| Autism, is a rare, severe developmental disorder that | | | | of conversation, such as train schedule or road maps. |
| begins before four years of age. The condition | | | | Unusual movements. Many autistic children repeat the |
| appears as a group of symptoms, the most notable of | | | | same motions over an over again.for example, they |
| which is an inability to relate socially to other people. | | | | may twirl about, rock back and forth, wave their |
| True autism, also called early infantile autism or infantile | | | | arms,and flick their fingers. Autistic youngsters may be |
| autism, occurs in about one child in every 700. Boys | | | | hyperactive that is, they may constantly move from |
| are commonly affected than girls. There is no known | | | | one place to another without apparent purpose. |
| cure for the condition. The term autistic or autistic-like is | | | | Negativism. Autistic children are sometimes described |
| sometimes used to describe people with severe | | | | as negativistic, meaning that they intentionally do not |
| emotional problems that resemble autism. | | | | comply with the requests of their parents or teachers. |
| Many people associate autism only with children. | | | | But usually they are not negativistic. Often the request |
| However, the disorder hinders an individual's social and | | | | is too complicated, or it is expressed in language that is |
| emotional development throughout life. | | | | too advanced for them to understand. |
| Symptoms, Most individuals with autism display the | | | | Mental fascination. Children may seem more interested |
| following symptoms: | | | | in physical object than in people. Some become very |
| Social detachment and unresponsiveness. Many | | | | attached to a certain object and carry it about at all |
| autistic babies do not smile at their parents or reach | | | | times. Autistic youngsters may become obsessed by |
| out to be cuddled or picked up. Children with autism do | | | | a particular activity, such as flushing a toilet or turning |
| not play with other children. They often appear to live | | | | the switch on and off. |
| in their own world, unaware of people and events | | | | Mechanical Retardation. About 80 percent of all autistic |
| around them. Many autistic individuals never seem to | | | | children and adults are mentally retarded. They cannot |
| develop normal concern for the feelings of others. | | | | understand or solve problems at the level of normal |
| Abnormal language. Autistic people have serious | | | | individuals their age. When autistic children are |
| problems in speaking and in understanding language. | | | | observed in a familiar situation, however, they may |
| Many autistic children never speak. Others utter words | | | | appear to be brighter than their intelligence test scores |
| or phrases that have no place in a discussion. They | | | | indicate. |
| may repeat something they have heard on TV or in | | | | Special skills are demonstrated by a few autistic |
| conversation. Their voices may sound mechanical or | | | | children. Some can memorize long list of names or |
| robotlike. Autistic children have trouble learning the | | | | numbers, or tell the day of the week on which a date |
| words "I" and "yes". They sometimes express the idea | | | | will fall in any future year. Other autistic youngsters can |
| of "yes" by repeating the question they were asked. | | | | draw amazingly accurate pictures or street maps. But |
| Insistence on sameness. People with autism are | | | | their developmental problems usually prevent them |
| intolerant of changes in their physical surroundings or | | | | from making full use of their special skills. |
| daily routines. An autistic child may have tantrum if toys | | | | No one knows what causes autism. Autistic children |
| are not in their usual places. An older autistic person | | | | are treated chiefly by special teaching methods. |
| may engage in the same hobby or have a set of topic | | | | |