Autism
Troy,Bj,Nick R
History
Autism was first used in 1911 to describe people with a form of schizophrenia. It wasn't until the 1960s that the word was used to describe children with social and mental issues. During the 1980s research and concern about Autism started to come into the forefront. It also became increasingly known that Autism was not related to parenting and instead was the fault of genetics.
Spectrum
Causes/Treatments
There is no confirmed cause for Autism, but it is generally accepted that abnormalities in the brain are the key factor. In many families, there appears to be a pattern of autism or related disabilities, further supporting the theory that the disorder has a genetic basis. Also, there are theories blaming the changes in our environment for the disorder because of all of the chemicals released into the air. When it comes down to it, Autism is largely misunderstood, and only with time will we find out how to cure this disease.
Sources
"A History of Autism." WebMD. WebMD, 17 Dec. 2001. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
"Causes." Autism Society -. Autism Society, n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.