What is Autism?

What is Autism?
Autism is a complex neurological developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life.  Some parents report unusual behaviors, such as low eye contact and hand flapping, earlier; however, Autism is not typically diagnosed before the age of two.  Autism affects a person’s ability to communicate, complete self-care tasks and interact with others.  Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors.  These behaviors may vary in intensity and affect individuals differently. There is no known single cause for Autism.  There continues to be research in the  areas of biological, neurological, gene and behavioral causes for this condition.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders list the following characteristics for Autism:

  • Marked impairment of eye-to-eye gaze
  • Lack of facial expressions
  • Impaired ability to engage in appropriate social behaviors
  • Failure to develop friendships
  • Lack of social or emotional reciprocity
  • Lack of or delay in spoken language
  • Repetitive use of language and/or motor mannerisms (e.g., hand-flapping, twirling objects)
  • Little or no eye contact
  • Impaired ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others
  • Lack of spontaneous or make-believe play
  • Persistent fixation on parts of objects
  • Inflexibility with routines

In their latest report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued their ADDM Autism prevalence report.  The CDC estimates that an average of 1 in 110 children in the US have an Autism Spectrum Disorder.   ASD prevalence was 4 to 5 times higher for boys than for girls.  These estimates report that one in 70 boys and one in 315 girls have an ASD.   Currently, the Autism Society of America estimates that the lifetime cost of caring for a child with Autism ranges from $3.5 million to $5 million.

Autism is treatable.  Children do not “outgrow” Autism, but studies show that early diagnosis and intervention lead to significantly improved outcomes.  However, treatment at any age has been shown to improve the lifetime goals of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders.