In other words, a child who appears autistic due to a lack of verbal and social interaction may appear this way for a variety of underlying reasons. There is evidence that some autistic individuals are capable of more joyful and more interactive lives than was previously believed, and an accurate diagnosis of their neurological deficiencies is essential in order to assess their potential and devise appropriate treatment. Autism is distinct from ADHD because it is a more debilitating disorder, but it is similar in that both are diagnosed through a collection of symptoms, the underlying biology of which is not fully understood. From this perspective, clinical methodology for the two disorders should be similar, making efforts to approach each potential diagnosis with as accurate an assessment of an individual s physiology as is possible, given present limitations in understanding. A closer look at the symptoms and possible causes of autism will illuminate this argument.
Autism is a developmental disability that appears within the first three years of a child s life.
Due to autism s variety, its symptoms seem best understood when presented descriptively and with specific examples. The underlying cause of these external behaviors is best generalized as the result of sensory impairment. The variety of behaviors stemming from this common theme can be direct opposites of each other. An autistic person may avoid being touched if they are hypersensitive in this area of sensory input, and an infant who arches its back away from a caregiver when being picked up is an early sign of autistic behavior. On the other hand, the infant may not register being picked up at all, and remain limp, which is the opposite problem.