by Jennifer E. Brown

Created on: September 06, 2008   Last Updated: November 25, 2008

April has been dedicated to Autism awareness. For those that are unfamiliar with this childhood illness, it's a common one that is often overlooked by parents but seen commonly by doctors. Autism is a disorder of the brain that is associated with developmental problems that specifically have to deal with communication, social interaction, and behavior. Symptoms usually appear before age three, and this is an incurable disease. Unfortunately, this is an illness that will carry out throughout a lifetime.

This illness will affect 3-6 of every 1,000 children. The recent increase Americans have seen in the number of Autism cases in the US may be the result of improved diagnosis. Also, there may have been changes in diagnostic criteria. Boys will often be affected more often than girls, but the symptoms will vary per child. Some children may grow up to live independent lives, while others may grow to need the supportive lifestyle of living and work environments.

What causes Autism? Scientists and doctors may never know, but they have indicated it's caused by abnormalities in the brain. In fact, researchers have identified a number of gene defeats associated with autism. Families who have at least one autistic child have greater odds (20\%) of having a second child with the disorder. Relatives may show mild impairments or engage in repetitive behaviors.

There's no two children with the illness act completely the same. The most severe case of this illness is the inability to speak or communicate with others, and the inability to interact. The child may grow normally the first few months of life and later on become unresponsive to other people, including their most trusted caregiver.

When a child have autism, they're at higher risk for other illnesses. They may also get Fragile X Syndrome (causes mental retardation), Tuberous Sclerosis (tumors grow in the brain), Tourette's Syndrome, or Epilepsy. Some people believe Autism is caused by vaccines for measles or mumps. It may also come from vaccines containing thimerosal because this is a preservative that contains mercury. However, studies, have cleared these two theories and proven them false.

Because the symptoms of autism vary widely, two children with the same diagnosis may act quite differently and have strikingly different skills. Since this can be difficult to detect, here are some signs to look for in your children. First, let's look at social skills. Red flags that may be autism may include failure to respond

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>