Autism. It's such a scary word and a poorly understood one. No parent wants to even think about the possibility that their child might be autistic because the idea is so terrifying.
But because autism, a developmental disorder of the brain, is so poorly understood, most people don't know the signs. This means that most children aren't diagnosed until the elementary school years, even though signs of autism typically appear before age 3. The late diagnosis means valuable time is lost before treatment begins.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created the Act Early Campaign to help with this problem. The campaign teaches parents and caregivers the early signs of autism so they can get children help as early as possible.
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What Are Autism Spectrum Disorders?
Autism is one of a group of developmental problems that doctors call Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). While we don't know the exact prevalence of autism, the numbers are rising. Doctors arent sure if its because there are really more cases of autism or because people are getting better at diagnosing it. Both may be true.
We don't yet know what causes autism. There are probably many factors, including genetics and the environment, that work together in different ways in each person who is affected.
Doctors use the word "spectrum" in the name for autism disorders because no two people with autism are alike, and problems can range from mild to severe.
People with an ASD tend to have problems in three areas:
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Autism -- Act Early To Make a Difference