about autism

• Autism is a bio-neurological developmental disability that generally appears before the age of 3.
• Autism impacts the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction, communication skills, and cognitive function. Individuals with autism typically have difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities.
• Individuals with autism often suffer from numerous physical ailments which may include: allergies, asthma, epilepsy, digestive disorders, persistent viral infections, feeding disorders, sensory integration dysfunction, sleeping disorders, and more.
• Autism is diagnosed four times more often in boys than girls. Its prevalence is not affected by race, region, or socio-economic status. Since autism was first diagnosed in the U.S. the occurrence has climbed to one in 88 people across the country.
• Autism is a diagnosis that represents many symptoms and behavioral tendencies, some of which can lead to serious health and safety risks including death. In 2008, Danish researchers found that the mortality rate among the autism population is twice as high as in the general population. In 2001, a California research team attributed elevated mortality among people with autism in large part to drowning. Drowning, prolonged exposure, and suffocation remain among the top causes of death within the autism population.

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