The Different Kinds of Autism

Contrary to what some people may believe, autism is not a type of mental retardation, but rather a complex neurobehavorial disorder that affects a person's development, language, communication skills and social skills. Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning that there are several classifications of the disorder. It can range from the very mild, allowing a person to lead a very normal life, all the way to very severe cases which necessitate institutional care.
Here's a look at the different types of autism spectrum disorders:
Autistic Disorder- This is what people commonly think of when they hear the term "autism." This diagnosis refers to problems with communication, social interaction and imaginative play in kids younger than three. It's usually diagnosed during a child's toddler years and symptoms can range from mild to severe.
Asperger's Syndrome- People with this type tend to have excellent language skills and average or above-average intelligence and do well on standardized tests. However, they lack social skills and aren't able to interact with their peers in a usual manner. It's a mild form of autism and children are able to do well in school, but have troubles with classmates due to the diagnosed child's awkward, sometimes odd, behaviors. Sometimes people aren't diagnosed with Asperger's until they're teens or adults. With specialized training, these people can lead typical lives and be active members of society.
Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)- Also called atypical autism, this type is a miscellaneous category for people who don't clearly fit into one of the other, more defined, categories. People who fit this category have one or more traits of a few autistic categories but don't meet the criteria for any one diagnosis.
Rett Syndrome- This is found only in girls, but quite rare. Children with this type of autism develop normally for several years, and then their communication skills and social skills begin to regress. Between the ages of 1 and 4, they discontinue using their hands purposefully, and begin to make repetitive hand movements instead.
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD)- This is a rare type of autism. Children with this disorder develop normally for the first two years of life and then start to lose most of their motor, language, social, communication and potty skills.
Autism tends to run in families, and is found in people of all nationalities, races and socioeconomic levels. Researchers believe that certain types of genes predispose a child to the disorder. It's very rare that the disorder can be diagnosed at birth, but one is typically made before the child enters school.

MyReviewsNow.net offers information regarding autism awareness. For more on supporting research for autism, please visit us at MyReviewsNow.net.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cookie_Maxwell

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7583195

How To Recognize The Different Autism Types

You may hear autism referred to as a PDD. This stands for Pervasive Development Disorder, and is a blanket term for the many different autism types.

When talking about autism most people think of an autistic child in the classic sense, but that is only one of the types that are used to diagnose children with this condition in today’s world.
 Though the film Rainman is probably the most well-known source that most people base their understanding on, there is more to this condition than what was depicted in the movie. Some children are very similar to Dustin Hoffman’s character, but there are many more different autism types and levels of function known today.

The Rainman type of autism, or classic autism, is otherwise known as Kanner’s, and was named for the doctor who studied it in the 30s and 40s. This is a lower functioning type of autism characterized by severe communication and socialization problems. These children are hard to reach, and do not interact with most people. They can be clumsy due to poor motor skills, and are prone to repetitive motions and actions. They might have tantrums when the smallest changes in their environment or schedule are made. Some do not speak, and others speak on a limited basis.

Rett’s Syndrome is also one of the lower-functioning types of autism. This happens in girls only for some reason, and is often paired with mental retardation. These girls are greatly impaired when it comes to movements, and they rarely speak. This autism type has been classified as a genetic defect. There seems to be no explanation as to why it only affects girls. All other types are attributed to males 75% of the time.

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder is something that is very shocking for parents, perhaps even more so than children who are identified early with Rett’s or Kanner’s. This is something that happens after a child has appeared to develop quite normally. They have the usual range of speech and motor skills for their peer group. Then at some point, usually between ages two and four, they regress into a severe form of autistic disability. No one is sure why this happens though some believe surgery or illness can bring it on. That is not true for all of these children, however, so nothing concrete has been proven.

The higher functioning form of autism is known as Asperger’s. These children can often be misdiagnosed in the early years. They have better communication and socialization skills, but they are still somewhat limited. However, many of these children aren’t diagnosed until they are in school when the difference their peers and themselves become more apparent. They often respond well to behavioral treatments, and can have a very ‘normal’ life if they are put through these programs and therapies at the earliest possible age.

There is another type of autism called PDD-NOS. This is when a child is thought to have autism, but their condition does not seem to be associated with the other four more definite types. They have autism, but they seem to fall out of each category. They may have symptoms or behaviors that fall within all of the other different autism types, but do not fit one type exclusively.

Most children with any of these five autism types will be diagnosed before the age of five, and the prognosis will depend on the function of the child, and how early they can begin to go through therapies.

There is no cure for autism, and because the reasons why some children develop this condition are so unclear, there is no way parents can prevent it from happening. More research is needed to find the origins of the condition. Once that can be found, perhaps a cure or more effective treatments can be administered, tailored to the different types of autism.

By: Rachel Evans -

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Grab your free copy of Rachel Evans' brand new Autism Newsletter - Overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you and your family find out about diagnosing autism