| Autism, which is sometimes also referred to | | | | gene-related cause for autism. For example, the |
| Childhood Autism, Early Infantile Autism, or | | | | rates of autism in the public is approximately 1.5 in |
| Kanner's Autism, is caused by some neurological | | | | 1000, but families with one autistic child have a 5 |
| malfunction that causes marked delays in the | | | | percent chance of having another autistic child. In |
| development in the areas of communication and | | | | fact, the majority of autism experts think that |
| social interaction. Autism is a developmental | | | | autism is the most likely to be inherited of all the |
| disability that often occurs during the first three | | | | neurobiological disorders. The most persuasive |
| years of a child's life. Autism, generally, affects | | | | evidence is the studies completed involving twins. |
| the perception, attention, and thought of a | | | | Studying twins can help to identify a genetic link |
| person, though, it normally occurs at a younger | | | | for a condition by analyzing the differencein |
| age. | | | | frequency rates of the complaint in identical |
| Autism isn't an easy disorder to diagnose. | | | | (monozygotic) and fraternal (dizygotic) twins. If a |
| Diagnosing autism is a very subjective process, | | | | disorder is genetic in origin, the frequency rate will |
| though the DSM IV lists specific criteria that must | | | | be significantly elevated in monozygotic (identical) |
| be met for a formal diagnosis of autism. | | | | twins, since they share the very same |
| Autism has been known as one of the most | | | | chromosomes. In the majority of such studies |
| severe neurological disorders affecting children for | | | | researching autism, the frequency of autism is as |
| about fifty years, but until recently, it was | | | | much as 90% higher in monozygotic (identical) |
| considered to be fairly rare, affecting less than | | | | twins than in fraternal (dizygotic). |
| one in 1000 people. | | | | On the other hand, the studies raise other |
| According to figures published by the Department | | | | questions. The fact that not one of the studies |
| of Education, the incidence of autism and | | | | showed 100% concordance in monozygotic twins |
| diagnoses of autism have risen a staggering | | | | suggests that there are other factors at play in |
| 800% since 1993. | | | | the causes of autism, for instance. And other |
| It would be easy if there was a standard | | | | familial studies have noted common |
| treatment for all children with autism spectrum | | | | characteristics, for instance, that autism is more |
| disorder, but unlike disorders like diabetes, there is | | | | common in families of physicists and engineers, |
| no 'best' treatment for ASD. Since the mid-90s, | | | | giving rise to the term 'the geek syndrome' to |
| there have been numerous anecdotal reports that | | | | identify autism. |
| treatment with secretin results in amazing and | | | | Lifestyle factors |
| immediate improvements in many autistic children | | | | A number of doctors suspect that there could be |
| and adults. Amongst the commonly used | | | | an environmental factor in the progression of |
| treatments are behavioral interventions, | | | | autism. Dr. Bernard Rimland, for instance, |
| medication, and lifestyle and dietary changes. | | | | proposed in 1967 that autism may be a result of |
| What causes autism? | | | | mercury and heavy metal toxicity to which a few |
| Autism is a brain disorder the etiology of which is | | | | youngsters have a genetic sensitivity. His |
| not yet understood, which means, in basic | | | | treatment of autistic kids with a gluten-free, |
| language, the cause is not yet understood. There | | | | casein-free diet and mercury chelation therapy |
| are lots of theories, and a lot of debate about the | | | | (removal of mercury from the system) has |
| reasons for autism, and much of it is involved in | | | | shown many success with most children. |
| the controversy surrounding exactly how | | | | Other lifestyle factors that have been suggested |
| common autism is, and whether or not there's | | | | to play roles are viral or bacterial infections, |
| been a noticeable rise in actual cases of autism in | | | | vaccines and thalidomide. |
| recent times. | | | | The Supermale Brain Theory |
| For mothers and fathers, one of the most crucial | | | | One particularly interesting recent theory about |
| pieces of information is that autism is not a | | | | the etiology of autism is that it's brought on by |
| psychological illness. Specialists quite specifically | | | | high levels of testosterone during progression. A |
| dismissed the worrying theory that autism is | | | | study in England measured the testosterone level |
| brought on by the absence of a nurturing mother, | | | | of the amniotic fluid in mothers, then followed up |
| but the belief still exists in some circles. If your | | | | with testing of youngsters after birth and at four |
| child suffers from autism, don't worry, it is not | | | | years. It was found that the babies with the |
| due to the fact that you were a inadequate | | | | highest levels of testosterone pre-birth had a |
| parent | | | | smaller vocabulary and made eye contact less |
| The gene connection | | | | usually at a year old, and were less socially |
| There is a great deal of research that implies a | | | | developed at age four. |