Autism
Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) encompasses a group of neuro developmental disorders characterized by deficits in social interaction and communication, and unusual and repetitive behavior. Some but not all people with ASD are non-verbal. The degree of varies from mild to severe in different individuals and severely affected patients can often appear profoundly retarded. Specifically, it comprises of the following 5 disorders:
- Autism
- Asperger's Syndrome
- Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
- Rett Syndrome
- PDD-NOS
Commonly referred to as Autistic disorder or infantile autism, autism is a complex brain disorder that inhibits a person's ability to communicate, respond to surroundings, or form relationships with others. Four times more common in boys than girls, it is typically diagnosed by the age of 2 or 3 and affects people of all racial, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. Autism is a spectrum that encompasses a wide continuum of behavior. Core features include impaired social interactions, impaired verbal and non-verbal communication and restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. Children with autism do not follow the typical patterns of childhood development.
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