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

Siblings of children with autism have more frequent language delays and other subtle characteristics of the disorder than previously understood. Girls also may be mildly affected more often than recognized in the past. A new study, led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, found mild traits, not strong enough to provoke a diagnosis of autism, seem to be present in the siblings of affected children at significantly higher rates than seen in the general population. The findings appear online and will be published in the November issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry. “Mild symptoms, called quantitative traits, may be confounding studies that compare children with autism to their siblings,” says first author John N. Constantino, MD. “Researchers presume one child is affected, and the other is not, but our findings suggest that although one child may have autism while the other does not, it’s very possible both children are affecte...

Classic Autism is the most common of the 5 Pervasive Developmental Disorders and can be classified into many forms and degrees of severity. The types of Autism Spectrum Disorder are Asperger syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, Rett Syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PPD-NOS). Before we go on to discuss these, let's take a look at the general characteristics of autism. More recently referred to as "mindblindness", the scientific definition  of Autism is "a severe developmental disorder that begins at birth or within the first two-and-a-half years of life". Basically, those who are diagnosed with autism have a brain disorder that makes it hard for them to interact in what we consider a normal socially acceptable way. They find it difficult to communicate and relate to others because the different parts of their brains aren't able to work together. The severity of autism ranges greatly from one individual to another....

As a parent, you’re in the best position to spot the earliest warning signs of autism. You know your child better than anyone and observe behaviors and quirks that a pediatrician, in a quick fifteen-minute visit, might not have the chance to see. Your child’s pediatrician can be a valuable partner, but don’t discount the importance of your own observations and experience. The key is to educate yourself so you know what’s normal and what’s not. Monitor your child’s development . Autism involves a variety of developmental delays, so keeping a close eye on when—or if—your child is hitting the key social, emotional, and cognitive milestones is an effective way to spot the problem early on. While developmental delays don’t automatically point to autism, they may indicate a heightened risk. Take action if you’re concerned . Every child develops at a different pace—so you don’t need to panic if your child is a little late to talk or walk. When it comes to...

There is no one therapy that does it all. And, to complicate it further, like most "mental" problems", it's not simple to diagnose. In the younger ages, it's easily confused with mental retardation, or brain damage. What are the known causes of autism? Perhaps the best known today is the usage of mercury ( thimeroserol) in infant and childhood vaccines. Only in the past few years was this practice discontinued. So, we've literally poisoned millions of children with good intent! Protecting them from dangerous childhood diseases has caused much worse problems. Another well known cause of autism is food sensitivity and allergy. Virtually every known mental problem may be caused by a normally harmless allergen - a simple food that has been " recognized" by that person's immune system as " dangerous". This seems to be caused by what is called "leaky gut syndrome". A major theory in this cause is that the malnourishment ...