What is Autism

Autism is a developmental disability that affects, often
severely, a person’s ability to communicate and socially
interact with others. It is four times more prevalent in
males than females.

Currently, autism is believed to affect 1 in every 166
people. The rate of people being diagnosed with autism
has increased substantially over the past two decades.

Although this may be in part due to improved diagnostic
techniques and to changes in the criteria for autism
spectrum disorders, the majority of experts agree these
changes are not enough to explain the epidemic rates at
which autism is being diagnosed.

Autism Spectrum Disorders is an umbrella term that includes
classic autism (also known as Kanner’s autism or Kanner’s
syndrome), Asperger’s syndrome, and pervasive developmental
disorder (PDD).

Autism is considered a spectrum disorder because the number
and intensity of the symptoms people with autism display
may vary widely. However, all people with autism
demonstrate impairments in the following three areas:
communication, social relationships and restricted
patterns of behavior.

The spectrum ranges from those who are severely affected,
less able, and dependent on others to those who are of
above-average intelligence and independent, yet lacking
in social skills.

What Causes Autism?

Unfortunately, no one knows the answer. This is one of the
primary missions of Cure Autism Now to fund the crucial and
necessary research to discover the cause of autism, in
order to design effective treatments and, eventually, find
a cure.

Here is what is known so far:

There is a genetic predisposition for autism spectrum
disorders.

Some brain circuits are different in a person with autism.

Serotonin, a neurotransmitter important for normal brain
functioning and behavior, has been found to be elevated
in a subgroup of people with autism.

Some children with autism and related disorders have
biochemical and immunological problems.

Many experts in the field of autism – for example
Dr. Edward Ritvo of the University of California
Los Angeles – theorize that there exists a genetic
predisposition to autism spectrum disorders.

This predisposition, perhaps encoded within a certain gene,
interacts with an as-yet-unknown environmental factor or
factors and causes alterations to the immune system, the
sensory nervous system, the brain and often the
gastrointestinal tract as well. These changes then cause
the affected person to exhibit the symptoms of autism.

Autism Does Not Discriminate

Last year I went on a 5K walk at Dodger Stadium in Los
Angeles benefiting Cure Autism Now. I saw thousands of
children, their families and friends that are affected in
one way or another by autism.

There were people from all walks of life, professional
people like athletes, lawyers, doctors and people you see
everyday in your own community. People with children that
have autism, all getting together to raise money to help
find a cure.

Before the walk, I received a letter from a mother whose 4
year old son Danny has autism. She was asking for donations
and letting people know about the Cure Autism Now second
annual Walk-A-Thon.

After reading her letter, I had a better understanding of
not only what autism was, but what parents and the children
with autism go through on a daily basis. Below is part of
that letter. I think after reading it, you will be more
understanding as I was.

Start of letter

It’s Walk-a-Thon time! A year has passed so quickly. I
want to share with you the progress that Danny has made.

He is amazing. A year ago he couldn’t even tell me he
loved me. Now, when I say “I love you Danny” he yells
back “I love you more!!!” I waited so long to hear those
words. But what is so difficult is the fact that he doesn’t
know what the words mean. He says them from memory. It’s
like a recording. Every time I say I love you… he
automatically responds with the same answer, which is very
common with most autistic children.

I ask him what he did in school each day and he can tell
me bits and pieces, but he also repeats the same thing
everyday or tells me what they did a month ago.

Autistic children have amazing memories. He can take a brand
new puzzle, dump all the pieces off the board, pick up any
piece without hesitation and put it in it’s proper place
without even thinking. His mind is incredible.

I wake up in the mornings wondering what kind of day Danny
is going to have, and I pray that it’s a good one. He is
extremely sensitive to his surroundings. If things don’t
go in the same pattern that he is used to, he flips
out…screaming and kicking.

I still find myself in denial sometimes. When we are out in
public, I try to do everything in my power to make sure
Danny gets his way, as to not cause a scene.

I remember one Friday, I wanted to take a special day and
make it “all about Danny,” I was going to take him to an
indoor playground. It was pouring rain that Friday, but we
trampled through the parking lot and into the playground
and took off our shoes.

Danny wanted to play the video game and another little boy
also wanted to play. Danny doesn’t do well when other
people are in his space, so he started screaming at the top
of his lungs, threw himself on the floor kicking me and
anything else that got in his way.

I tried to pick him up but he was kicking so hard I could
barely lift him. Every mother and child in the place was
staring at me. I tried to calm him, but his screams got
louder, as they always do when you try to reason with him.

As I carried Danny to the bathroom to get him away from
everyone else, I heard one of the moms say to her
friend…”I wish she would shut that kid up!!!” I couldn’t
help but break into tears.

We didn’t even last five minutes in public. I grabbed our
shoes in one hand, Danny in the other and ran to the car
in my socks in the pouring rain. I just sat in my car and
cried.

I wish that woman could spend just ONE day in the life of
Danny. I sometimes want to wear a sign around my neck that
say “My child is autistic, please excuse the excessive
noise.”

Despite Danny’s outbursts…he has made incredible
progress. He is talking so much. Almost too much. (just
kidding) He can write his name all on his own and is
starting to sing songs(which he would never do before) He
is a very expressive little boy…

End of letter.

After reading that letter, now when I see a child
screaming and kicking in a store or someplace, and we all
have, I think that the child may be autistic. It made me
realize that it’s not the child’s or the parents fault and
I should be more understanding.

The number of autistic cases is rising faster than we can
count, but progress is being made. At Cure Autism Now,
they are currently funding more than 15 research projects
examining the causes of autism. You can go to Danny’s page
at Cure Autism Now and you will see a picture of Danny,
who is 5 years old now and his father at last years
Walk-A-Thon. You can donate what you can, learn more about
autism and find out where there might be a Walk-A-Thon in
your area.
Danny’s page

Thank you,

About The Author

Paul Bittle is the owner of http://www.bitsnwits.com an information web site with free articles and free courses. Also, for Danny’s page you can go to Bits N Wits home page and look for Special Announcement.

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