Autism 101

Autism is a bio-neurological developmental disability that generally appears before the age of 3.

Autism impacts the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction, communication skills, and cognitive functions.

Individuals with autism typically have difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, and leisure or play activities.

Autism affects information processing of the brain by altering how nerve cells and their synapses connect and organize; how this occurs is not well understood. It is one of three recognized disorders in the autism spectrum (ASD's). The other two being Asperger syndrome, which lacks delays in cognitive development and language/pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified(commonly abbreviated as PDD-NOS), which is diagnosed when the full set of criteria for autism or Asperger syndrome are not met

Autism Facts

  • Autism affects 1 in 68 children.
  • Boys are 4 times more likely to have autism than girls.
  • About 40% of children with autism do not speak. About 25%-30% of children with autism have some words at 12-18 months of age and then lose them. Others might speak but not until late in childhood.
  • Autism greatly varies from person to person (no two people with autism are alike).
  • Autism is the fastest growing developmental disorder, yet most underfunded.
  • Children with autism do progress. Early intervention is key.
  • Autism is treatable, it's not a hopeless condition.

* Sources taken from: National Autism Association & Wikipedia