Autism Ottawa - The neural development disorder labeled autism is normally characterized by impaired communication, social interaction and by repetitive and restricted behavior. These characteristics will often become present prior to the child reaching the age of three.
Autism affects the way the nerve cells and their synapses connect and organize and this affects how information is processed in the brain. Why and how this takes place is not really understood. There are 3 recognized disorders within the autism spectrum: Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified, which is commonly abbreviated as PDD-NOS, and Asperger Syndrome. Asperger Syndrome lacks delays within cognitive and language development. PDD-NOS are diagnosed when the full set of criteria for autism or Asperger Syndrome are not met.
There seems to be a strong genetic basis for autism. The genetics of autism are complex. It is not clear whether these conditions are explained by rare combinations of common genetic variants or more by rare mutations. In various conditions, autism is strongly associated with agents which result in birth defects. There have been debates surrounding proposed environmental causes like pesticides and heavy metals. At one point there was concern concerning childhood vaccines however this hypotheses is biologically implausible and lacks strong scientific evidence.
The prevalence of autism all-around the globe currently affects 1 to 2 individuals per 1000. The CDC or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention within the United States, reports that roughly 9 out of one thousand kids are diagnosed with a kind of autism. Since the 1980s the number of people diagnosed has significantly increased. This could be partly due to the changes in diagnostic procedures. It is hard to determine if the actual prevalence has increased.
Parents will usually start to notice symptoms of autism in the first 2 years of their kid's life. The indications will gradually develop, whilst several children would initially develop more normally and afterward they regress. Early cognitive intervention or behavioural therapy can help autistic children gain social skills, communication skills and self-care.
There have been several cases where children have recovered, although there is no known cure. Several people believe that changes to the diet and the avoidances of some environmental chemicals and additives would help to treat this particular condition. nearly all kids with autism do not live separately when they reach adulthood, but some have become successful.
Characteristics
Autism has lots of characteristics that are highly variable. This neuro-developmental disorder initially appears during infancy or childhood and usually follows a steady course without remission. Some symptoms appear about 6 months of age and after that become more established by age 2 or 3, and could continue into adulthood. Autism is characterized by a triad of symptoms consisting of: communication impairments, restricted interests, impairments in social interaction, and repetitive behavior.
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