Lynn Gaston posted on April 01, 2011 12:00
AUTISM 2011
April is Autism Awareness month.
Autism is a complex neuro-biological disorder which affects all areas of a child’s development; mainly communication, social skills and self-help skills are impaired. Autism is classified as a pervasive development disorder or PDD. Autism is recognized as a spectrum disorder (ASD) meaning the characteristics can vary greatly depending on the severity. No two children are alike on the spectrum and it is difficult from outside physical appearances to tell that a child has autism.
In the past four years, the diagnosis rate has escalated from 1 in 150 to 1 in 110 children according to statistics from the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Statistics show that boys are four times more likely to receive the diagnosis and yet there is no clear reason why.
You may be wondering how far science has come along in diagnosing and treating this disorder. What about the future of these children as they mature into adulthood? We have had the opportunity to speak with several doctors at the renowned Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore about the present, the past and the future of Autism.
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