| Autism used to be the term used for anyone with that | | | | unknown because of extremely poor social and |
| particular condition. Today, there are several different | | | | communication skills. |
| sub categories for different levels of disability or | | | | Pervasive Developmental Disorder--Not Otherwise |
| function. No two children diagnosed will be the same, | | | | Specified (PDD-NOS). |
| but there will be many things that they do have in | | | | This term is used to describe children who have most |
| common. With some high functioning autistics most | | | | of the same symptoms as classic autism. They will |
| people may not even be aware that they have autism, | | | | need the same interventions and help that autistic |
| while others need assistance in almost any part of life, | | | | children require. The differences between PDD-NOS |
| and they are obviously living a very different life than | | | | and autism are minor and usually only obvious to |
| other children. More is being discovered about each of | | | | researchers and doctors. |
| these different autism types as time goes on. | | | | Rett's Syndrome |
| Asperger's Disorder | | | | Rett's is a rare and relatively little-known type of |
| This type of autism is something that you hear more | | | | autism, and it seems to only happen in girls. This branch |
| and more about. These children are often | | | | of autism was first described by Dr. Rett. These |
| misdiagnosed at first, and are thought to have | | | | patients often have problems with muscle atrophy, and |
| Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or perhaps Attention | | | | tend to do repetitive hand motions. They area almost |
| Deficit Disorder. These children are very unskilled with | | | | always mentally retarded to some degree. These girls |
| social interactions and have problems with | | | | are very low functioning and will need care for most |
| communicating. They have repetitive motions, and are | | | | of their lives. This particular type of autism has been |
| fixated on patterns of all types. They can have above | | | | diagnosed since the sixties, but in the late 1990s a |
| average language skills, though they don't use them | | | | gene that might cause this condition was found. |
| well in social situations. They are often clumsy, as | | | | Childhood Disintegrative Disorder |
| motor skills are under developed. Those with | | | | This is also thankfully pretty rare and something that |
| Asperger's are thought to have a talent that they | | | | strikes children who appear to have normal |
| focus on almost exclusively, and are considered to be | | | | development from birth. Usually between two and four |
| highly intelligent. Recent findings indicate that Albert | | | | years of age this changes. These children begin to |
| Einstein may have had this condition. | | | | regress, and often do not potty train. They will lose the |
| Kanner's Syndrome (classic autistic disorder) | | | | will and the ability to interact with other children, and will |
| This particular type of autism was named after a Dr. | | | | lose an interested in play. They will also have problem |
| Kanner. He described and studied it in the 1930s and | | | | with the motor skills that were something they at one |
| into the 1940s. This is the well-known type of this | | | | time had mastered. They will stop talking, or their |
| condition that is very common. Those with Kanner's | | | | communication skills will regress to some degree. |
| have very limited emotional connection with anyone, | | | | Though there are more autism types out there, these |
| and they are very into their own little world. They want | | | | tend to be the most common. They are all things that |
| everything to be the same all of the time, and this | | | | take parents by surprise, and each comes with their |
| includes routine (sometimes down to the exact minute) | | | | own set of difficulties. Most children will need to be |
| clothing, food, and television shows or movies. They | | | | cared for long after their peers have established |
| can be deeply effected by noises, bright lights and | | | | independence, even though the will to be on their own |
| smells. They are generally considered to be low | | | | is very strong. |
| functioning, but how well their mind works is largely | | | | |