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/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-pervasive-developmental-disorders/index.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
- Brain Anatomy Could Point to Autism(05/04/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_83771.html
- Researchers Find First Common Autism Gene(04/28/2009, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_83534.html
-
Risk of Autism Tied to Genes that Influence Brain Cell Connections(04/28/2009, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nih.gov/news/health/apr2009/ninds-28.htm
- Autism Tied to Older Moms, Breech Birth(04/27/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_83442.html
- More News on Autism http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alphanews_a.html#autism
-
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
-
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/
- Symptoms of Autism(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/symptoms.htm
- Autism: Education(Autism Society of America) - http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=life_edu
- Autism: Treatment Options(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
- Autism: Learning Approaches-Complementary Approaches(Autism Society of America) - http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=life_treat_approaches
- Understanding Autism: Occupational Therapy(American Occupational Therapy Association) - http://www.aota.org/Consumers/Tips/Conditions/Autism/35155.aspx
- Austism through the Lifespan(Autism Society of America) - http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=life_lifespan
- Life with Autism: Stress on Families(Autism Society of America) - http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=life_fam_stress
- 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 Risk: Does a Father's Age Play a Role?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/autism-risk/AN01607/METHOD=print
- Autism Spectrum Disorders and Stuttering(Stuttering Foundation of America) - http://www.stutteringhelp.org/Default.aspx?tabid=625
- Autism: Safety in the Home(Autism Society of America) - http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=life_fam_safety
-
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
- 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
-
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
-
Genetics Home Reference: 2q37 deletion syndrome(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=2q37deletionsyndrome
-
Learning about Autism(National Human Genome Research Institute) - http://www.genome.gov/25522099
- 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/
-
Lack of Eye Contact May Predict Level of Social Disability in Two-Year Olds with Autism(National Institute of Mental Health) - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2008/lack-of-eye-contact-may-predict-level-of-social-disability-in-two-year-olds-with-autism.shtml
-
NICHD Autism Research(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/autism/research.cfm
-
NIDCD Panel Proposes New Benchmarks for Gauging Language Development in Children with Autism(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/news/releases/09/1_15_09.htm
-
Science News about Autism(National Institute of Mental Health) - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/index-autism-news.shtml
-
Tuberous Sclerosis Moves toward Drug Therapy, Offers Clues to Epilepsy and Autism(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/news_rapamycin_tsc_mice.htm
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: The genetic and neurobiologic compass points toward common signaling dysfunctions... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19339766&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: A nationwide study on the risk of autism after prenatal... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19336368&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Autism and education. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19323315&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
- Autism: Sibling Issues(Autism Society of America) - http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=life_fam_sibling
- 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