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Autism Between Autism And Autism

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Parents, teachers, and professionals around the world are baffled by the startling statistics surrounding one diagnosis that is affecting so many of the children they know and love. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 68 children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders in the United States alone, including almost five times more boys than girls (2015). Autism is a neurobiological developmental disability that has swiftly become the fastest-growing developmental disability, as the rate of diagnosis continues to rise. Autism encompasses an entire spectrum of disorders, meaning that symptoms and severity can vary greatly from child to child. In addition, the symptoms seen in one individual can vary from day to day (Woliver, 2008). It is critical to fully understand autism in order to fully understand the children that it affects. Despite the fact that autism was first discussed in the 1940s, very little was known about the disorder until recent decades. Today, scientists are still unsure of the exact cause. Research suggests that genetics and the environment both play a role and that there is not a single cause. The case for genetics is supported by the fact that children are two to eight percent more likely to have autism if they have a sibling with autism. Studies have also been done on the link between vaccines and autism, but currently there is not enough evidence to suggest a correlation exists between the two (National Institute of

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