By Diana Rodriguez | Medically reviewed by Cynthia Haines, MD

Autism is one developmental disability that is part of a group of disorders known as

autism spectrum disorders. Autism is a behavioral disorder with a number of
symptoms that may range from mild to severe. No two children with autism may
have exactly the same symptoms or the same experience, yet it's a disorder that is
shared among many. One in 88 American children has been diagnosed with an
autism spectrum disorder, according to the CDC, and the disease currently affects
up to 1.5 million Americans. The numbers of autistic people rise by as much as 10
to 17 percent each year, increasing at a faster rate than any other developmental
disability.
So what is autism, and what does it mean for children?
About Autism Spectrum Disorders
Autism falls into a group of disorders called autism spectrum disorders, or ASDs.
Autism and other ASDs are considered developmental disabilities, which means
that they impair a child's ability to grow and develop normally.
Autism spectrum disorders include:

Asperger syndrome

Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS, or

atypical autism)

Autistic disorder (classic autism)

"By definition, autism spectrum disorders affect three domains of functioning for a
child," said Bradley Peterson, MD, director of child and adolescent psychiatry at the
Columbia University Medical Center in New York. "The domain that people feel is
most central is the area of social interactions."
The normal give and take between people in conversation, or social reciprocity, "is
almost always impaired in autistic children," said Dr. Peterson
The other two areas of functioning that are seen in children with autism are
difficulty with spoken language and a tendency toward repetitive interests,
thoughts, and behaviors.
"By definition, all of these things have to be present by the age of 3, and they have
to be disproportionate to the overall intelligence level of the child," said Peterson.
"Mentally retarded children may appear somewhat unusual in some of these
domains, but it would be typical with their intellectual mental age."
Common symptoms of autism include:

Lack of interest in or in response to people

Excessive interest in objects or things, rather than people

Avoidance of eye contact
Failure to recognize or answer to their own name
Failure to show or feel empathy for others
Repetitive behaviors, such as twirling or rocking
Delayed speech and delay in reaching other milestones

Causes of Autism
What causes autism is still largely a mystery, but several theories exist.
"It's very clear that autism has numerous causes," said Peterson. "Those numerous
causes are almost certainly going to have different manifestations in the brain
different genes are known to cause autism, and we know that those genes will have
different effects on different parts of the brain in terms of behavior and thinking."
But, Peterson noted, more and more research is being done that provides useful
information about how autism affects the brain.
"Social interaction is a very complex behavior, and many brain regions are involved
in supporting that complex ability," Peterson said. That means that even if
researchers discover the effect that autism has on one brain region, there are still
many more to be discovered.
Researchers also haven't yet discovered exactly when autism strikes it's not yet
known if children are born with it or if it's a disability that develops later.
"We do know that some children [as infants and toddlers] appear quite normal in
most, if not all, respects," said Peterson. The same children can go on to develop
autism. However, that's certainly not common; most autistic children show signs
and symptoms of autism early on.
Autism research has come a long way and shows a lot of promising signs for
understanding the roots of the disorder, but there are still many questions
remaining and much more research to be done.