The causes of autism spectrum disorders

doi:10.1136/bmj.326.7382.173

BMJ 2003;326:173-174 ( 25 January )

Editorials

The causes of autism spectrum disorders

Multiple factors have been identified, but a unifying cascade of events is still elusive

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Autism is a developmental disability with onset in infancy. Its clinical presentation is characterised by impairments in reciprocalsocial interaction and in communication with others, and by apreference for repetitive, stereotyped behaviours. Our understandingof the clinical picture of autism has changed dramatically overthe past decade thanks to a much greater appreciation of the possiblerange of behaviours seen at different ages and degrees of functioning.Another key change has been the appreciation that several closelyrelated "disorders" exist that share these same essential featuresbut differ on specific symptoms, age of onset, or natural history.These disorders, which include Asperger syndrome, atypical autism,and disintegrative disorder are often conceptualised as lyingon a spectrum with autism (hence the popularity of the term "autismspectrum disorders"). Current estimates of the prevalence of autismare 16 per 10 000, but this estimated prevalence increases to63 per 10 000 when all forms of . . . [Full text of this article]

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Autism spectrum disorder is not as certain as implied: David Simpson
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