Oct 14, 2008

Encyclopedia of Children's Health | Autism

Definition

Autism is a severely incapacitating developmental disorder of brain function characterized by three major types of symptoms: impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and unusual or severely limited activities and interests.

Description

Autism is a complex developmental disability with symptoms that typically appear during the first three years of childhood and continue throughout life. It is the most severe disorder within a group of developmental disorders called autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) or pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) that cover a wide range of behaviors and symptoms, all related to a lesser or greater extent to impaired...

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