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Autism

Autism, also known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by differences or difficulties in social communication and interaction, a preference for predictability and routine, sensory processing differences, focused interests, and repetitive behaviors. Formal diagnosis requires significant challenges in multiple domains of life, with characteristics that are atypical or more pronounced than expected for one's age and sociocultural context. Motor coordination difficulties are common but not required for diagnosis. Autism is a spectrum disorder, resulting in wide variations in presentation and support needs, such as that between speaking and non-speaking populations.

The prevalence of autism has increased since the 1990s. This has largely been attributed to higher availability of diagnosis, increased awareness, and changes to diagnostic criteria. The World Health Organization estimates about 1 in 100 children were diagnosed between 2012 and 2021, noting an increasing trend. This rise has fueled anti-vaccine activists' disproven claim that vaccines cause autism. The claim originated from a now-discredited 1998 study by Andrew Wakefield, a former British physician. While precise causes are mostly unknown, research shows that autism is highly heritable and polygenic. Changing social demands may play a role, while environmental factors play a relatively small role, mainly prenatally. Boys are diagnosed several times more often than girls. Autism frequently co-occurs with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), epilepsy, and intellectual disability.

There is no known cure for autism, and there are advocates who oppose pursuing one. Interventions such as applied behavior analysis (ABA), speech therapy, and occupational therapy can help increase self-care, social, and language skills. Though ABA has been criticized due to its emphasizes on normalization. Reducing environmental and social barriers enables autistic people to participate more fully in education, employment, and other aspects of life. Medications can alleviate some co-occurring problems.

The view of autism as a disorder has been challenged by the neurodiversity paradigm, which frames autistic traits as a healthy variation of the human condition. This view is supported by the autism rights movement, whose paradigm researchers have recently increasingly adopted. The neurodiversity framework has sparked significant debate and controversy among autistic people, advocacy groups, healthcare providers, and charities. Provided by Wikipedia