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A little bit about Autism Autism is a development disorder, which manifests itself most commonly through impaired social interaction, poorly developed or even non-existing verbal and non-verbal communication skills and unusual child play, interests and behavior. Each case of autism is unique just as any child is different. Autism can be thought of as one type of pervasive development disorder. Other disorders identified under this more global term, are Asperger´s Syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome, Rett´s Syndrome and Pervasive Development Disorder, NOS (not otherwise specified). These vary in symptoms and in the degree of social, communicative, behavioral and even physical challenges present in a child. Rett´s Syndrome affects only females, whereas boys are more likely to suffer from the other disorders on the spectrum. Some children that have pervasive development disorders also suffer from mental retardation, while others do not. In February 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a report stating that autism´s prevalence had soared: One out of every 150 American children. One out of 94 boys. Some have questioned this data but what is painfully obvious is the personal strain families face not to mention the financial stress of providing lifetime support for a child diagnosed with autism. According to the Autism Society of America, the lifetime cost of providing for a person diagnosed with autism ranges between 3.5$ to 5$ million. The causes of autism are as complex as its symptoms. Researchers are studying the factors behind commonly found abnormalities in the brain structure and its functions. Sometimes autism is attributed to genetics vulnerability, patterns of autism or related diseases within a family and environmental factors like viral infections, metabolic imbalances, exposure to chemicals or some type of problem during pregnancy and/or delivery (Autism Society of America). Other more controversial theories include childhood vaccinations. Although it is impossible to develop an all-encompassing checklist for autism, some of the most common symptoms used to identify an autistic child are:
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