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Autism is a spectrum of closely related disorders with a shared core of symptoms. Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) appear in infancy and early childhood, causing delays in many basic areas of development such as learning to talk, play, and interact with others. According to the article, “Catching Autism Early’’, by Eve Glicksman, there has been an immense 23 percent increase in autism from 2006 to 2008 and a 78 percent increase since 2002. This information shows how important it has become for general psychologists to understand ways to pinpoint children with ASD. There is no evidence that actually explains the full cause of Autism but scientists are sure that it can result from genetic mutation combined with environmental factors. Such environmental factors include: exposure to pollution, obesity in the mother, exposure to pesticides, advanced age in fathers, and an inadequate amount of folic acid. One environmental factor that could be highly important is the factor concerning an inadequate amount of folic acid. Folic acid is a B vitamin which helps the body produce healthy new cells. For women who may get pregnant, it is highly important. Getting enough folic acid before and during pregnancy can prevent major birth defects of a baby's brain or spine. Children with autism have an opposite issue from normal developing children, where they have too much neurological activity. Autistic children also exhibit larger than average heads and areas of the brain that are very sensitive to noise, light, and other sensations. In the article, “Brain Study Suggests Autism Starts before Birth”, by Maggie Fox autism starts with disrupted genes that interfere with brain development. The article goes on to mention that people with ASD have brains that contain too many brain cells that are not fully developed. It has been documented long ago that autism is inherited and runs through families. According to the article by Eve Clicksman, siblings of a child diagnosed