Undertstanding Autism

There are many who hear the term "Autistic" and believe that they heard wrong. They mistake it for the word "artistic" or don't even think twice about trying to understand the meaning of autism because either they don't care or they've never heard the term and have no reason to learn about it. It is very important that we understand the meaning, causes, and various theories on what doctors think could help those who suffer from it because without worldwide awareness, where are we? Unfortunately we are left with the majority of the population not caring only because they don't know any better.

Although the term itself sounds rather simple, it's anything but. Autism is a complicated developmental disability that directly affects the way the brain functions. As we all know, the brain is the control center of the body and without a fully functional brain, imagine the variety of problems that could arise. With autism, one could find it extremely or even marginally difficult to interact in social situations, to verbalize anything from feelings to wanting a glass of water, or they could have extreme to moderate obsessive compulsive tendencies. Point being that you could have two people with Autism but one will be able to effectively communicate and be obsessed with scientific topics while the other won't be able to speak and will be obsessed with keeping things in their proper place (American Psychiatric Association). It is because of its complexity that autism can be difficult to diagnose.

To this day autism is still a mystery to physicians. They have nothing more than theories on what the cause is and what the treatments could be. It is difficult, but most children that are diagnosed with the disorder were diagnosed between infancy and the age of three. It is believed that in some, autism develops before birth due to improper prenatal care. This can range anywhere from the effect environmental factors (such as toxins) have on the fetus to exposure to anything that causes an immune response which in turn can affect neural development (Newsweek). Some of the signs to look for are rocking back and forth, abnormal social interaction, obsessive behavior or unusual responses (facial expressions, difficulty verbalizing) to peers( Newsweek).

We can't help those with autism if we don't express interest and do something about worldwide ignorance on the subject. The Autism Society of America is one of the few organizations that raises funds and spreads awareness so that the many unanswered questions on the topic can be solved. We can all help just by educating ourselves.

References:
Autism and Other Pervasive Developmental Disorders Conference. M.D First, Michael. 3-5 Feb. 2008. American Psychiatric Association. 22 Aug. 2009 >

When Does Autism Start. Kalb, Claudia. 28 Feb. 2005. Newsweek. 22 Aug. 2009. >