Recently, the NIH/ACC has undertaken a new research initiative in the realm of treatment interventions directed at autism symptoms. A major obstacle in useful autism research has been the lack of a valid means of measuring the effectiveness of various treatments. Clinical research studies continue to look for more promising treatments for autism. The Autism Treatment Network (ATN) is intended to develop clinical and research centers of excellence which will share current information on patient care, education, and research on autism. Intensive behavioral/psychoeducational treatments for autism and research needs and future directions are being evaluated by the ATN. Ultimately, ATN hopes to produce treatment guidelines for autism based on credible research and rigorous clinical trials. The belief that children with autism function as continuous systems has been devastating in terms of diagnosis, research, and treatment. Newly diagnosed children with autism should receive intensive, quality, effective treatment that is based in research. Further, ATN conducts its own research on the causes, methods of prevention, diagnosing, and treatments for autism and related disorders.

article1 article2 article3 article4

At birth, a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder often appears normal. A child with Autism Spectrum Disorder may not speak much or may remain silent. Sometimes you may hear other developmental disorders mentioned in the same way as autism, such as Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, and childhood disintegrative disorder. When children have an Autism Spectrum Disorder, they have trouble with communication and social skills and they have particular repetitive behaviors. New guidelines can help identify children with autism early, which means earlier, more effective treatment for the disorder. Some behaviors associated with autism include disordered play. A toddler with autism spectrum disorder usually ignores other children and prefers to play alone.

article1 article2 article3 article4

The symptoms and characteristics of autism can present themselves in a wide variety of combinations, from mild to severe. Doctors look for specific symptoms in communication and social impairments to diagnose autism. The diagnostic list of symptoms and behaviors associated with autism is long, and each affected person expresses his or her own combination of these behaviors. These symptoms alone don't confirm a diagnosis of autism, but are taken into consideration when evaluating children. The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for autism includes those given below. social interaction impairment (poor eye-to-eye gazing, lack of social reciprocity, no peer relations) communication impairment (can't sustain a conversation, lack of spontaneous play, delay in development of language) repeating/stereotyped patterns of behavior (repetitive motor habits, pre-occupation with parts of objects, repeated patterns of interest with an abnormal intensity) Other symptoms of autism include difficulties with verbal and nonverbal communication. There may be symptoms not related to autism, and this may not be an exhaustive list of symptoms.

article1 article2 article3 article4

Autism is a neurological disorder that causes impairments in communication, ability to learn, and social relatedness. Simply put, autism causes a child to retreat into an inner world. Little is known about the causes, treatment and prevention of autism. Because the primary causes of autism in children are not well understood, targeted prevention is difficult. No one knows exactly what causes Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), but scientists think that both genetic and environmental factors may play a role. Until the mid 1990's, research into the causes of autism was limited to a few dedicated individuals who received little funding. During the 1990s, there has been a major push to promote research into the causes of autism. The good news is that research is beginning to reveal autism's causes and signs, in particular evidence of a genetic link. This research reflects a shift in scientific thinking about what causes autism, and a push to look harder at potential environmental influences. Amazingly, it took many years for researchers to finally say without a doubt that cold parents are not one of the Autism causes. Patients, researchers and doctors from around the world have banded together to begin to crack the mystery of what causes autism. The Autism Research Center (www.autismresearchcentre.com) conducts research and disseminates results on the causes of autism and on methods of preventing, diagnosing and treating the disorder. Research suggests that there may be several different autism causes.

article1 article2 article3 article4