Description+of+ASD

=__Autism Spectrum Disorders__= Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are neurological conditions that affect normal brain development. People with ASD often have challenges in communication and interacting with others. They often demonstrate abnormal behaviour patterns which affect their social interactions. In addition to neurological deficiencies ASD also affects various systems of the body such as gastrointestinal, immune, hepatic and endocrine. As the severity and combination of symptoms differ from individual to individual, the treatment for ASD needs to be individual specific. There are five different diagnoses under the spectrum of disorders.

=__Diagnosis__= Autism is a type of Pervasive Development Disorder (PDD). This means it can affect a person’s development in all areas. Rett’s disorder, Childhood Disintegrative disorder, Asperger’s disorder and PDD-NOS (not otherwise specified) are other pervasive development disorders. Autism can have many similar features with other conditions. Diagnosing ASD is multi-step process involving a team approach. Professionals that might be involved in the diagnosing process include a psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, neurologist, development paediatrician, speech/language pathologist/therapist, occupational therapist, teacher, or other health professionals.

=__Causes__= No one knows the cause for ASD however genetics seem to play a role as well as environmental triggers. Studies have shown that people with autism have differences in brain structure but research is still being done as to the reasons for these differences. The exact cause of autism at this time in uncertain, but research suggests several factors are involved. These factors involve genetics, environmental influences, certain types of infections, and problems before, during, or after birth. Some studies suggest disruption of very early brain development is a cause of an ASD.

There is ongoing and extensive research and debate about the causes of autism. Increased occurrence of autism within families supports a genetic contribution to the disorder, but it is unlikely that genetics are the only cause of ASD. Studies on identical twins show that the identical twin of an individual with autism has only about a 60% chance of also having autism. ([|source] ). This leads us to believe that there are other causes of autism other than genetic predisposition.

Other factors which have been up for debate in reference to causing autism are toxins in the environment, immunization practices, and immunologic differences. There is no specific evidence on these issues at this time.

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=__Frequency of autism__= ASDs are an increasingly common disorder. The current estimate of frequency for autism is 1 in 1,000 (and up to 1 in 166 when all ASDs are included). Boys are four times more likely than girls to be diagnosed with ASD. Information can be found at ([])