Autism
Reprinted from:
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
What is Autism?
Autism is classified as one
of the pervasive developmental disorders of the brain. It is not a disease.
People with classical autism show three types of symptoms: impaired social
interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and unusual or
severely limited activities and interests. These symptoms can vary in severity.
In addition, people with autism often have abnormal responses to sounds, touch,
or other sensory stimulation. Symptoms usually appear during the first three
years of childhood and continue through life. Recent studies strongly suggest
that some people have a genetic predisposition to autism. Researchers are
looking for clues about which genes contribute to this increased
susceptibility. In some children, environmental factors also may play a role.
Studies of people with autism have found abnormalities in several regions of
the brain which suggest that autism results from a disruption of early fetal
brain development. Autism affects an estimated 10 to 20 of every 10,000 people,
depending on diagnostic criteria used, and strikes males about four times more
often than females.
Is there any treatment?
There is currently no cure for autism, but appropriate treatment may foster
relatively normal development and reduce undesirable behaviors.
Educational/behavioral therapies and drug interventions are designed to remedy
specific symptoms. Educational/behavioral therapies emphasize highly structured
and often intensive skill-oriented training. Doctors also may prescribe a
variety of drugs to reduce symptoms of autism Other
interventions are available, but few, if any, scientific studies support their
use.
What is the prognosis?
People with autism have normal life expectancies. Symptoms in many children
improve with intervention or as the children age. Some people with autism
eventually lead normal or near-normal lives. Adolescence can worsen behavior
problems in some children, and parents should be ready to adjust treatment for
the child's changing needs. About a third of children with autistic spectrum
disorders eventually develop epilepsy. The risk is highest in children with
severe cognitive impairment and motor deficits.
What research is being done?
NINDS supports studies aimed at identifying the
underlying brain abnormalities of autism through new methods of brain imaging
and other innovative techniques, and at identifying genes that increase the
risk of autism. Researchers also are investigating possible biologic markers
present at birth that can identify infants at risk for the development of
autism. Other studies are examining how different brain regions develop and
function in relation to each other, and how alterations in these relationships
may result in the signs and symptoms of autism. Researchers hope these studies
will provide new clues about how autism develops and how brain abnormalities
affect behavior.