Autism is a developmental disorder that appears in the first 3 years of life, and affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills.
Alternative Names
Pervasive developmental disorder - autism
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Autism is a physical condition linked to abnormal biology and chemistry in the brain. The exact causes of these abnormalities remain unknown, but this is a very active area of research. There are probably a combination of factors that lead to autism.
Genetic factors seem to be important. For example, identical twins are much more likely than fraternal twins or siblings to both have autism. Similarly, language abnormalities are more common in relatives of autistic children. Chromosomal abnormalities and other nervous system (neurological) problems are also more common in families with autism.
A number of other possible causes have been suspected, but not proven. They involve:
The exact number of children with autism is not known. A report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that autism and related disorders are more common than previously thought. It is unclear whether this is due to an increasing rate of the illness or an increased ability to diagnose the illness.
Autism affects boys 3 - 4 times more often than girls. Family income, education, and lifestyle do not seem to affect the risk of autism.
Asperger syndrome
Average Rating:
(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Asperger syndrome is often considered a high functioning form of autism. People with this syndrome have difficulty interacting socially, repeat behaviors, and often are clumsy. Reviewer: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. Date: 05/12/2009
Rett syndrome(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Rett syndrome is a disorder of the nervous system that leads to developmental reversals, especially in the areas of expressive language and hand use.Rett syndrome occurs almost exclusively in girls and may be misdiagnosed as autism or cerebral pal...Reviewer: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 12/01/2008
MMR - vaccine (3 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
The MMR vaccine is a"3-in-1" vaccine that protects against measles, mumps, and rubella-- all of which are potentially serious diseases of childhood.Vaccine- MMR; Rubella vaccination; Mumps vaccination; Measles- mumps- rubella(MMR) vaccine.The MMR ...Reviewer: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 06/19/2008
Autism - resources(Doctor-Reviewed information)
The following organizations and links are good resources for information on autism: American Academy of Pediatrics - www.medicalhomeinfo.org/health/autism.html; Association for Science in Autism Treatment - www.asatonline.org; Autism Society of America - www.autism-society.org; Autism Speaks - www.autismspeaks.org; CDC's Autism Information Center - www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism; National Institute of Mental Health - www.nimh.nih.gov. Reviewer: Jennifer K. Mannheim, CPNP, private practice, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 04/02/2009
Mental retardation(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Mental retardation is a condition diagnosed before age 18 that includes below-average general intellectual function, and a lack of the skills necessary for daily living.Mental retardation affects about 1- 3% of the population. There are many cause...Reviewer: Rachel A. Lewis, M.D., F.A.A.P., Columbia University Pediatric Faculty Practice, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 11/12/2007
Developmental milestones(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Developmental milestones are physical or behavioral signs of development or maturation of infants and children. Rolling over, crawling, walking, and talking are considered developmental milestones and provide important information regarding the ch...Reviewer: Jennifer K. Mannheim, CPNP, private practice, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 02/27/2009
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