Autism and Communication
What is autism?
The brain disorder autism begins in early childhood and persists throughout
adulthood affecting three crucial areas of development: verbal and nonverbal
communication, social interaction, and creative or imaginative play.
Autism is the most common of a group of conditions called pervasive
developmental disorders (PDDs). PDDs involve delays in many areas of childhood
development. The first signs of autism are usually noticed by the age of three.
Many individuals who are autistic also develop epilepsy, a brain disorder that
causes convulsive seizures, as they approach adulthood. Other characteristics
may include repetitive and ritualistic behaviors, hand flapping, spinning or
running in circles, excessive fears, self-injury such as head banging or biting,
aggression, insensitivity to pain, temper tantrums, and sleeping and eating
disturbances. Autistic individuals live a normal life span, but most require
lifelong care and supervision.
Leo Kanner first identified autism in 1943 when he described 11 self-absorbed
children who had "autistic disturbances of affect contact." At first, autism was
thought to be an attachment disorder resulting from poor parenting. This has
been proved to be a myth. While the cause remains a mystery, most specialists
now view autism as a brain disorder that makes it difficult for the person to
process and respond to the world. Autism has been observed in several members of
the same families. Therefore, many scientists believe that, at least in some
individuals, autism may be genetic. Scientists have identified some genes as
playing a possible role in the development of autism.
Next: Who is affected by autism? »
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