What is Autism?
Autism is a life-long developmental disorder that affects an individuals ability to interact with the world around them.
While we have all heard about autism, most of us have only vague ideas of what the diagnosis means. Individuals with autism have difficulties making friends and participating in everyday social interactions. They often have restricted interests and behavioral patterns, and find comfort in routine and repetition.
Since it is a spectrum disorder, autism affects kids in different ways, and no two autistic children are exactly alike. This makes things very confusing for parents who are battling to come to terms with what is best for their child, as signs of autism vary greatly. It may be helpful to devise an autism symptoms checklist to aid in diagnosing the disorder.
A common struggle for parents is the desperate efforts to try and "reach" their kids, as they seem to exist in their own private world within their minds.
Autism was once thought to be a rare disorder affecting as few as 1 in 5,000 people. Recent findings, however, suggest a much higher prevalence rate, estimating that at least 1 out of every 500 children in the U.S. has autism.
This large discrepancy may be due to an increase in awareness about the disorder and more accurate diagnostic criteria. Others believe that autism is a developmental disorder that is on the increase. Most autistic children develop symptoms before 3 years of age, and the disorder tends to affect four times as many boys as girls.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for autism, although treatment options are available to help your kids lead as normal a life as possible.
There are currently no medical tests which can diagnose autism. Signs of autism vary from individual to individual . Diagnosis is usually based on careful observation as well as information provided by parents and other caregivers on the child's behavior, communication, social interaction, and developmental levels.
There are also a number of screening tests or questionnaires which can be performed, including the CARS rating (Childhood Autism Rating Scale) and CHAT (Checklist for Autism in Toddlers).
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