THE AUTISM EPIDEMIC:
IS ORGANIZED MEDICINE HIDING THE TRUTH?
Part One
By Kathleen Deoul
(Page: 3 of 14)

Select From Previous Newsletters The Anthrax Vaccine: Hiding The Truth They're Back! Swimming In A Deadly Sea: Awash In Radiation [Part 1] Swimming In A Deadly Sea: Awash In Radiation [Part 2] Swimming In A Deadly Sea: Awash In Radiation [Part 3] Weapons Of Mass Destruction [Pt. 1] Weapons Of Mass Destruction [Pt. 2] Brave New World? [Pt. 1] Brave New World? [Pt. 2] The Autism Epidemic [Pt. 1] The Autism Epidemic [Pt. 2] Kill The Messenger Cell Phones, The Invisible Threat [Pt. 1] Cell Phones, The Invisible Threat [Pt. 2] Turning Tragedy Into Hope [Pt. 1] Turning Tragedy Into Hope [Pt. 2] Turning Tragedy Into Hope [Pt. 3] The Flu Epidemic: Made In Washington? Dealing With The Nursing Home Crisis Big Pharma's Dirty Little Secret Health Care Quality: Big Medicine’s Big Lie The Alternative Answer An Herbal Miracle Drug? The Unholy Alliance (Part One) The Unholy Alliance (Part Two) Big Pharma Cooks The Books Again The Devil's in the Detail (Men) Pt. I The Devil's in the Detail (Men) Pt. II The Devil's in the Detail (Men) Pt. III Are Clinical Trials Breeding Federal Frankensteins? [Part I] An Out Of Control Bureaucracy Threatens Public Health Drug Research [Pt. 1]: A Corporate Con Job Drug Research [Pt. 2]: The Rising Tide Of Prescription Drug Costs Are Clinical Trials Breeding Federal Frankensteins? [Part 2]: The Anthrax Vaccine: Making Our Soldiers Guinea Pigs [Pt 1] The Anthrax Vaccine: Making Our Soldiers Guinea Pigs [Pt 2] The Anthrax Vaccine: Making Our Soldiers Guinea Pigs [Pt 3] Drug Company Ads: Selling A Product Or Selling Out The Public BIG PHARMA: Takes On The Net Will The WTO Take Your Vitamins And Supplements Away? The Prescription Drug Benefit: Boon or Boondoggle? With A Stroke Of The Pen With A Stroke Of The Pen: Part II Unnecessary Risk Part: I Unnecessary Risk Part: II Drugging Our Children

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TYPES OF AUTISM

One little-known fact is that autism is not really a disease. Rather it is what is termed a "spectrum disorder," a set of symptoms that can vary in severity from a slight impairment to a totally disabling condition. To date five different types of autism have been identified:

Autistic Disorder: This is the form most people associate with the term autism. It is characterized by impairments of social interaction, communication and imaginative play; stereotyped behaviors, interests and activities. It is usually evident before the age of 3.

Asperger's Disorder: This is sometimes referred to as "high-functioning autism." One important difference between Asperger's Disorder and other forms of autism is that there is no deficiency in either speech or cognitive ability. Indeed, many individuals believed to suffer from Asperger's Disorder have above average intelligence. For example, Albert Einstein, author Vladimir Nabakov, composer Bela Bartok and artist Andy Warhol are all believed to have suffered from Asperger's Disorder.

Pervasive Development Disorder (PDD): This term is really a catch-all for children who do not meet all of the requirements for the diagnosis of a specific form of autism, but who nonetheless exhibit severe and pervasive impairment in many of the behaviors associated with autism.

Rett's Disorder: This form of autism primarily affects girls and can be among the most disheartening for parents. Children suffering from this disease initially develop normally, but then begin to lose their acquired skills. Ultimately motor skills are severely impaired and profound mental retardation occurs.

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD): Like Rett's Disorder, children afflicted with CDD initially develop normally. In some cases, it can be as long as four years before the symptoms begin to manifest. When it does, however, the child rapidly regresses losing acquired skills and ultimately becoming severely disabled. Although in some cases, treatment can result in a partial reversal of the process, such success is rare and the prognosis for improvement is worse than for autism.

The Autism Epidemic:
Is Organized Medicine Hiding The Truth?
Part One
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