Children herbs for autism who is a brain disorder that often interferes with a person's ability to communicate with and relate to others.

Autism is a disorder that is usually first diagnosed in early childhood. The main signs and symptoms of autism involve communication, social interactions and repetitive behaviors.

Children with autism might have problems talking with you, or they might not look you in the eye when you talk to them. They may have to line up their pencils before they can pay attention, or they may say the same sentence again and again to calm themselves down. They may flap their arms to tell you they are happy, or they might hurt themselves to tell you they are not. Some people with autism never learn how to talk.

Because people with autism can have very different features or symptoms, health care providers think of autism as a "spectrum" disorder. Asperger syndrome is a milder version of the disorder.

The cause of autism is not known. Autism lasts throughout a person's lifetime. There is no cure, but treatment can help. Treatments include behavior and communication therapies and medicines to control symptoms.

Symptoms of Autism

The symptoms vary greatly but follow a general pattern. Not all symptoms are present in all autistic children.

Autistic infants may act relatively normal during their first few months of life before becoming less responsive to their parents and other stimuli. They may have difficulty with feeding or toilet training; may not smile in recognition of their parents' faces, and may put up resistance to being cuddled.

As they enter toddlerhood, it becomes increasingly apparent that these children have a world of their own. They do not play with other children or toys in the normal manner, rather they remain aloof and prefer to play alone. Parents often mention that their child is so undemanding that he or she is “too good”.

Verbal and nonverbal communication skills, such as speech and facial expressions, develop peculiarly. Symptoms range from mutism to prolonged use of echoing or stilted language. When language is present, it is often concrete, unimaginative, and immature.

Another symptom of autism is an extreme resistance to change of any kind. Autistic children tend to want to maintain established behavior patterns and a set environment. They develop rituals in play, oppose change (such as moving furniture), and may become obsessed with one particular topic.

Other behavioral abnormalities that may be present are: staring at hands or flapping arms and hands, walking on tiptoe, rocking, tantrums, strange postures, unpredictable behavior and hyperactivity.

An autistic child has poor judgment and is therefore always at risk for danger. For instance, an autistic child may run into a busy street without any sign of fear.

Myths About Autism

• Individuals with autism never make eye contact; they do not look at you.
• Autism is a mental illness.
• Progress means a person doesn't have autism.
• Individuals with autism don't speak.
• Autism can be outgrown.
• Individuals with autism can't learn.
• Underneath all the difficult behaviors is a normal person.
• Individuals with autism cannot show affection and do not respond to physical affection.
• Individuals with autism do not want friends.
• Individuals with autism do not relate to peers/adults.
• Individuals with autism are very manipulative.
• Individuals with autism could talk if they wanted to.
• Individuals with autism can't smile.
• Individuals with autism don't notice others and don't pick up cues from adults.
• When a person with autism does not respond to a question/direction to which he has shown a previous correct response, he is being stubborn/non-compliant/obnoxious.