Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a serious developmental disorder that impacts the nervous system and impairs the ability to communicate and interact. Here are 10 things we need to know about this disorder.

1. The term comes from the Greek word autos meaning “self”, autism means “alone”.
2. Autism spectrum disorder is recently affecting 1 out of 68 children. Boys are nearly five times more likely than girls to be diagnosed with ASD.
3. ASD is more common than childhood cancer, AIDS and diabetes combined.
4. This developmental disability normally appears before the age of 3.
5. About 10% of children with ASD also have another neurological, genetic, or metabolic disorder.
6. There is currently no cure for autism spectrum disorder.

7. ASD is not degenerative. Individuals with Autism can continuously improve, most likely with specialized, individualized services and opportunities for supported inclusion.
8. Being nonverbal at age 4 doesn’t mean children with autism spectrum disorder will never be able to speak. Research shows that most will learn to use words someday, and nearly half will learn to speak in a fluent way.
9. Children and adults with autism spectrum disorder often care deeply but lack the ability to spontaneously develop socially and empathic connected typical behavior.
10.  If one identical twin has ASD, there is a 60-96% chance the other twin will have some form of ASD as well.

Sources:

https://www.massgeneral.org/children/autism/lurie-center/30-facts-to-know-about-autism-spectrum-disorder#:~:text=Autism%20spectrum%20disorder%20now%20affects,cancer%2C%20diabetes%20and%20AIDS%20combined.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autism#:~:text=Autism%20is%20a%20developmental%20disorder,years%20of%20their%20child’s%20life.