Autism Fact Sheet

Autism As I began reading the articles on autism I knew that I did not know much about this disorder and who were the most affected by it. It affects 1 out of 88 children in the world and most of them are males who are four times more likely to develop ASD than females (“Autism Fact Sheet”). Early signs of Autism may appear in the first months of life, and children with autism do not reach maturation as fast as normal children. One of the most common signs is that a normal child will point to objects or smile when seeing their mother before the end of their first year. But children with autism develop this behavior much later, symptoms like this may go on unnoticed by parents or doctors in infancy but, by the age of two to three it is clear that something is wrong with the child (“Autism Fact Sheet”). As I continued reading the article I started to realize how difficult this disease is for children and adults. Children have to rely on their parents most of their lives, and their disease can become more serious if not treated correctly. Autism can impair the lives of children, but it cannot impair their intelligence. The cause for autism remains unclear to scientists, although most neurological studies seem to indicate a dysfunction in the brain as a possible reason. Autism has been found in children with brain abnormalities such as congenital rubella syndrome, neurofibromatosis, and tuberous sclerosis (“Autism Fact Sheet”). Autism can also be present in genetic syndromes such as the Fragile X syndrome and phenylketonuria (“Autism Fact Sheet”). Autism affects the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Children and adults with autism have difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions and leisure or play activities. It is hard for them to relate to the outside world and to communicate with others. Aggressive and/or self-injurious behavior may be present in some cases. They may

Cited: “Autism Fact Sheet.” National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. 17 Oct. 2012. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. Martin, Jon et al. "Time Demands Of Caring For Children With Autism: What Are The Implications For Maternal Mental Health?." Journal Of Autism & Developmental Disorders 40.5 (2010): 620-628. Academic Search Premier. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. Schoenstadt, Arthur MD. “Pervasive Developmental Disorders”.eMedTV. Web. 2 Nov. 2012