All children should be screened by their pediatricians for childhood autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) at 18 and 24 months, even if parents haven't noticed problems with their child's development, according to a recent report by the American Academy of Pediatrics. By Christina Elston |
 | To spot early signs of autism, it helps to first know what the condition is. Autism is a developmental disorder appearing in early childhood. Treatment is possible, often with significant results when begun early. By Alice Langholt |
The possibility of a link between MMR vaccines and autism first came about when a British gastroenterologist named Andrew Wakefield published his theory linking the two in the British medical journal The Lancet. By Maeve Rich |
 | There are countless autism treatments. Their effectiveness depends on a variety of factors, including how early intervention takes place as well as the severity of the autism. By Maeve Rich |
Children with autism, even high-functioning autism, have different needs than children without autism and also different levels of development. By Maeve Rich |
 | With more children being diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder than ever, parents are trying to learn as much as they can about autism. So what is an autism spectrum disorder? By Maeve Rich |
Raising a child is challenging for any parent. But the challenges are tenfold for parents of children with special needs. By Dierdre Wilson |
Autism is characterized by impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and unusual, repetitive, or severely limited activities and interests. |
In the early history of autism, the condition was believed to be a type of schizophrenia, because of abnormal seratonin levels in patients. By Alice Langholt |
Autism types range in severity, with some cases obvious by the age of three and some that remain undiagnosed until adulthood. Learn about the five major autism types on the autism spectrum. By Helen Polaski |
