Autism is a spectrum of closely related disorders with a shared core of symptoms. Autism spectrum disorders appear in infancy and early childhood, causing delays in many basic areas of development such as learning to talk, play, and interact with others.
The signs and symptoms of autism vary widely, as do its effects. Some autistic children have only mild impairments, while others have more obstacles to overcome. However, every child on the autism spectrum has problems, at least to some degree, in the following three areas:
Communicating verbally and non-verbally
Relating to others and the world around them
Thinking and behaving flexibly
There are different opinions among doctors, parents, and experts about what causes autism and how best to treat it, and much that we still don’t know. But on one fact, everyone agrees: early and intensive intervention helps. For children at risk and children who show early signs, it can make all the difference.
