Also called: Also called: Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), Pervasive developmental disorder (PDD)
Autism is a disorder that is usually first diagnosed in early childhood. The main signs and symptoms of autism involve communication, social interactions and repetitive behaviors.
Children with autism might have problems talking with you, or they might not look you in the eye when you talk to them. They may have to line up their pencils before they can pay attention, or they may say the same sentence again and again to calm themselves down. They may flap their arms to tell you they are happy, or they might hurt themselves to tell you they are not. Some people with autism never learn how to talk.
Because people with autism can have very different features or symptoms, health care providers think of autism as a "spectrum" disorder. Asperger syndrome is a milder version of the disorder.
The cause of autism is not known. Autism lasts throughout a person's lifetime. There is no cure, but treatment can help. Treatments include behavior and communication therapies and medicines to control symptoms.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
-
Autism(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/trastornos/autismo.htm
- Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs)(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/asd.cfm
- Autism Spectrum Disorders (Pervasive Developmental Disorders)(National Institute of Mental Health) - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/autism/complete-publication.shtml
- Autism(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/autism/DS00348/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Autism(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/autism.htm
- Autism Information Center(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/
-
Autism Overview: What We Know(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - Links to PDF - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/upload/autism_overview_2005.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/upload/introduccion_autismo_2005.pdf
- Pervasive Developmental Disorders(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/pdd/pdd.htm
- U.S. Study Clears Measles Vaccine of Autism Link(09/04/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_68886.html
- Autistic Children Make Limited Eye Contact(08/06/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_67854.html
- Common Mechanisms May Underlie Autism's Seemingly Diverse Mutations(07/10/2008, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Human Genome Research Institute) - http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jul2008/nimh-10.htm
- Defining Autism(Autism Society of America) - http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_whatis_characteristics
-
Diagnosing & Evaluating Autism: Part 1(Center for Autism & Related Disabilities) - Links to PDF - http://ucf-card.org/uploads/factsheets/1187632533_eng.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://ucf-card.org/uploads/factsheets/1187632533_sp.pdf
-
Diagnosing & Evaluating Autism: Part 2(Center for Autism & Related Disabilities) - Links to PDF - http://ucf-card.org/uploads/factsheets/1193920751_eng.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://ucf-card.org/uploads/factsheets/1187632251_sp.pdf
- Diagnosis and Consultation(Autism Society of America) - http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_whatis_diagnosis
-
Learn the Signs. Act Early(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/actearly/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/actearly/spanish/
- Autism: Education(Autism Society of America) - http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_education_home
- Autism: Treatment(Autism Society of America) - http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=life_treat
- Positive Behavior Support (PBS)(Center for Autism & Related Disabilities) - Links to PDF - http://ucf-card.org/uploads/factsheets/1187875091_eng.pdf
- Treatments for Autism(Autism Speaks) - http://www.autismspeaks.org/whattodo/index.php
- Alternative Treatments for Autism(Autism Speaks) - http://www.autismspeaks.org/whattodo/treatments_non_standard.php
- Understanding Autism: Occupational Therapy(American Occupational Therapy Association) - http://www.aota.org/Consumers/Tips/Conditions/Autism/35155.aspx
- Living with Autism(Autism Society of America) - http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_lwa_home
- FDA Approves the First Drug to Treat Irritability Associated with Autism, Risperdal(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01485.html
-
Autism and Communication(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/autism.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/spanish/autism_span.asp
- Childhood Disintegrative Disorder(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/childhood-disintegrative-disorder/DS00801/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PPD-NOS)(Center for Autism & Related Disabilities) - Links to PDF - http://ucf-card.org/uploads/factsheets/1187875130_eng.pdf
-
Autism and the MMR Vaccine(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/autism/mmr/
Also available in Spanish http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/autism/espanol/mmr/
- Autism Spectrum Disorders and Stuttering(Stuttering Foundation of America) - http://www.stutteringhelp.org/Default.aspx?tabid=625
-
Choosing Professionals & Coordinating Services(Center for Autism & Related Disabilities) - Links to PDF - http://ucf-card.org/uploads/factsheets/1187632085_eng.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://ucf-card.org/uploads/factsheets/1187632085_sp.pdf
- Dental Care Every Day: A Caregiver's Guide(National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research) - http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/OralHealth/Topics/DevelopmentalDisabilities/DentalCareEveryDay.htm
- Facts for Parents about Autism and Vaccine Safety(American Academy of Pediatrics) - http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/autismparentfacts.htm
- Individualized Education Plans (IEPs)(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/learning/iep.html
- Living with Autism: Safety in the Home(Autism Society of America) - http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_lwa_safety
- Older Fathers and Autism Risk: Is There a Connection?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/autism-risk/AN01607/METHOD=print
- Thimerosal and Autism(Immunization Action Coalition) - Links to PDF - http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2066.pdf
-
Vaccines and Autism(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/vaccines.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/inmunizacion/autismo.html
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Autistic Disorder(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Autistic+Disorder%22
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Child Development Disorders, Pervasive(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Child+Development+Disorders,+Pervasive%22
-
Autism and Genes(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - Links to PDF - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/upload/autism_genes_2005.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/upload/autismo_genes_2005.pdf
- Autism Research(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/Features/AutismResearch/
- Autism Research at the NICHD(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/autism/
- Gene Linked to Autism in Families with More Than One Affected Child(National Institute of Mental Health) - http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/oct2006/nimh-17.htm
- NICHD Autism Research(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/autism/research.cfm
- Science News about Autism(National Institute of Mental Health) - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/index-autism-news.shtml
- Study Provides Evidence That Autism Affects Functioning of Entire Brain(National Institutes of Health) - http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/aug2006/nichd-16.htm
- Article: Absence of preferential looking to the eyes of approaching adults... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18678799&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Chromosome "hot spot" linked to autism. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18677793&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor and autism spectrum disorders. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18676531&tool=MedlinePlus
- Autism -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=autistic+disorder[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt]+OR+letter[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Find a Chapter(Autism Society of America) - http://209.200.89.252/search_site/chapter_map.cfm
-
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/defaultspan.htm
- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/
- National Institute of Mental Health - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/
-
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/
- Your Child's Rights(Autism Speaks) - http://www.autismspeaks.org/howtocope/index.php
- Autism Facts and Statistics(Autism Society of America) - http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_whatis_factsstats
- Prevalence of the Autism Spectrum Disorders in Multiple Areas of the United States(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dd/addmprevalence.htm
- Autism(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/brain/autism.html
- Autism and Other Pervasive Developmental Disorders(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/learning/pervasive_develop_disorders.html
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Quest(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/kids/kautismpage.htm
- Living with Autism: Sibling Issues(Autism Society of America) - http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_lwa_siblings
- Autism(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/learning/autism.html
- Asperger's Syndrome - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/aspergerssyndrome.html
- Child Behavior Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childbehaviordisorders.html
- Child Development - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childdevelopment.html
- Mental Health - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mentalhealth.html
- Children and Teenagers - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childrenandteenagers.html
- Mental Health and Behavior - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mentalhealthandbehavior.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Autism is the National Institute of Mental Health - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/
Autism - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/autism.html