Autism - Signs, Symptoms, Treatments, Resources, Support for Autism

Did you know ... Autism now affects 1 in 88 children and 1 in 54 boys Autism prevalence figures are growing Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S. Autism costs a family $60,000 a year on average Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases Boys are nearly five times more likely than girls to have autism There is no medical detection or cure for autism National Institutes of Health Funds Allocation Total 2012 NIH budget: $30.86 billion Of this, only $169 million goes directly to autism research. This represents 0.55% of total NIH funding. ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ When given early treatment, children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) made significant improvements in behavior, communication, and most strikingly, brain function, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in a new study. ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤

When given early treatment, children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) made significant improvements in behavior, communication, and most strikingly, brain function, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in a new study. The study was published in the current issue of the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders by Yale Child Study Center researchers Dr. Fred Volkmar, Kevin A. Pelphrey, and their colleagues. The results suggest that brain systems supporting social perception respond well to an early intervention behavioral program called pivotal response treatment. This treatment includes parent training, and employs play in its methods. ASDs are complex neurobiological disorders that inhibit a person's ability to communicate and develop social relationships, and are often accompanied by behavioral challenges. Until recently, autism diagnosis typically did not occur until a child was about three- to five-years-old, and treatment programs were geared for this older...