is a mild form of Autism, with most of the symptoms being the same. Where Autism is clearly diagnosed by about age three, Asperger’s onset is usually much later. Children with Asperger’s will prefer isolation, exhibit eccentricities, will have strange inflections in their way of speaking, can be uncoordinated and clumsy and single minded in their interests.

High functioning autism is where a person has been diagnosed with the disorder but is still able to continue with a relatively unaffected life. Asperger’s disorder is considered milder than this type of Autism, so they can usually maintain a fairly uninterrupted existence. Someone with Asperger’s may not be viewed any differently in society, but with Autism, they will be noticeably unique in their movements and speech and can have more trouble learning. This means they can experience more difficulty fitting in and possibly even discrimination.

There is no cure for Autism or Asperger’s and no way to return their normal functions and abilities. However, much progress is always being made in ways to manage the disorders. Speech therapy, special diets, music therapy, sensory integration, art therapy, behavior modification and auditory training are all ways to assist in handling Autism so they can lead a life as close to normal as is possible. Since it is specific to the individual, treatments are tailored to each case. Some may need drug therapy for hyperactivity disorders or anger control.

Having a child with Autism can be very stressful and taxing on the family, so strategies for coping will be needed for all who are involved. Autistic children need extra attention and endless supplies of love and understanding. They never truly mature like most of us, but they will have a better chance of being independent if they receive the required training and support therapies.

Article Keywords: Autism

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Autism... A Review of Autism Research The surprisingly high rate of the condition known as autism is reported by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to be one in 166 children. Most people find it even a bit scary, especially ones who have never been exposed to statistics or to anyone affected by this condition. The lack of publicity on the problem causes troubles to autism research, as those research funds are being diverted to other causes with much bigger publicity as cancer and heart disease. We don’t try to say that those are not important, we just say that with such a high rate of people affected by autism it should be considered a worthy cause too. Despite the high number of affected children, their parents often complain about the lack of intensity in that research if any is done nowadays. Of the total amount of the National Health Budget, which adds up to $30 million, the part that goes to autism research is as tiny as two thirds of a percent, according to Mr. Wright of Autism Speaks. And that is not at all enough, according to the affected ones and their relatives. That foundation called Autism Speaks, is trying to raise research funds that most people hope will eventually provide a cure for that disease. Such a cure for autism will not only help children escape their trapped worlds but will help their families too. At this time one of the most important factors that are being handled in autism research, is determining the cause of that disease, because you first need to know what causes that condition in order to be able to cure it. Although not many of the researchers believe it there are some who think that there is a relation between exposure to mercury and autism. Having the autism research focused in parts on environmental factors too is good but of course an adequate funding is...