Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life.As well as the 5 per 10,000 with classic Autism or Kanner’s syndrome, it is estimated that 15 in every 10,000 have what are called, in North America, other pervasive developmental disorders. In addition, perhaps 71 in every 10,000 have a milder form of the disorder, mainly affecting social relationships rather than communication and language. About half of this larger number (36 in every 10,000 of the population) is thought to have Asperger’s Syndrome. These figures add up to 91 persons in every 10,000, nearly one per cent of the total population. Throughout the world, it has been estimated that 48 million people have some form of Autism.
Certainly we have all heard about Autism, many of us have only vague ideas of what the diagnosis means and what can be done to help children and adults lead as normal a life as possible. The truth is that Autism, being a spectrum disorder, affects different people in different ways and no two children with Autism are exactly alike. There are also many different theories about what causes Autism and what can be done to treat it. This makes things very confusing for parents who are struggling to come to terms with what is best for their child.
Autism has no single known cause. It is known that Autism is a neurological disorder and that there may be differences in the shape and the structure of the brain for people with Autism as opposed to non-autistic children. It is thought that, in certain cases, there might be a genetic predisposition to Autism, which may run in families. Whether the predisposition to Autism is genetic or not, there may be several 'triggers' which can precipitate the disorder. These could include problems in pregnancy and birth, viral infections, exposure to certain environmental chemicals or pollutants, digestive abnormalities or even allergies to certain foods (e.g. milk and dairy products). There are also suggestions that Autism may be caused by a reaction to childhood vaccines. Obviously more research is needed in this area.
Sometimes parents are made to feel guilty and as if they have done something wrong, which is not the case. It is important for people to note that Autism is not a mental illness and is not caused by bad parenting or problems in the home. Parents of children with Autism need as much support and help as possible and should not be made to feel that they are the cause of their child's problem.
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