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About Autism
Search our available program offeringsAutism Epidemic Overview
Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder that interferes with normal development in language, social interaction and behavior. The technical term, autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), refers to a group of developmental disorders that are usually first diagnosed in early childhood and include: autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger’s syndrome. It also includes two rare disorders, Rett disorder and childhood disintegrative disorder.
Though most children with autism look perfectly normal, they will often avoid eye contact and lack interest in or regard for faces. Their thinking and learning abilities vary from gifted to severely challenged. Associated problems include hyperactivity, self-injurious behavior, sleeplessness, eating disorders and gastrointestinal problems. Stability and consistently administered therapeutic interventions are critical to the child's and family's well-being.
The Autism Epidemic:
The incidence of ASDs has exploded in the past decade with the latest studies revealing that approximately 1 in 150 children are affected by an ASD (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007). In the early 1990s, the incidence of autism was 1 in 10,000. This alarming rise has now given autism the undesired ranking as the most prevalent childhood developmental disorder in the U.S. While there is no known cause, and worse yet, no cure, we do know that autism is likely the product of genetics and environmental factors.