Autism and Communication Center - Laguna Beach, CA
Laguna Beach Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician Doctors for Autism and CommunicationType of Physician: Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician What is a Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Pediatrics; practitioners have a special interest in the developmental, learning, and behavioral problems of children, and in the support of parents and children during normal development and illness. Specialty: Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Common Name: Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician Doctors in Laguna Beach * Rudolf L Brutoco MD MPH  Universal Care Medical Group Laguna Beach, CaliforniaUpcoming Local Events2012-05-28
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AutismWhat is autism?Autism is a developmental disorder that is characterized by impaired development in communication, social interaction, and behavior. Autism afflicts one out of every 100 to 166 children and it affects the lives of many children and their families (DiCicco-Bloom et al, 2006). It tends to affect about five boys to every one girl (First, 2008). Autism is classified as a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), a category of disorders that is often described interchangeably with the broad spectrum of developmental disorders affecting young children and adults called the autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). The range of these disorders varies from severely impaired individuals with autism to other individuals who have abnormalities of social interaction but normal intelligence--Asperger's syndrome. The ways in which autism is exhibited can differ greatly. Additionally, autism can be found in association with other disorders such as mental retardation and certain medical conditions. The degree of autism can range from mild to severe. Mildly affected individuals may appear very close to normal. Severely afflicted individuals may have an extreme intellectual disability and unable to function in almost any setting. In the past, autism has been confused with childhood schizophrenia or childhood psychosis, and may have been misunderstood as schizotypal personality disorder in some adults. As additional research information about autism becomes available, the scope and definition of the condition continues to become more refined. Some of the past confusion about the disorder has been resolved.
What are the symptoms of autism?The current Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition, Treatment Revision (DSM-IV-TR) identifies three features that are associated with autism:
Recommended Reading Related to Autism Spectrum Disorder (In Children and Adults)Autism Screening and Diagnosis » Autism screening and diagnosis overviewDiagnosing autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) can be difficult, since there is no medical test, like a blood test, to diagnose the disorders. Doctors look at the child's behavior and development to make a diagnosis. ASDs can sometimes be detected at 18 months or younger. By age 2, a diagnosis by an experienced professional can be considered very reliable. However, many children do not receive a final diagnosis until much older. This delay means that children with an ASD might not get the help they need. Diagnosing an ASD takes two steps: Developmental screeningDevelopmental screening is a short test to tell if children are learning basic skills when they should, or if they might have delays. During developmental screening the doctor might ask the parent some questions or talk and play with the child during an exam to see how she learns, speaks, behaves, and moves. A delay in any... Other Related Autism and Communication ArticlesEmergency Contact for Laguna Beach
Nearby Laguna Beach Hospitals *Mission Hospital Laguna Beach Saddleback Memorial Medical Center Laguna Hills  Children's Hospital of Orange County at Mission  Mission Hospital  Kaiser Permanente Orange County Irvine Medical Center  Saddleback Memorial Medical Center San Clemente  Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian  College Hospital Costa Mesa  Coastal Communities Hospital  Tustin Hospital & Medical Center  HEALTHSOUTH Tustin Rehabilitation Hospital  Fountain Valley Regional Hospital & Medical Center  Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center  Western Medical Center Santa Ana  Huntington Beach Hospital  Kindred Hospital Santa Ana  HealthBridge Children's Rehabilitation Hospital  Chapman Medical Center  Children's Hospital Orange County  St Joseph Hospital  Garden Grove Hospital & Medical Center  University Of California Irvine Medical Center  Kindred Hospital Westminster  Western Medical Center Anaheim  Kaiser Permanente Anaheim Medical Center  Anaheim Regional Medical Center  Anaheim General Hospital  West Anaheim Medical Center  Placentia-Linda Hospital  Los Alamitos Medical Center  VA Long Beach Healthcare System  Corona Regional Medical Center Rehabilitation  La Palma Intercommunity Hospital  St Jude Medical Center  Corona Regional Medical Center  Tri-City Regional Medical Center  Community Hospital of Long Beach  Kindred Hospital Brea  St Mary Medical Center  Kindred Hospital La Mirada  Long Beach Memorial Medical Center  Miller Children's Hospital  College Hospital Cerritos  Pacific Hospital of Long Beach  Norwalk Community Hospital  Bellflower Medical Center  Lakewood Regional Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Riverside Medical Center  Metropolitan State Hospital  Whittier Hospital Medical Center  Coast Plaza Doctors Hospital  Inland Valley Medical Center  Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles Suburban Medical Center Campus  Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center  Parkview Community Hospital Medical Center  Fallbrook Hospital  Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital  Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center San Pedro  Downey Regional Medical Center  Chino Valley Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente South Bay Medical Center  Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center  Rancho Springs Medical Center  Catalina Island Medical Center Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
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