Autism Fact Sheets Now Available from National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Fact sheets describing the latest research findings on autism are now available from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder of early brain development that affects at least one in 500 people. The disorder is characterized by communication problems, difficulty with normal social interactions, and a tendency to repeat specific patterns of behavior. Because these symptoms and behaviors can vary greatly among individuals, doctors consider autism to be a spectrum disorder--a group of disorders with various degrees of impairment for the set of similar features. Although there is no cure, there are educational and drug interventions that can help individuals with autism. There is active research into the nature and treatment of autism, as well as many folk remedies.

Current research findings suggest that autism has a strong inherited component. Scientists think the disorder is the result of a complex interaction between several different genes involved with brain signaling and development. Unknown factors in a child's surroundings are also likely to play a role.

The six new autism-related fact sheets are:

• Autism Facts--presents a general overview of what autism is, behaviors that might indicate that a child has autism, and available treatments;
• Autism Questions and Answers for Health Care Professionals--provides answers to questions commonly asked by health care professionals about autism, including frequency, causes, symptoms, diagnostic tools, and treatment choices;
• Autism and Genes--provides a summary of current scientific research into the inherited bases of autism;
• Autism and the Measles Mumps Rubella Vaccine--describes the scientific evidence around the supposed link between autism and vaccines as well as current research efforts directed at shedding light on this question;
• Rett Syndrome-discusses a disorder caused by a single genetic mutation; this syndrome causes autism-like symptoms in girls; and,
• The NICHD/NIDCD Network on the Neurobiology and Genetics of Autism: the Collaborative Programs of Excellence in Autism --describes the largest single, autism-specific research effort to date and provides contact information for each of the 10 research sites involved.

These fact sheets are available from the NICHD autism page at www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubskey.cfm?from=autism, or may be ordered from NICHD free of charge. Comments on the publications may be addressed to the NICHD Clearinghouse. E-mail to the Clearinghouse regarding these fact sheets should list the word "Autism" in the subject line.

NICHD Clearinghouse, PO Box 3006, Rockville, MD 20847, 800.370.2943 (voice), 301-984-1473 (fax), www.nichd.nih.gov (web), NICHDClearinghouse@mail.nih.gov (e-mail).