Autism is not a mental illness. At this time these children can only be assisted in their recovery efforts. There is no known cure. Some are severely impacted and need 1 to 1 care 24 hours a day because of their extreme behavioral and medical needs. Others are able to move with moderate success within society.
Current theory holds that there are several possible causes of autism.
Cathy Pratt, Director of the Indiana Resource Center for Autism, recently published an article in their newsletter, The Reporter. Today, projected incidence rates range anywhere from 7-48 per 10,000 for individuals diagnosed with Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, and Asperger's Syndrome. She went on to state that there is general agreement in the professional community that Autism Spectrum Disorders are on the rise and that it is not clear why. She said that it also appears that the incidence of Autism Spectrum Disorders varies across geographical locations. This could be due to factors such as the expertise and availability of diagnosticians, knowledge of the medical community and other professions, existence of autism-related programs, potential environmental factors, and a tendency to over or under diagnose Autism.