According
to the Princeton Child Development Institute,
“Autism is a severe
developmental
disability that is usually noted within the first three years of life. It
occurs in 1 of 150 births, exists in every ethnic group and every part of
the world, and is much more common in boys than girls. Before treatment,
youngsters with autism exhibit very uneven patterns of development. Often,
speech is absent or very delayed and children do not relate to objects,
events, or other people in expected ways, nor do they respond to touch,
taste, sight, or
sound in the same manner as their typical peers. Many children exhibit
extremely dysfunctional responses, including stereotypic movements,
tantrums, and self-injury.
Because the etiology of autism is not clearly understood, prevention is
not possible. But a significant body of evidence shows that applied
behavior analysis technology can make a world of difference for people
with autism, especially when treatment begins early.”
(http://www.pcdi.org/whatIsAutism/generalInfo.asp)
severe
developmental
disability that is usually noted within the first three years of life. It
occurs in 1 of 150 births, exists in every ethnic group and every part of
the world, and is much more common in boys than girls. Before treatment,
youngsters with autism exhibit very uneven patterns of development. Often,
speech is absent or very delayed and children do not relate to objects,
events, or other people in expected ways, nor do they respond to touch,
taste, sight, or
sound in the same manner as their typical peers. Many children exhibit
extremely dysfunctional responses, including stereotypic movements,
tantrums, and self-injury.