Autism:A spectrum of neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by deficitsin社会互动和交流,不同寻常and repetitive behavior. Some, but not all, people withautismare non-verbal.
Autismis normally diagnosed before age six and may be diagnosed in infancy in some cases. The degree of autism varies from mild to severe in different children. Severely afflicted patients can appear profoundly retarded.
The cause (or causes) of autism are not yet fully understood. However, it is believed that at least some cases involve an inherited oracquiredgeneticdefect. Researchers have proposed that theimmune-system,metabolic, and environmental factors may play an important part as well. It is not caused by emotionaltrauma, as was once theorized.
Autism or autistic-like behavior may co-occur with many otherneurologicalconditions.
The optimal treatment of autism involves an educational program that is suited to the child's developmental level.
Autism is also called the Kannersyndromeor infantile autism. See also Asperger syndrome,elective mutism, PervasiveDevelopmental Disorder,Rett syndrome.
