Autism is a lifelong biological disorder that results in social interaction problems, communication difficulties, and restrictive or repetitive behaviors. It can be reliably diagnosed by age three. While there is no known cure, autism is treatable and early intensive behavioral interventions have shown remarkable progress for pre-school children. The majority of autism cases have no single identified cause, but are believed to involve a genetic susceptibility and multiple genes along with potential environmental factors.

1. What is Autism ?

2. What is Autism ?
 Autism is a complex, life-long biological disorder of
development that results in social interaction problems,
communication difficulties, and restrictive or repetitive
interests and behaviors.
 The prevalence of autism estimates run from
approximately one-in-500 children, to one-in-1000
children, who might be affected by some form of the
disorder.

3. What is Autism ?
 Autism can be reliably diagnosed by or before age three.
 Parents and expert clinicians can usually detect symptoms
during infancy, although a formal diagnosis is generally
not made until the child fails to develop functional
language by age two.
 Approximately 20 percent of children with autism
reportedly experience a "regression"; that is, they have
apparently normal development followed by a loss of
communication and social skills.

4. What is Autism ?
 Boys are three-to-four times more likely to be affected by
autism than girls.
 Autism occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups.

5. What is Autism ?
 Although there is currently no known cure for autism,
autism is treatable.
 Persons with autism can make progress if they receive
appropriate, individual intervention.
 Pre-school children who receive intensive, individualized,
behavioral interventions show remarkable progress.
 In addition, limited pharmacological interventions are
available to treat specific symptoms of autism.

6. What CAUSES Autism?
 In the majority of cases, no specific underlying cause can
be identified.
 However, a variety of factors are being investigated
 Infectious, metabolic, genetic, and environmental factors.

7. What CAUSES Autism?
A working group convened by the NIH (National Institute of
Health) in 1995 reached a consensus that autism probably
results from a genetic susceptibility that involves multiple
genes.

8. What CAUSES Autism?
 To date, genetic causes for one disorder commonly
accompanied by autism and one autism-spectrum disorder have
been identified, Fragile X and Rett syndrome, respectively and
genetic "hotspots" for more classic autism have been indicated.
 Fragile X is the most common, genetically inherited form of
mental retardation currently known and produces many of the
same behaviors and symptoms as autism.
 Rett syndrome, which affects only girls, is a progressive brain
disease that produces a loss of language/social skills that is
similar to autism and is classified as an autism spectrum
disorder.

9. What CAUSES Autism?
NIH research on possible genetic, infectious, immunological,
and environmental causes and mechanisms of autism is
underway.