Genetic inheritance is involved in the development of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Genetic factors likely interact with environmental variables to result in the expression of autism. Neurobiological research indicates that autism is likely the result of genetically determined abnormalities in brain development. This abnormal brain development may start before the child is born. It has

The original estimates of the prevalence of autism indicated that it occurred in around 2 per 10,000 people. However, recent estimates place the prevalence as high as or higher than 1 in 36 children for all autism spectrum disorders combined according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is likely that the

Though the presentation of symptoms with autism can vary quite a bit, there are specific behaviors necessary for diagnosing it. Impairment in reciprocal social interaction must be present. We often envision a child with autism as avoiding eye contact or perhaps as using people as they would inanimate objects. Communicative deficits also must be present

No. There are a variety of disorders that are related to limited speech development but any child that is not talking by the age of 3 should have a developmental assessment immediately. Most children are babbling before they reach their first birthday and use single words to communicate by 18 months. Any child that does

There are no definitive diagnostic tests for autism. The soundest means of determining diagnosis is a thorough review of the child's developmental history and observation of their behavior in structured and unstructured situations. The diagnostic tools most often turned to by pediatricians, who are the front line of noting developmental problems, are the Diagnostic and

A recent study by Sallows and Graupner (2005) has replicated the results of Lovaas and colleagues. They indicated that a positive treatment outcome was best predicted by a child's pre-intervention language, imitation, and social skills. Another study by Howard, Sparkman, Cohen, Green, and Stanislaw (2005), compared intensive behavior analytic intervention to standard early intervention services

Applied Behavior Analysis or ABA is the application of the empirically validated principles of behavior to build skills through directed instruction and to treat problem behaviors by determining the function of them and arranging for effective intervention that addresses the behavior's function. ABA is an approach to analyzing each individual's skill deficits and problem behaviors.

This is a difficult question to answer. Though ABA has been shown to be effective, many of the aspects of applying the principles of behavior analysis in the treatment of autism have not been investigated thoroughly. For example, how many hours per week are necessary to produce a change is not known. Additionally, some skills

The person who supervises the implementation of an ABA program should be a "behavior analyst." There is a Behavior Analyst Certification Board® (BACB®) and the criteria for becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst® or BCBA® are listed at www.bacb.com (see the consumer information section, click on "Standards for becoming a BCBA or BCABA®"). This certification

Scientific evidence indicates that there is no correlation between autism and vaccines though millions of dollars, which might otherwise have gone to funding important research, have been spent investigating this notion. Andrew Wakefield and 12 colleagues published a study in The Lancet tentatively suggesting a link. However, it was discovered that Wakefield was paid over