so what exactly is autism?

Answer 1

Here's part of the DSM-IV TR criteria:
Social Impairment, such as:
Marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye contact, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction
Failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
Lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interest, or achievements with other people
Lack of social or emotional reciprocity

Impairments in communication:
Delay in or total lack of the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gesture of mime)
In individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate to sustain a conversation with others
Stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language
Lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level

Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities:
Encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
Apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
Stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (hand flapping, complex whole body movements, spinning)
Persistent preoccupation with parts of objects

Delays or abnormal functioning start before the age of 3.

Answer 2

That is not a short answer. The actual diagnosis of autism requires a psychologist to look at the DSM IV but everyone with autism is different. Children with autism are self-absorbed and have severe social, communication, and behavioral problems. The degree of severity varies and we now recognize less severe forms than 50 yrs ago.
This is a good website for information about autism in children, related disorders, and treatments http://autism.org

Answer 3

Nobody knows exactly. It is defined as a spectrum of behavioral disorders which involve an inability to interact normally with other people including inability to read emotions or subtleties of communication. Autistics can also have repetitive motions like rocking back and forth.

Answer 4

What is autism?
Print this page Cyfieithiad i'r Gymraeg

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Although it was first identified in 1943, autism is still a relatively unknown disability. Yet autistic spectrum disorders are estimated to touch the lives of over 500,000 families throughout the UK.
People with autism are not physically disabled in the same way that a person with cerebral palsy may be; they do not require wheelchairs and they 'look' just like anybody without the disability. Due to this invisible nature it can be much harder to create awareness and understanding of the condition.

Because an autistic child looks 'normal' others assume they are naughty or the parents are not controlling the child. Strangers frequently comment on this 'failing'.


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What is autism?

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects the way a person communicates and relates to people around them. Children and adults with autism have difficulties with everyday social interaction. Their ability to develop friendships is generally limited as is their capacity to understand other people's emotional expression.

People with autism can often have accompanying learning disabilities but everyone with the condition shares a difficulty in making sense of the world.

There is also a condition called Asperger syndrome, which is a form of autism used to describe people who are usually at the higher functioning end of the autistic spectrum.

"Reality to an autistic person is a confusing, interacting mass of events, people, places, sounds and sights. There seems to be no clear boundaries, order or meaning to anything. A large part of my life is spent just trying to work out the pattern behind everything."

- A person with autism


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What are the characteristics of autism?

People with autism generally experience three main areas of difficulty; these are known as the triad of impairments.

Social interaction (difficulty with social relationships, for example appearing aloof and indifferent to other people)
Social communication (difficulty with verbal and non-verbal communication, for example not fully understanding the meaning of common gestures, facial expressions or tone of voice)
Imagination (difficulty in the development of interpersonal play and imagination, for example having a limited range of imaginative activities, possibly copied and pursued rigidly and repetitively).
In addition to this triad, repetitive behaviour patterns and resistance to change in routine are often characteristic.



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What causes autism?

The exact cause or causes of autism is/are still not known but research shows that genetic factors are important. It is also evident from research that autism may be associated with a variety of conditions affecting brain development which occur before, during, or very soon after birth.




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Diagnosis


The earlier a diagnosis of autism is made, the better the chances are of a person receiving appropriate help and support.




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Can people with autism be helped?

Specialist education and structured support can really make a difference to the life of a person with autism, helping to maximise skills and achieve full potential in adulthood.




Related Resources
How many people have autistic spectrum disorders?
What is Asperger syndrome?
About autistic spectrum disorders
Information for health professionals
How can I get a diagnosis for my child?
How can I get a diagnosis as an adult?
What therapies are available for people with autism?
Services for adults
About the NAS
Information sheets
Publications catalogue
Helpline email service
What is Autism? (PDF) What is Autism? PDF of original published leaflet

Answer 5

etiology of autism is unknown, many researchers suspect that autism results from genetically mediated vulnerabilities to environmental triggers.
researchers have found seven genes prevalent among individuals diagnosed as autistic. Some estimate that autism occurs in as many as one child in 166 in the United States. However, the National Institute of Mental Health gives a more conservative estimate of one in 1000.[1] Overall, autism is three to four times more common in boys than girls

According to Simon Baron-Cohen, autistic children often also appear to lack a "theory of mind", the ability to see things from another person's perspective, a behavior cited as exclusive to human beings above the age of five and, possibly, other higher primates such as adult gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos. Typical 5-year-olds can develop insights into other people's different knowledge, feelings, and intentions, interpretations based upon social cues (e.g., gestures, facial expressions). An autistic individual may lack these interpretation skills, an inability that leaves them unable to predict or understand other people's actions.


Children will exhibit problems coping with the normal sensory input. Indicators of this disorder include oversensitivity or underreactivity to touch, movement, sights, or sounds; physical clumsiness or carelessness; poor body awareness; a tendency to be easily distracted; impulsive physical or verbal behavior; an activity level that is unusually high or low; not unwinding or calming oneself; difficulty learning new movements; difficulty in making transitions from one situation to another; social and/or emotional problems; delays in speech, language or motor skills; specific learning difficulties/delays in academic achievement. However, it is essential to keep in mind that while most people with autism have some degree of sensory integration difficulty, not every person who has sensory problems is autistic.

Communication difficulties
By age 3, typical children have passed predictable language learning milestones; one of the earliest is babbling. By the first birthday, a typical toddler says words, turns when he or she hears his or her name, points when he or she wants a toy, and when offered something distasteful, makes it clear that the answer is "no." It should be noted, however, that late language development does occur in a minority of neurotypical children.


majority of neurotypical children. Some remain mute

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autism#Terminology


Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain,

As mentioned previously, autism is a spectrum disorder, and although it is defined by a certain set of behaviors, children and adults with autism can exhibit any combination of these behaviors in any degree of severity. Two children, both with the same diagnosis, can act completely different from one another and have varying capabilities.

There is no known single cause for autism, but it is generally accepted by the medical community that it is caused by abnormalities in brain structure or function. Brain scans show differences in the shape and structure of the brain in autistic versus non-autistic children. Researchers are investigating a number of theories, including the link between heredity, genetics and medical problems. While no one gene has been identified as causing autism, in many families there appears to be a pattern of autism or related disabilities, further supporting a genetic basis to the disorder. Researchers are searching for irregular segments of genetic code that autistic children may have inherited. It also appears that some children are born with a higher susceptibility to autism, but researchers have not yet identified a single "trigger" that causes autism to develop.


http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=whatisautism

Answer 6

Hi, a very helpful and knowledgable source I've found online is

autismspeaks.org autismspeaks.com
That should give you a pretty good referance

Answer 7

A condition in which the patient could not speak, it may be heritary or due to a traumatic past that left the patient unwilling to speak.