According to Dr. Mehmet Oz, "Autism is a neurological disorder that robs a child of his or her emotional foundation, making it difficult for the child to communicate, even smile. That’s because there’s an issue with certain connections in the brain from neuron to neuron. It’s often associated with repetitive motor movements or obsessive behaviors."
Asperger's Syndrome is somewhere between what we conceive normal and autism.
About 1 in 110 children born today are autistic (1 in 70 boys are). In 1980, it was 1 in 5,000.
What Causes Autism?
According to Dr. Oz, "Nobody knows exactly why we’re seeing an increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism. Some of it has to do with the fact that we have a broader definition of what’s on the spectrum of autism disorders than we did, but that’s not the only reason.Today, there are three main theories as to what has contributed to the increase. They are:
- Vaccines: There are studies showing there are no links between vaccine and autism, though a minority medical professionals also believe that the evidence isn’t conclusive.
- Environmental factors: The theory is that a variety of things could play a role, such as exposure to pesticides and car toxins.
- Age of parents: Studies have shown that with all other factors being equal, the risk of autism is greater when either parent is older. We’re not sure of a reason, but it could be due to hormones or even changes to the egg or sperm."
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