Autism is a genetic mental ailment or syndrome that manifests during the first 2 years of life. Persons afflicted with autism are found to be chronically deficient in neurons in an area in the brain. This characterizes a developmental disability resulting in a neurological disorder that affects functioning of the brain. However, recent biochemical and genetic studies have led to the hypothesis that the disorder is due to an organic defect in brain development.
Autism is thought to be a result of abnormal serotonin metabolism in the brain.
Language disorder with impaired understanding. Retardation in intellectual development. There are other ailments that resemble autism such as Rett's syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that affects only girls. Over one half million people in the United States today have some form of autism. It's the third most common developmental disability and is more common than Down's syndrome.