what is autism?
General
In 1943 Dr. Leo Kanner described several children who displayed
similar symptoms, that he called "autistic". The
disorder was presumed to be caused by an emotional disturbance,
perhaps the result of "refrigerator" parenting and a
lack of warm, supportive care. Evidence today clearly indicates
that this is NOT the case. There are several theories, but
no conclusive answers about the cause, or perhaps causes, of
autism. The one thing we are sure of is that autism is NOT
caused by deficient parenting.
Autism is lifelong developmental disorder, with characteristics and symptoms that can be confusing and often puzzling. The condition is difficult to explain and understand, particularly since it occurs so rarely - 10 to 12 in every 10,000 people.
Symptoms may be present from birth, although they may not be noticed until a child is two or three, when one would normally expect to see the development of language usage. This disorder occurs about four times more frequently in males than in females.
The diagnosis
A diagnosis of autism requires impairments in all of the
following areas of development:
A) Social Interaction: People with autism often
do not relate well to other people (particularly peers), have
difficulty learning to play with others, can not effectively use
non-verbal behaviours such as eye-to-eye gaze and facial
expressions while interacting and have difficulty sharing
information and experiences with others.
B) Communication:
The impairment includes both spoken language and non-verbal
skills (gestures, body postures, imaginative play). People with
autism may not develop speech (approximately 50%), or may have
difficulty with speech production and/or conversational skills.
C) Restricted Repertoire of Behaviours, Activities and Interests: This includes some of the unusual behaviours that are often associated with autism such as: stereotyped body movements (hand flapping, toe walking, rocking, etc.), insistence upon following non-functional routines or rituals, preoccupations with parts of objects (wheels, handles, etc.), and an abnormally intense or focused preoccupation with a very limited range of interests.
Treatment
It is important to realize that persons with autism differ, both
in the number of characteristics they display, and the severity
of their symptoms. Although the disorder is severe and lifelong,
symptoms change over time, and many skills can develop with
appropriate instruction.
* Early Intervantion - Because a child with Autism can discovered and/or distinsuish on a very early age, the early intervention is highly important.
* Treatment Methods - there many methods to treat Autism and part of it are in out link page, but we must say that nobody should take this list as a recomendation for one treatment or another.
Source:
The Geneva Centre
for Autism.
(* the two last paragraphs are private,
and you shouldn't refer it as a preference or recommendation of
any kind)