Text Box: What is autism? Autism is a developmental disability and usually includes impairment in social interaction, communication skills, and behavior. How many people are autistic? Autism affects about 1 in 250 births and approximately 1.5 million Americans are reported to have some form of autism today. Unfortunately, this number is on the rise and increasing 10-17 percent each year. Does it occur more often in certain ethnic groups? No, it is not more prevalent among any one racial, ethnic, or social group. Autism is, however, four times more common in boys than it is in girls. What are some characteristics of autism? Autism is defined by certain behaviors, but it presents in various combinations of these behaviors at various levels of severity. Some of these traits include: · difficulty in using words · resistance to change · repeating of words or phrases · little or no eye contact · prefers to be alone · laughing or crying for unapparent reasons · tantrums · spins objects · no real fear of danger · over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain

Text Box: Is it true that those with autism don’t make eye contact? This is a common misconception. Those with autism may make eye contact. It is also not true that those with autism do not show affection. They can and do show affection as well as smile and laugh. Do children outgrow autism? No, although the symptoms may decrease as the child receives appropriate education and treatment. What is the cause of autism? A single cause of autism has not yet been identified, but it is accepted that autism is due to some form of abnormality in brain structure or function. Brain scans do show differences in the shape and structure of the brain in those with autism. Investigations are ongoing to discover the link between autism and genetics. There are also theories that autism may be caused by problems during pregnancy, environmental factors, viral infections, vaccines, as well as many other possible causes. Currently, the data does not support a link to any one specific cause and more research is needed. Are children born with autism? Yes, it is known that children are born with autism or the potential to develop autism. The characteristic behaviors are usually obvious between 24 months and 6 years of age. For more information on this subject, talk to your physician, pharmacist, or visit www.autism-society.org.

Autism Q & A—General Information

Contributed by: Danelle Haldeman, Pharm.D. Candidate

KU School of Pharmacy

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Text Box: Co-edited by: Sarah Kerner, Pharm.D. Miranda Wilhelm, Pharm.D. Tammy Stack, Pharm.D.