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How to Help Children With Autism
By Fredda Brown, Ph.D., and Sima Gerber, Ph.D.
City University of New York - Queens College
Autism is a disability that affects the way children behave and interact in everyday situations. Children with autism often have difficulties with communication and social interactions. They may seem uninterested in being part of typical activities or playing with other children. Very often, children with autism engage in repetitive activities and body movements, such as rocking or flapping their hands.
Autism is called a "spectrum" disorder — meaning that there is a great range of characteristics that you may see. For example, some children may learn to speak, while others may not develop verbal language. While not all children with autism are alike, all children with autism are entitled to receive help and are able to benefit from it.
The number of children reported to have autism varies greatly. Some reports indicate that this disorder occurs in as few as 2-5 people out of every 10,000 people. Other reports indicate as many as 10-15 people per 10,000 people are affected. Autism is four times more common in boys than girls.
In recent years, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of children who are identified with autism. Although there have been many hypotheses about why this may be — from reactions to immunizations, to food allergies — no one knows for sure.