Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the name for a group of developmental brain disorders . ASDs are characterized by difficulties in social interaction and communication skills coupled with restricted or repetitive behaviors. The symptoms can be severe enough to cause significant impairment in everyday functioning.
It's estimated that one in every 68 children in the United States has been diagnosed with ASD.
Some people with autism have trouble making friends or understanding other people’s feelings. Other people with this disorder have no problem in these areas.
Luckily, there are many treatments for autism that address the symptoms and help autistic children grow up to be happy adults. Results will very with each individual.
Recent research has also found that people with autism have enhanced abilities in certain areas like pattern recognition or spatial reasoning while they may be impaired in other areas such as communication skills. This disorder seems to be a give and take. Individuals are superb in some areas and in others they lack ability as mentioned.
If you are concerned that someone you love may have autism, here are some milestones to check for throughout a child’s life. The milestones mentioned are provided by the CDC through the age of five.