What is Autism?

Autism is a developmental disorder that manifests its features during the first 30 months of life. It is characterized by impairment in social interaction, communication, restricted and repetitive behavior.

History of Autism

The word autism comes from the Greek word autos, which means “self”. The label “autistic” was first introduced by eminent psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler near the beginning of the 20th century. Originally, the term referred to a striking disturbance in schizophrenia, therefore, narrowing all sorts of relationships with people and excluding everything except one self.

In 1943, Leo Kanner saw cases of strange children who seemed unable to have any form of normal relationships with their peers. In contrast to schizophrenia, he noticed this behavior appeared to have been there from the very beginning. Furthermore, there was no progressive deterioration which is the case with schizophrenia.

Causes, Symptoms and Diagnosis

There is no known single cause for autism. Many genetic and environmental theories have been proposed but no definite cause has been reached yet. It has been generally accepted that autism might not be a single disorder, but a combination of certain aspects such as social impairment, repetitive behavior, and communication difficulties, each having distinct causes.

  • Inappropriate laughing or giggling
  • Extreme distress for no apparent reason; tantrums
  • Resists changes in routine;insistence on sameness
  • Little or no eye contact
  • Not responsive to verbal cues, acts as deaf
  • Sustained odd play
  • Difficulty in expressing need; may use gestures
  • Spins objects
  • Inappropriate attachment to objects\
  • Difficulty in mixing with other children
  • Not cuddly
  • Uneven gross/fine motor skills

There are no genetic or medical tests that can detect autism. An experienced professional must observe the child, acquire knowledge about the child’s development and then proceed to objectively follow internationally recognized criteria for diagnosis. The center utilizes the developmental tests which demonstrate feasibility in assessing actual and potential abilities of autistic children. At the top of the list:

  1. Psycho-educational profile (revised) PEP-R for children up to 11 years
  2. Diagnostic statistical manual IV edition revised DSM IV issued by American Psychiatric Association in 1994
  3. Psycho-educational profile for adolescent and adults AAPEP

Autism Resources

We have compiled a list of national organizations to help you gain knowledge about autism spectrum disorder

The Autism Society of America was founded in 1965 by Bernard Rimland, Ph.D. His book, Infantile Autism: The Syndrome and Its Implications for a Neural Theory of Behavior, was written in late 1964 and was one of the first of its kind. In 1968, Ruth Sullivan, Ph.D. became the organization’s first elected president.

Over the last 40 years, the society has grown from a handful of parents into the leading source of information, research and reference on autism. ASA is the oldest and largest grassroots organization within the autism community.

Today, more than 120,000 members and supporters are connected through a working network of nearly 200 chapters nationwide. ASA membership continues to grow as more and more parents and professionals unite to form a collective voice representing the autism community.

Autism Society of America (ASA) Website