April is Autism Awareness Month

Autism—when defined, it’s a disorder of neural development portrayed by faulty social interaction and communication. Restricted and repetitive behavior follows. Signs typically begin before the child reaches three years of age.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a spectrum of psychological conditions grouped by common abnormalities. The five forms are classical autism, Asperger syndrome, Persuasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), A.K.A. atypical autism, Rett syndrome, and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.

The disorder has a strong genetic base; however, it is unclear whether ASD can be best explained by rare mutations. In rare occurrences, autism is associated with agent-caused birth defects. Males are considered more likely to inherit the gene, though it is still unclear why.

Autism appears to result from developmental factors that affect many or all brain system functions. Just after birth, the brains of children with autism may grow more quickly than the average child, followed by normal growth later on in childhood. Whether this happens with all autistic children is still unknown.

Symptoms can easily be recognized early in life; they include a lack of social development, babbling communication skills, and/or unusual gestures. Autistic children are less likely to make requests and share experiences. Another symptom would be stereotypy, or repetitive actions such as hand flapping, noise making, head rolling, or body rocking. Compulsive behavior associated with the disorder would include a strict adherence to rules, such as arranging objects in stacks or lines.

April is National Autism Awareness Month, and it’s been celebrated since the 1970s. It is an opportunity for everyone to educate the public about autism.