Autism (PPD)
Autism or PPD (pervasive developmental disorder) is defined as neurodevelopment disorder characterized by the failure to relate to and distinguish the environment in a realistic way. It affects thought, perception and attention. The disorder belongs to a family of brain conditions that affect behavior in infancy or early childhood it is usually present by the age of three. Males are most likely to be affected by the disease.
Some of the common causes can be from certain events that happened before or shortly after birth such as infection of the brain with the herpes virus and infection of the mother with the rubella virus. Some of the symptoms are fixation on inanimate objects, inability to communicate normally, impairment in social interaction and struggling to changes in daily routine.

Diagnosing Autism can be based on some characteristics such as difficulty with language, abnormal responses to sensory stimuli, social interaction other characteristics of autism may include making the same repetitive motion for hours, repeating a sound or phrase, they have extreme sensitivity to sound and touch, unable to hold a conversation, and practicing unusual play patterns such as Instead of focusing in the entire toy they focus on certain parts like for example the wheels on a car instead of the whole car itself. Autistics can have any combination of these characteristics in any degree. That is why autism is referred to as a spectrum disorder. Early signs of Autism may appear in their first months of being born. Infants with autism will tend to stray away from other people, they will try to avoid people touching them and become stiff when picked up or helped. They are unable to recognize themselves or remember things that they have just done. For example, if an autistic child were to show someone their toy, they would forget they have just showed it and show the toy repeatedly as if they have never done it before. Children with Autism do not maturate as fast as normal children. A normal child will point to objects or smile when seeing their mother before the end of their first year but children with autism develop this behavior much later. These symptoms may go on unnoticed by parents or doctors in infancy but by the age of two to three it is clear that something is wrong.

Experts say early intervention is very important . Some treatments include special diets and vitamin supplements, and focus on the child with autism to stay away from their agenda or avoid daily routines. If an autistic child is geared away from what they want they tend to become aggressive. Autistic children will sometimes wonder away from conversation or tasks in an irregular manner unable to focus on what others want. People with autism do not understand social norms or rules like normal people. Autistics are unable to learn from observation. They need to be taught the significance and meaning of a frown as a pose to a smile, or how to focus on the person that is talking to them.

There is no clear cause for autism, even though most neurological studies seem to show a dysfunction in the brain as a possible reason. Autism has been found in children with brain abnormalities such as congenital rubella syndrome, neurofibromatosis, and tuberous sclerosis. Autism can also be present in genetic syndromes such as fragile X syndrome and phenylketonuria. Some research has shown that there may be an autism gene, or two genes working together. These genes are thought to be on the seventh and thirteenth chromosome. The disorder may also be hereditary in some cases.

Autism is easily and most of the time confused with low intelligence, but many children with autism are in fact very smart. While 70 percent of the children diagnosed with autism score below average on IQ tests, many are of normal intelligence, and a few are considered quite bright. Autistics can learn and improve their education and behavior, and this allows some of them to