Signs Of Autism

In the 1970s, the rate of autism was one in 10,000 children. Recent figures indicate that one in every 1,000 people in the United States now has autism. The organization Generation Rescue states that one in 150 children have autism. The increase is alarming, as well as astonishing, regardless of which figures are used. It is debatable whether the increase is just the result of better diagnostic techniques.

Social interactions are always difficult for autistic people, whether child or adult. Communication, both verbal and nonverbal, is usually impaired. (If it is not, the young person may suffer from one of the other pervasive developmental disorders, or PDD.) In addition, repetitive behavior, such as rocking back and forth, is commonly seen, or banging the head against a wall. The person will often narrowly focus on limited subjects, perhaps the dates in a calendar.

A common symptom encountered in autism is with sensory perception. A child may scream in terror if put on a lawn to walk in bare feet because his brain cannot process the incoming sensations. However, it isn't always true that an autistic child doesn't like to be hugged. Autistic people sometimes recoil from physical touch, simply because it is literally too painful for them to tolerate, or the sensation is too overwhelming for damaged central nervous systems. Other autistic children love to be hugged, but may not be capable of selecting an appropriate person.

It still isn't known what causes autism. Sometimes, it seems to run in families, but no specific gene has been found. Therefore, researchers think a group of genes may be involved. That could account for the wide range of symptoms among autistic children and adults. Some people have brains so severely affected that they have an amazing gift for music or numbers, while barely able to function on their own at all in other areas. Such a person is usually referred to as a savant.