| Recent studies, which have been a major topic on | | | | If left untreated and undiagnosed, most autistic |
| TV shows such as Good Morning America and the | | | | people cannot live by themselves because they |
| Today Show, that autism is more prevalent than was | | | | frequently do not have a good sense of what is right |
| previously thought. One estimate indicated that | | | | versus what is wrong, even concerning everyday |
| approximately 1 in every 150 children have autism to | | | | mundane things. |
| some degree, and the majority of those are | | | | Some of the signs and symptoms of autism would |
| undiagnosed. | | | | include the following: |
| You need to be aware that autism, also known as | | | | * Autistic people frequently have poor language skills |
| Autistic Spectrum Disorder, and the milder form of it, | | | | and therefore frequently have great problems in |
| Asperger’s Syndrome, is not necessarily limited | | | | speaking and interacting verbally. |
| to children. This can affect people of any age, and | | | | * Autistic people do not like to be touched or |
| many older people who have been diagnosed with | | | | hugged. Even though a hug is usually seen as a sign |
| autism have had the affliction since they were | | | | of affection from someone who cares, people |
| children, but were simply never diagnosed with it. | | | | afflicted with autism are very uncomfortable with a |
| People who are afflicted with autism show definite | | | | hug or being touched by another person. |
| signs and symptoms of the affliction. One of the | | | | * Autistic people have difficulty making direct eye |
| keys to accurate diagnosis is to note the presence | | | | contact with another person and will frequently go |
| of these symptoms and to note whether the | | | | out of their way to avoid direct eye contact. |
| symptom was an isolated incident or whether the | | | | * Autistic people frequently do not enjoy being in a |
| symptom shows itself over and over again. For | | | | group setting with others, but prefer to be alone in |
| example, one of the signs of autism is that the | | | | their own world. |
| affected person seems to live within their own world, | | | | * Autistic people frequently have high sensitivity to |
| they have clear problems with social interactions and | | | | bright light and loud noises, while at the same time |
| in fact seem to reject any interaction with another | | | | exhibit a significantly reduced sensitivity to pain. |
| person. Some people may say that that symptom | | | | * Autistic people can focus for hours at a time on a |
| would also apply to almost any computer geek, but in | | | | single object, with concentration so intense that they |
| all seriousness, this is just one symptom of many | | | | may not even react to outside stimuli, like someone |
| possible ones, and it is not a laughing matter. | | | | calling their name. |
| While there is not a “cure” for autism in the | | | | One of the biggest problems in detecting autism is |
| same sense that taking aspirin will “cure” a | | | | that there is not a specific pattern that can be |
| headache, early diagnosis of autism is critical to being | | | | traced or noted. But if you see your child consistently |
| able to help the afflicted person cope with it and to | | | | exhibiting one or more of the symptoms listed |
| minimize the effects of autism over the long term of | | | | above, it would be a good idea to schedule a |
| that person’s life. Special teaching skills and | | | | checkout with a trained professional who can |
| methods are required to properly teach and train | | | | perform additional tests to make an accurate |
| someone affected with autism, so that they can | | | | diagnosis. |
| more readily learn how to exist in today’s world. | | | | |