What is Autism?

Autism is a life-long developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life. It is thought to be the result of a neurological disorder that affects functioning of the brain, causing symptoms such as lack or severe delay in speech, fascination with objects rather than people, resistance to physical contact, decreased empathy, deficit in imitation and odd or repetitive body movements.

This disorder makes it exceptionally difficult for individuals to communicate with others and relate to the outside world.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) refers to a group of disorders with similar features.  One person may have mild symptoms while another may be more severely affected.  Autism falls under the umbrella of ASD.  Other diagnoses include Asperger's syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), Rett Syndrome, and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder. 

(From the National Institue of Child Health and Human Development)

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