What is Autism?

Autism is the label given to a group of neurological differences affecting the development of an individual, known as “autism spectrum disorders.” These issues can have adverse affects on many basic skills, including socialization and communication.

Symptoms of Autism

Symptoms typically appear before the age of 3 and  last a lifetime. Sometimes they are mild, but other times they are debilitating. They include:

• Trouble communicating verbally as well as understanding language
• An inability to participate in a conversation even though the child can speak
• Showing a preference to play alone because of difficulty making friends
• Patterns of behavior such as spinning, hand-flapping and banging of the head, as well as other repetitive movements of the body
• A preoccupation with certain objects

Causes of Autism

There are several potential factors that have been identified as contributing to autism, although the exact cause of the condition is not yet known. Heredity, certain problems at birth, infections and other neurological and metabolic factors are thought to play a role