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like any disease comes about as a malfunction of
one or more of your bodies systems. Much if not most of the
time this is a result of a slow degenerative process due to the
lack of adequate bodily supplies of the elements necessary for
normal function and rejuvenation of affected organs. Commercial
Farming and natural erosion has depleted global farmlands of most
essential elements therefore it is not wise to assume that your
diet contains enough of these elements for normal body function
and maintenance. See
Senate Document 264.
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What is Autism?
Autism is classified as one of the pervasive developmental disorders of
the brain. It is not a disease. People with classical autism show three
types of symptoms: impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and
nonverbal communication, and unusual or severely limited activities and
interests. These symptoms can vary in severity. In addition, people with
autism often have abnormal responses to sounds, touch, or other sensory
stimulation. Symptoms usually appear during the first three years of
childhood and continue through life. Researchers have identified a
number of genes that play a role in the disorder. In some children,
environmental factors also may play a role. Studies of people with
autism have found abnormalities in several regions of the brain which
suggest that autism results from a disruption of early fetal brain
development. Autism affects an estimated 10 to 20 of every 10,000
people, depending on diagnostic criteria used, and strikes males about
four times more often than females.
Is there any
treatment?
There is currently no cure for autism, but appropriate treatment may
foster relatively normal development and reduce undesirable behaviors.
Educational/behavioral therapies and drug interventions are designed to
remedy specific symptoms. Educational/behavioral therapies emphasize
highly structured and often intensive skill-oriented training. Doctors
also may prescribe a variety of drugs to reduce symptoms of autism Other
interventions are available, but few, if any, scientific studies support
their use.
What is the
prognosis?
People with autism have normal life expectancies. Symptoms in many
children improve with intervention or as the children age. Some people
with autism eventually lead normal or near-normal lives. Adolescence can
worsen behavior problems in some children, and parents should be ready
to adjust treatment for the child's changing needs. About a third of
children with autistic spectrum disorders eventually develop epilepsy.
The risk is highest in children with severe cognitive impairment and
motor deficits.
What
research is being done?
NINDS supports studies aimed at identifying the underlying brain
abnormalities of autism through new methods of brain imaging and other
innovative techniques, and at identifying genes that increase the risk
of autism. Researchers also are investigating possible biologic markers
present at birth that can identify infants at risk for the development
of autism. Other studies are examining how different brain regions
develop and function in relation to each other, and how alterations in
these relationships may result in the signs and symptoms of autism.
Researchers hope these studies will provide new clues about how autism
develops and how brain abnormalities affect behavior.
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The
Whole Story