Autism usually strikes during the first three years of a child s life.
Parents often tell of a normal talkative child who suddenly seems to disappear before their eyes.
The cause of autism is unknown. Autism is a spectrum disorder where symptoms and characteristics can present themselves in a wide variety of combinations, from mild to severe and in any combination. A high functioning individual with autism might simply seem eccentric, a loner. Most individuals fall in the middle of the spectrum. It is the third most common developmental disorder.